Long-Lived Assets
Goodwill

Goodwill was $2,006.4 million in each of 2025 and 2024 and was related to our Billboard segment. There were no changes in the book value of goodwill for each of the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, we performed a qualitative assessment of our Billboard reporting unit for possible goodwill impairment and no additional goodwill impairment was identified.

Intangible Assets

Our identifiable intangible assets primarily consist of acquired permits and leasehold agreements, and franchise agreements, which grant us the right to operate out-of-home structures in specified locations and the right to provide advertising space on railroad and municipal transit properties. Identifiable intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful life, which is the respective life of the agreement that in some cases includes historical experience of renewals.

Our identifiable intangible assets consist of the following:
(in millions)GrossAccumulated
Amortization
ImpairmentNet
As of December 31, 2025:
Permits and leasehold agreements$1,538.1 $(983.8)$— $554.3 
Franchise agreements(a)
909.0 (371.7)(485.8)51.5 
Other intangible assets18.2 (12.0)— 6.2 
Total intangible assets$2,465.3 $(1,367.5)$(485.8)$612.0 
As of December 31, 2024:
Permits and leasehold agreements$1,535.9 $(935.7)$— $600.2 
Franchise agreements(a)
888.8 (360.9)(485.8)42.1 
Other intangible assets19.5 (9.8)— 9.7 
Total intangible assets$2,444.2 $(1,306.4)$(485.8)$652.0 
(a)We reclassified all Prepaid MTA equipment deployment costs (see Note 19. Commitments and Contingencies) and recorded impairments in the first and second quarters of 2024, due to the long-term outlook of our Transit reporting unit.

In 2025, we acquired 16 displays, resulting in amortizable intangible assets for permits and leasehold agreements, and other intangible assets of $10.7 million, which are amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives, an average period of 18.7 years.

All of our intangible assets, except goodwill, are subject to amortization. Amortization expense was $69.6 million in 2025, $72.0 million in 2024 and $81.2 million in 2023.

As a result of negative aggregate undiscounted cash flow forecasts related to our New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (the “MTA”) asset group, we performed quarterly impairment analyses on the MTA asset group during 2024 and recorded impairment charges of $17.9 million during 2024, representing additional MTA equipment deployment cost spending during the first six months of 2024. No impairment charges were recorded during 2025.

We expect our aggregate annual amortization expense for intangible assets for each of the years 2026 through 2030, to be as follows:
(in millions)20262027202820292030
Amortization expense$67.4 $62.5 $58.4 $55.1 $52.7 

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 26, 2026Showing above
2019Feb 26, 2020
2018Feb 27, 2019
2017Feb 28, 2018
2016Feb 23, 2017
2015Feb 29, 2016

About Goodwill & Intangibles Disclosures

Goodwill and intangible asset disclosures reveal the premium paid in acquisitions and how management assesses whether that premium retains its value. Since goodwill is no longer amortized under US GAAP, the annual impairment test is the only mechanism that adjusts carrying values downward — making the assumptions behind that test critically important for investors.

Key signals: a history of goodwill impairments suggests management consistently overpays for acquisitions. Watch the gap between reporting unit fair value and carrying amount — when fair value exceeds carrying amount by less than 10-20%, a small decline in business performance could trigger a write-down. For finite-lived intangibles, examine useful life assumptions across customer relationships, technology, and trade names; aggressive estimates inflate near-term earnings. Compare total intangibles-to-total-assets ratios against peers to assess acquisition dependency. Rising goodwill as a percentage of equity can signal balance sheet fragility.