Intangible Assets, Net

Intangible assets consisted of the following at December 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016:
 
 
Useful Life
 
December 30, 2017
 
December 31, 2016
Gross
Carrying
Amount
 
Accumulated
Amort. and
Impairment
 
Net
Carrying
Amount
 
Gross
Carrying
Amount
 
Accum.
Amort. and
Impairment
 
Net
Carrying
Amount
Intangible assets subject to amortization:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Product design intellectual property
4 years
 
2,750


(2,750
)


 
2,750

 
(2,620
)
 
130

Patent license agreements
3 - 5 years
 
462

 
(360
)
 
102

 
562

 
(368
)
 
194

Domain and trade names
10 years
 
1,407


(858
)

549

 
1,407

 
(762
)
 
645

Total
 
 
$
4,619

 
$
(3,968
)
 
$
651

 
$
4,719

 
$
(3,750
)
 
$
969


Intangible assets subject to amortization are amortized on a straight-line basis. Amortization expense relating to intangibles totaled $319, $507 and $464 for fiscal year 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
The following table summarizes the future estimated annual amortization expense for these assets over the next five years and thereafter:
 
2018
$
185

2019
100

2020
100

2021
100

2022
100

Thereafter
66

Total
$
651

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.