6. Goodwill and Acquired Intangible Assets

Goodwill and acquired intangible assets consisted of the following:

(in thousands)

 

September 30, 2025

 

 

September 30, 2024

 

 

 

Gross
Carrying
Amount

 

 

Accumulated
Amortization

 

 

Net Book
Value

 

 

Gross
Carrying
Amount

 

 

Accumulated
Amortization

 

 

Net Book
Value

 

Goodwill (not amortized)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

3,493,316

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

3,461,891

 

Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized)(1):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purchased software

 

$

639,104

 

 

$

472,357

 

 

$

166,747

 

 

$

634,439

 

 

$

436,471

 

 

$

197,968

 

Capitalized software

 

 

22,877

 

 

 

22,877

 

 

 

 

 

 

22,877

 

 

 

22,877

 

 

 

 

Customer lists and relationships

 

 

1,149,262

 

 

 

505,202

 

 

 

644,060

 

 

 

1,141,086

 

 

 

457,718

 

 

 

683,368

 

Trademarks and trade names

 

 

38,179

 

 

 

24,323

 

 

 

13,856

 

 

 

37,961

 

 

 

21,821

 

 

 

16,140

 

Other

 

 

4,019

 

 

 

4,019

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,941

 

 

 

3,941

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

1,853,441

 

 

$

1,028,778

 

 

$

824,663

 

 

$

1,840,304

 

 

$

942,828

 

 

$

897,476

 

Total goodwill and acquired intangible assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

4,317,979

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

4,359,367

 

 

(1)
The weighted-average useful lives of purchased software, customer lists and relationships, and trademarks and trade names with a remaining net book value are 11 years, 17 years, and 11 years, respectively. The weighted-average useful life for all intangible assets with remaining net book value is 16 years.

The changes in the carrying amounts of Goodwill from September 30, 2024 to September 30, 2025 are due to the impact of acquisitions and to foreign currency translation adjustments related to those asset balances that are recorded in non-U.S. currencies.

Changes in Goodwill were as follows:

 

(in thousands)

 

 

 

Balance, September 30, 2023

 

$

3,358,511

 

pure-systems acquisition

 

 

77,118

 

Foreign currency translation adjustments

 

 

26,262

 

Balance, September 30, 2024

 

$

3,461,891

 

Other acquisitions

 

 

5,977

 

Foreign currency translation adjustments

 

 

25,448

 

Balance, September 30, 2025

 

$

3,493,316

 

 

The aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets with finite lives recorded for the years ended September 30, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was reflected in our Consolidated Statements of Operations as follows:

 

(in thousands)

 

Year ended September 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

Amortization of acquired intangible assets

 

$

45,948

 

 

$

42,018

 

 

$

40,022

 

Cost of revenue

 

 

32,828

 

 

 

38,495

 

 

 

35,694

 

Total amortization expense

 

$

78,776

 

 

$

80,513

 

 

$

75,716

 

 

The estimated aggregate future amortization expense for intangible assets with finite lives remaining as of September 30, 2025 is $79.6 million for 2026, $79.7 million for 2027, $76.9 million for 2028, $73.8 million for 2029, $66.2 million for 2030 and $448.5 million thereafter.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Nov 21, 2025Showing above
2024Nov 14, 2024
2023Nov 20, 2023
2022Nov 15, 2022
2021Nov 22, 2021
2020Nov 20, 2020
2019Nov 18, 2019
2018Nov 16, 2018
2017Nov 29, 2017
2016Nov 18, 2016
2015Nov 23, 2015

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.