11) Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill

A summary of changes in the Company’s goodwill during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 are as follows (in thousands):

 

Balance as of September 30, 2023

 

$

262,103

 

Fiscal year 2024 business combinations

 

 

13,726

 

Balance as of September 30, 2024

 

 

275,829

 

Fiscal year 2025 business combinations

 

 

17,715

 

Other

 

 

(194

)

Balance as of September 30, 2025

 

$

293,350

 

Intangibles, net

Intangible assets subject to amortization consist of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

 

 

Gross

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carrying

 

 

Accum.

 

 

 

 

 

Carrying

 

 

Accum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amount

 

 

Amortization

 

 

Net

 

 

Amount

 

 

Amortization

 

 

Net

 

Customer lists

 

$

493,431

 

 

$

391,702

 

 

$

101,729

 

 

$

452,340

 

 

$

373,860

 

 

$

78,480

 

Trade names and other intangibles

 

 

52,028

 

 

 

28,865

 

 

 

23,163

 

 

 

46,895

 

 

 

26,663

 

 

 

20,232

 

Total

 

$

545,459

 

 

$

420,567

 

 

$

124,892

 

 

$

499,235

 

 

$

400,523

 

 

$

98,712

 

 

Amortization expense for intangible assets was $20.0 million, $18.0 million, and $18.6 million, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. Total estimated annual amortization expense related to intangible assets subject to amortization, for the year ending September 30, 2026 and the four succeeding fiscal years ending September 30, is as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

Amount

 

2026

 

$

18,761

 

2027

 

$

18,061

 

2028

 

$

15,916

 

2029

 

$

14,533

 

2030

 

$

12,618

 

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Dec 9, 2025Showing above
2024Dec 4, 2024
2023Dec 6, 2023
2022Dec 7, 2022
2021Dec 8, 2021

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.