7. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

The Partnership’s fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2024 annual goodwill impairment review resulted in no adjustments to the carrying amount of goodwill. The carrying values of goodwill assigned to the Partnership’s operating segments are as follows:

 

 

 

Propane

 

 

Fuel oil and
refined fuels

 

 

Natural gas
and electricity

 

 

All other

 

 

Total

 

Balance as of September 28, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodwill

 

$

1,107,655

 

 

$

10,900

 

 

$

7,900

 

 

$

31,259

 

 

$

1,157,714

 

Accumulated adjustments

 

 

 

 

 

(6,462

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(6,462

)

 

 

$

1,107,655

 

 

$

4,438

 

 

$

7,900

 

 

$

31,259

 

 

$

1,151,252

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fiscal 2025 Activity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodwill acquired (1)

 

$

6,575

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

6,575

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance as of September 27, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodwill

 

$

1,114,230

 

 

$

10,900

 

 

$

7,900

 

 

$

31,259

 

 

$

1,164,289

 

Accumulated adjustments

 

 

 

 

 

(6,462

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(6,462

)

 

 

$

1,114,230

 

 

$

4,438

 

 

$

7,900

 

 

$

31,259

 

 

$

1,157,827

 

 

Other intangible assets consist of the following:

 

 

 

As of

 

 

 

September 27,

 

 

September 28,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Customer relationships (1)

 

$

596,429

 

 

$

577,486

 

Non-compete agreements (1)

 

 

45,955

 

 

 

41,955

 

Other

 

 

5,100

 

 

 

7,067

 

 

 

 

647,484

 

 

 

626,508

 

Less: accumulated amortization

 

 

 

 

 

 

Customer relationships

 

 

(523,636

)

 

 

(513,053

)

Non-compete agreements

 

 

(37,430

)

 

 

(36,000

)

Other

 

 

(1,641

)

 

 

(2,943

)

 

 

 

(562,707

)

 

 

(551,996

)

 

 

$

84,777

 

 

$

74,512

 

 

(1)
Reflects the impact from acquisitions (See Note 4).

 

Aggregate amortization expense related to other intangible assets for fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $12,678, $12,294 and $10,906, respectively. Aggregate amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years related to other intangible assets held as of September 27, 2025 is estimated as follows: 2026: $12,070; 2027: $12,056; 2028: $11,570; 2029: $10,498; and 2030: $8,516.

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.