Goodwill and Identifiable Intangible Assets

 

All business combinations are accounted for using the acquisition method. Goodwill and identifiable intangible assets with indefinite lives, are not amortized, but are reviewed annually for impairment or more frequently if impairment indicators arise. Identifiable intangible assets that are not deemed to have indefinite lives are amortized over the following useful lives:

 

Customer relationships (years)

 5to15 

Patents (years)

 12   

Non-compete agreements (years)

 5   

Other (years)

 10   

Developed technology (years)

 10to20 

Trade names

 

Indefinite life

 

 

See discussion of the Company’s assessment of impairment in Note 6 – Goodwill and Note 7 – Intangible Assets.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2020Aug 25, 2020Showing above
2019Aug 27, 2019
2018Aug 28, 2018
2017Aug 28, 2017
2016Aug 25, 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.