Synchrony Financial Goodwill & Intangibles Disclosure
($ in millions) | 2025 | 2024 | |||||||||
Balance at January 1 | $ | 1,274 | $ | 1,018 | |||||||
Goodwill recognized upon acquisition(a) | 89 | 252 | |||||||||
Change in amounts allocated to disposition of business(b) | — | 4 | |||||||||
Balance at December 31 | $ | 1,363 | $ | 1,274 | |||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At December 31 ($ in millions) | Gross carrying amount | Accumulated amortization | Net | Gross carrying amount | Accumulated amortization | Net | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Capitalized software | $ | 3,072 | $ | (1,921) | $ | 1,151 | $ | 2,361 | $ | (1,569) | $ | 792 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other | 247 | (143) | 104 | 195 | (133) | 62 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 3,319 | $ | (2,064) | $ | 1,255 | $ | 2,556 | $ | (1,702) | $ | 854 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ($ in millions) | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amortization expense | $ | 378 | $ | 306 | $ | 243 | $ | 178 | $ | 99 | |||||||||||||||||||
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 6, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 7, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 8, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 9, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 10, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Feb 11, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 13, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Feb 15, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Feb 22, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Feb 23, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Feb 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.