(7) Goodwill and Intangible Assets

All of our goodwill and intangible assets reside within the Texas Roadhouse reportable segment. A summary of changes to goodwill were as follows:

Fiscal Year Ended

December 30, 2025

December 31, 2024

Beginning balance

$

169,684

$

169,684

Additions

72,536

Ending balance

$

242,220

$

169,684

Intangible assets, net consists of reacquired franchise rights. The following table presents the balance of intangible assets:

Fiscal Year Ended

December 30, 2025

December 31, 2024

Gross carrying value

$

47,353

$

24,412

Accumulated amortization

(29,611)

(23,147)

Net carrying value

$

17,742

$

1,265

We amortize reacquired franchise rights on a straight-line basis over the remaining term of the related franchise agreement. The following table presents the aggregate expense related to the amortization of the Company's intangible assets for the years ended December 30, 2025, December 31, 2024, and December 26, 2023

Fiscal Year Ended

December 30, 2025

December 31, 2024

December 26, 2023

Amortization expense

$

6,463

$

2,218

$

3,024

The following table presents the expected annual amortization expense for the Company's intangible assets for the next five years and thereafter:

2026

$

4,931

2027

3,823

2028

2,720

2029

2,054

2030

1,364

Thereafter

2,850

$

17,742

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 27, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 28, 2025
2023Feb 23, 2024
2022Feb 24, 2023
2021Feb 25, 2022
2020Feb 26, 2021
2019Feb 28, 2020
2018Feb 22, 2019
2017Feb 23, 2018
2016Feb 24, 2017
2015Feb 26, 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.