NOTE 9. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

The following table presents changes in the goodwill balance for the periods ended December 31, 2025 and 2024:

 

 

 

December 31,

 

(in thousands)

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Balance, beginning of period

 

$

 

981,805

 

 

$

 

981,805

 

Goodwill recorded in Amundi US acquisition

 

 

 

254,135

 

 

 

 

 

Balance, end of period

 

$

 

1,235,940

 

 

$

 

981,805

 

 

 

There were no impairments to goodwill recognized during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 or 2023.

Identifiable Intangible Assets

The following table presents a summary of indefinite‑lived intangible assets by type:

 

 

 

Fund
Advisory,
Transfer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agent and
Distribution

 

 

Trade

 

 

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Contracts

 

 

Names

 

 

Totals

 

December 31, 2023 balance

 

$

 

1,113,000

 

 

$

 

16,800

 

 

$

 

1,129,800

 

Additions or transfers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2024 balance

 

$

 

1,113,000

 

 

$

 

16,800

 

 

$

 

1,129,800

 

Amundi US Acquisition

 

 

 

949,000

 

 

 

 

17,000

 

 

 

 

966,000

 

December 31, 2025 balance

 

$

 

2,062,000

 

 

$

 

33,800

 

 

$

 

2,095,800

 

During 2023, the Company recognized a $3.8 million impairment loss on an indefinite-lived trade name asset primarily due to changing the asset’s estimated remaining useful life. The asset was transferred to definite lived intangible assets and the remaining book value of the asset was amortized on a straight-line basis over the asset’s remaining economic life. The impairment loss was recorded in depreciation and amortization in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. There were no impairments to indefinite-lived intangible assets recognized in 2025 and 2024.

The following table presents a summary of definite‑lived intangible assets by type:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Customer
Relationships

 

 

Fund Advisory Contracts/Other

 

 

Trade Names

 

 

 

Intellectual Property/Other

 

 

Totals

 

Gross book value - December 31, 2024

 

$

 

310,286

 

 

$

 

 

 

$

 

45,462

 

 

$

 

7,547

 

 

$

 

363,295

 

Accumulated amortization

 

 

 

(182,925

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(42,009

)

 

 

 

(7,547

)

 

 

 

(232,481

)

Net book value - December 31, 2024

 

$

 

127,361

 

 

$

 

 

 

$

 

3,453

 

 

$

 

 

 

$

 

130,814

 

Weighted average useful life (yrs)

 

 

 

6.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.2

 

Gross book value - December 31, 2025

 

$

 

387,286

 

 

$

 

247,068

 

 

$

 

45,462

 

 

$

 

7,547

 

 

$

 

687,363

 

Accumulated amortization

 

 

 

(215,933

)

 

 

 

(37,890

)

 

 

 

(44,176

)

 

 

 

(7,547

)

 

 

 

(305,546

)

Net book value - December 31, 2025

 

$

 

171,353

 

 

$

 

209,178

 

 

$

 

1,286

 

 

$

 

 

 

$

 

381,817

 

Weighted average useful life (yrs)

 

 

 

4.6

 

 

 

 

6.1

 

 

 

 

0.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.2

 

 

The Company recorded $77.0 million of definite-lived intangible assets related to customer relationships with weighted average useful lives 4.4 years and $235 million of definite-lived intangible assets related to fund advisory contracts with weighted average useful lives of 6.9 years as a result of the Amundi US acquisition, which is included as a component of other intangible assets, net in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. Amortization expense for definite‑lived intangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $61.6 million, $21.2 million and $29.0 million, respectively, and is recorded in depreciation and

amortization in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. There were no impairments to definite-lived intangible assets recognized in 2025, 2024 or 2023.

The following table presents estimated amortization expense for definite‑lived intangible assets for each of the five succeeding years and thereafter:

 

2026

 

$

 

72,340

 

2027

 

 

 

71,952

 

2028

 

 

 

70,007

 

2029

 

 

 

60,204

 

2030

 

 

 

50,779

 

Thereafter

 

 

 

56,535

 

Total

 

$

 

381,817

 

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 26, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 28, 2025
2023Feb 29, 2024
2022Mar 6, 2023
2021Mar 14, 2022
2020Mar 15, 2021
2019Mar 13, 2020
2018Mar 15, 2019
2017Mar 29, 2018

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.