Goodwill and Intangible Assets
Goodwill
Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill were as follows:
(in thousands)Total
Balance at December 31, 2023$1,176,635 
Additions from acquisitions26,948 
Effects of movements in foreign exchange rates(2,230)
Balance at December 31, 20241,201,353 
Additions from acquisitions55,088 
Effects of movements in foreign exchange rates1,171 
Balance at December 31, 2025$1,257,612 
The Company conducted its annual impairment test of goodwill as of October 1, 2025 and determined there was no impairment of goodwill. Accumulated historical goodwill impairment losses were $792.8 million prior to Double Eagle Acquisition Corporation's acquisition of Williams Scotsman International, Inc. in 2017. There were no goodwill impairments recorded for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023.
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets other than goodwill at December 31, consisted of the following:
December 31, 2025
(in thousands)Weighted average remaining life (in years)Gross carrying amountImpairment LossAccumulated amortizationNet book value
Intangible assets subject to amortization:
Customer relationships3.0$234,108 $— $(144,959)$89,149 
Technology0.51,500 — (1,375)125 
Trade names1.8165,500 (132,540)(23,146)9,814 
Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
Trade name – WillScot125,000 — — 125,000 
Total intangible assets other than goodwill$526,108 $(132,540)$(169,480)$224,088 
December 31, 2024
(in thousands)Weighted average remaining life (in years)Gross carrying amountImpairment LossAccumulated amortizationNet book value
Intangible assets subject to amortization:
Customer relationships
3.5$215,408 $— $(113,415)$101,993 
Technology1.51,500 — (1,125)375 
Trade names2.7165,500 (132,540)(9,164)23,796 
Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
Trade name – WillScot125,000 — — 125,000 
Total intangible assets other than goodwill$507,408 $(132,540)$(123,704)$251,164 
For the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, the aggregate amount recorded to depreciation and amortization expense for intangible assets subject to amortization was $45.8 million, $38.5 million, and $25.8 million, respectively.
In 2024, the Company determined that a review of the carrying value of the Mobile Mini trade name was necessary based on the Company's plan to rebrand under a single WillScot brand name and discontinue the use of the Mobile Mini name. As of June 30, 2024, the Mobile Mini trade name was tested for impairment using the relief from royalty valuation method. The estimate of fair value included a discount rate of 9%, an unobservable input (Level 3). After determining the estimated fair value, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $132.5 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. This non-cash charge was recorded to impairment loss on intangible asset on the consolidated statement of operations.
After the impairment charge, the remaining net book value of the Mobile Mini trade name was $31.5 million, which is being amortized over the remaining useful life of the asset.
As of December 31, 2025, the expected future amortization expense for intangible assets was as follows:
(in thousands)Amortization Expense
2026$40,210 
202733,580 
202818,037 
20293,367 
20303,117 
Thereafter777 
Total$99,088 

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 19, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 20, 2025
2023Feb 20, 2024
2022Feb 22, 2023
2021Feb 25, 2022
2020Feb 26, 2021
2019Mar 2, 2020
2018Mar 15, 2019
2017Mar 16, 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.