23. Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill

The table below sets forth goodwill which is tested annually for impairment on November 30th:

   Total
Balance at January 1, 2025 $86,841 
Add: Goodwill—Ceres Acquisition  141,783 
Balance at December 31, 2025 $228,624 

Goodwill arising from the Ceres Acquisition represents expected synergies from the integration of Ceres and the Company, including capital raising activities for a new farmland fund to be formed. Goodwill is not amortized for financial reporting purposes, and it is expected to be deductible for tax purposes.

Goodwill was tested for impairment on November 30, 2025. The quantitative impairment test was performed using a market approach, whereby the market capitalization of the Company (a single reporting unit) was compared to its carrying value. The market capitalization was derived from the Company’s publicly traded stock price plus a reasonable control premium. The fair value of the reporting unit exceeded its carrying value and therefore no impairment was recognized.

Of the total goodwill of $228,624 at December 31, 2025, $85,042 is not deductible for tax purposes as the acquisitions that gave rise to the goodwill were structured as stock acquisitions. The remainder of the goodwill is deductible for U.S. tax purposes.

Intangible Assets

The table below sets forth the Company’s intangible assets which are tested annually for impairment on November 30th:

   Balance at December 31, 2025
          
Item  Gross Asset  Accumulated
Amortization
  Net Asset
ETFS Acquisition $601,247  $
  $601,247 
Ceres intangible assets  143,500   (1,435)  142,065 
Software development  9,823   (4,178)  5,645 
Balance at December 31, 2025 $754,570  $(5,613) $748,957 
   Balance at December 31, 2024
          
Item  Gross Asset  Accumulated
Amortization
  Net Asset
ETFS Acquisition $601,247  $
  $601,247 
Software development  6,855   (2,206)  4,649 
Balance at December 31, 2024 $608,102  $(2,206) $605,896 

ETFS Acquisition (Indefinite-Lived)

In connection with the ETFS Acquisition, which was completed on April 11, 2018, the Company identified intangible assets valued at $601,247 related to the right to manage AUM through customary advisory agreements. These intangible assets were determined to have indefinite useful lives and are not deductible for tax purposes.

The Company performed its indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment test related to these customary advisory agreements on November 30, 2025. The results of this analysis identified no indicators of impairment to be recognized based upon a quantitative assessment (discounted cash flow analysis) which relied upon significant unobservable inputs including a projected revenue growth rate of 3% and a weighted average cost of capital of 9.0%.

Ceres Acquisition (Finite-Lived)

In connection with the Ceres Acquisition, which was completed on October 1, 2025, the Company identified intangible assets valued at $143,500 related to purchase price allocated to a customary advisory agreement ($135,000) and trade name ($8,500). These intangible assets were determined to have a finite life (estimated useful life of 25 years) and are deductible for tax purposes.

As of December 31, 2025, expected amortization expense for the unamortized finite-lived intangible assets for the next five years and thereafter is as follows:

2026 $5,470 
2027  5,470 
2028  5,470 
2029  5,470 
2030  5,470 
2031 and beyond  113,365 
Total expected amortization expense $142,065 

The weighted-average remaining useful life of the finite-lived intangible assets is 24.8 years.

Software Development (Finite-Lived)

Internally-developed software is amortized over a useful life of three years. During the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company recognized amortization expense on internally-developed software of $1,972, $1,522 and $634, respectively.

As of December 31, 2025, expected amortization expense for the unamortized finite-lived intangible assets for the next five years and thereafter is as follows:

2026 $2,612 
2027  1,807 
2028  1,155 
2029  71 
Total expected amortization expense $5,645 

The weighted-average remaining useful life of the finite-lived intangible assets is 2.4 years.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 25, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 26, 2025
2023Feb 23, 2024
2022Feb 28, 2023
2021Feb 25, 2022
2020Feb 19, 2021
2019Feb 28, 2020
2018Mar 1, 2019
2017Mar 1, 2018
2016Mar 1, 2017
2015Feb 29, 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.