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Goodwill

3 min read

Quick Summary

Goodwill represents intangible value like brand reputation, customer relationships, and business reputation.

Goodwill is an intangible asset that arises when a company is purchased for more than the fair market value of its identifiable net assets. It represents non-physical assets like brand reputation, customer relationships, employee relations, and proprietary technology.

Goodwill Calculation

Goodwill = Purchase Price - Fair Value of Net Identifiable Assets

Where:

Net Identifiable Assets = Total Assets (at fair value) - Total Liabilities

Example

Company A acquires Company B for:

  • Purchase Price: ₹500 lakhs
  • Fair Value of Identifiable Assets: ₹400 lakhs
  • Fair Value of Liabilities: ₹100 lakhs

Net Identifiable Assets = ₹400 - ₹100 = ₹300 lakhs

Goodwill = ₹500 - ₹300 = ₹200 lakhs

Components of Goodwill

  • Brand name and reputation
  • Customer relationships and lists
  • Employee skills and relations
  • Proprietary technology and patents
  • Strategic locations
  • Distribution networks
  • Going concern value

Accounting Treatment

  • Recognized only in business combinations
  • Not amortized (under Ind AS/IFRS)
  • Tested annually for impairment
  • Shown as non-current asset on balance sheet
  • Internally generated goodwill not recognized

Key Points

  • Intangible asset from acquisitions
  • Purchase price over fair value of net assets
  • Not amortized, tested for impairment
  • Represents brand, reputation, relationships
  • Only recognized in business combinations

Frequently Asked Questions

Can goodwill be negative?

What is goodwill impairment?