Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS

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GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  
GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS:
Changes to goodwill during the years ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, follow.
SGK Brand Solutions Memorialization Industrial Technologies Consolidated
Net goodwill at September 30, 2019 $ 395,704  $ 359,737  $ 91,366  $ 846,807 
Translation and other adjustments 6,441  1,945  603  8,989 
Goodwill write-down (90,408) —  —  (90,408)
Net goodwill at September 30, 2020 311,737  361,682  91,969  765,388 
Additions during period —  4,775  —  4,775 
Translation and other adjustments 3,113  (97) 608  3,624 
Net goodwill at September 30, 2021 $ 314,850  $ 366,360  $ 92,577  $ 773,787 

The net goodwill balances at September 30, 2021 and 2020 included $178,732 of accumulated impairment losses. Accumulated impairment losses at September 30, 2021 and 2020 were $173,732 and $5,000 for the SGK Brand Solutions and Memorialization segments, respectively.

Fiscal 2021:

In fiscal 2021, the additions to SGK Brand Solutions goodwill and Memorialization goodwill reflect acquisitions of small businesses within each segment.
The Company performed its annual impairment review of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets in the second quarter of fiscal 2021 (January 1, 2021) and determined that the estimated fair values for all goodwill reporting units exceeded their carrying values, therefore no impairment charges were necessary. The estimated fair value of the Company's Graphics Imaging reporting unit, within the SGK Brand Solutions segment, exceeded the carrying value (expressed as a percentage of carrying value) by approximately 5%. If current projections are not achieved or specific valuation factors outside the Company’s control (such as discount rates and continued economic and industry impacts of COVID-19) significantly change, goodwill write-downs may be necessary in future periods.

Fiscal 2020:

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared an outbreak of COVID-19 to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and subsequently recognized COVID-19 as a global pandemic in March 2020. Widespread efforts have been deployed by multiple countries around the world to prevent the virus from spreading, including temporary closures of non-essential businesses, event cancellations, travel restrictions, quarantines, and other disruptive actions. Substantially all of the Company’s operations have remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they have been considered “essential” businesses during this time. However, the Company has experienced some commercial impact and business disruptions in certain segments and geographic locations as a result of COVID-19.
In its assessment of the potential impacts of COVID-19 on the estimated future earnings and cash flows for the SGK Brand Solutions segment, and in light of the limited excess fair values over carrying values for its two reporting units, management determined that COVID-19 represented a triggering event, resulting in a re-evaluation of the goodwill for its reporting units within the SGK Brand Solutions segment (Graphics Imaging and Cylinders, Surfaces and Engineered Products), as of March 31, 2020. As a result of this interim assessment, the Company recorded a goodwill write-down totaling $90,408 during the fiscal 2020 second quarter. Subsequent to this write-down, the fair values of the two reporting units within the SGK Brand Solutions segment (Graphics Imaging and Cylinders, Surfaces and Engineered Products) approximated their carrying values at March 31, 2020. The fair values for these reporting units were determined using level 3 inputs (including estimates of revenue growth, EBITDA contribution and the discount rates) and a combination of the income approach using the estimated discounted cash flows and a market-based valuation methodology.

Fiscal 2019:

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company initiated an in-depth review of the commercial and cost structure of the SGK Brand Solutions segment as a result of continued challenging market conditions affecting the segment. This review identified certain opportunities to improve the segment’s profitability and reduce its operating cost structure and, as a result, the Company revised its estimates of future earnings and cash flows for the Graphics Imaging reporting unit. In response to these revised projections, the Company re-evaluated the goodwill for the Graphics Imaging reporting unit, as of September 1, 2019. As a result of this interim assessment, the Company recorded a goodwill write-down of $77,600 during the fiscal 2019 fourth quarter.
The following tables summarize the carrying amounts and related accumulated amortization for intangible assets as of September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Net
September 30, 2021  
Indefinite-lived trade names $ 30,540  $ —  $ 30,540 
Definite-lived trade names 148,867  (104,211) 44,656 
Customer relationships 388,699  (210,361) 178,338 
Copyrights/patents/other 23,584  (15,576) 8,008 
  $ 591,690  $ (330,148) $ 261,542 
September 30, 2020      
Indefinite-lived trade names $ 30,540  $ —  $ 30,540 
Definite-lived trade names 148,867  (64,462) 84,405 
Customer relationships 379,246  (166,892) 212,354 
Copyrights/patents/other 20,704  (14,505) 6,199 
  $ 579,357  $ (245,859) $ 333,498 

The net change in intangible assets during fiscal 2021 included the impact of foreign currency fluctuations during the period, additional amortization and additions related to current year acquisitions.

During the second quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company reassessed the useful lives for certain of its customer relationships. As a result of this reassessment, the Company reduced the remaining useful lives for these customer relationships to reflect their estimated remaining duration, utilizing actual historical customer attrition rates.

During fiscal 2019, the Company reassessed its trade name strategy for the SGK Brand Solutions segment, in conjunction with an overall assessment and shift of its commercial structure and strategy for this segment, and initiated a plan to reduce its global trade names for its core brand solutions businesses. As a result of this change, the Company began to discontinue the use of certain trade names within the SGK Brand Solutions segment. Accordingly, the remaining useful lives of the impacted trade names were reduced to reflect the Company’s brand migration plans and an estimated time period for the discontinued trade names to be classified as defensive assets.
Amortization expense on intangible assets was $84,233, $71,514, and $45,756 in fiscal 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Fiscal year amortization expense is estimated to be approximately $57,569 in 2022, $41,064 in 2023, $35,505 in 2024, $19,711 in 2025 and $14,686 in 2026. The accelerated amortization related to the fiscal 2019 reduction in useful lives for certain discontinued trade names is scheduled to continue through the first quarter of fiscal 2022.