Case 14 / 183 Entry

3-Statement Change: Write Down Goodwill by $100

Accounting & Financial Statements

The prompt

“Walk me through what happens across the income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet if a company recognizes a $100 Goodwill impairment that is not deductible for tax purposes, with a 25% tax rate and everything else held constant.”

📋 What you're given

Walk me through what happens across the income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet if a company recognizes a $100 Goodwill impairment that is not deductible for tax purposes, with a 25% tax rate and everything else held constant.

1. Task Overview

Task: Starting from Ashford Consumer Products Inc.'s baseline figures below, compute the new EBIT, new Net Income, new Cash Flow from Operations, and new Goodwill balance after a $100 Goodwill impairment — and confirm the balance sheet still balances.

Step 1: Given Data for Ashford Consumer Products Inc.

Baseline figures before the impairment, plus the scenario change:

Line ItemAmount
Baseline EBIT$600
Interest Expense$60
Tax Rate25% (0.25)
Baseline Net Income$405.0
Baseline D&A (included in EBIT, unrelated to Goodwill)$150
Baseline Cash Flow from Operations (CFO)$555.0
Baseline Goodwill, net$800
Goodwill Impairment (scenario)$100

Step 2: Calculating the New EBIT (Income Statement)

The impairment is recorded as an operating expense, reducing EBIT dollar-for-dollar — just like any other non-cash charge.

Show New EBIT Formula

New EBIT = Baseline EBIT − Goodwill Impairment

Using this formula, compute the new EBIT.

Step 3: Calculating the New Net Income (Income Statement)

This is where a Goodwill impairment differs from Depreciation: because the impairment is not deductible for tax purposes, it creates no tax shield — tax is still calculated on the pre-impairment taxable income.

Show New Net Income Formula

Taxable Income = Baseline EBIT − Interest Expense; Tax Expense = Taxable Income × Tax Rate; New Net Income = (New EBIT − Interest Expense) − Tax Expense

Using this formula, compute the new Net Income.

Step 4: Calculating the New CFO (Cash Flow Statement)

The impairment is non-cash, so it is added back in full — with no offsetting tax shield to worry about.

Show New CFO Formula

New CFO = New Net Income + Baseline D&A + Goodwill Impairment (non-cash add-back)

Using this formula, compute the new CFO.

Step 5: Calculating the New Goodwill, net (Balance Sheet)

The impairment directly reduces the carrying value of Goodwill on the balance sheet.

Show New Goodwill Formula

New Goodwill, net = Baseline Goodwill, net − Goodwill Impairment

Using this formula, compute the new Goodwill, net.

Step 6: Verifying the Balance Sheet Still Balances

Show Balance Check Formula

Δ Assets = Δ Cash + Δ Goodwill; Δ Equity = Δ Retained Earnings = Δ Net Income; confirm Δ Assets = Δ Liabilities + Δ Equity

Using these formulas, confirm that Δ Assets = Δ Liabilities + Δ Equity — i.e., that the balance sheet still balances after all three statements update.

💡 Model answer

Try answering out loud first — then reveal the model answer and compare.

⚠️ Common mistakes

  • Assuming Goodwill impairment creates a tax shield the same way Depreciation does — in most cases (especially stock acquisitions) it does not, since Goodwill typically has no tax basis
  • Concluding that Cash Flow from Operations must fall because Net Income fell — missing that the full non-cash charge is added back with no offsetting tax effect, leaving CFO unchanged
  • Forgetting to update the balance sheet — the impairment must reduce both the Goodwill asset and Retained Earnings by the same amount
  • Treating Goodwill impairment as a recurring, cash operating expense rather than a one-time, non-cash write-down
  • Mixing up impairment (a write-down of existing Goodwill) with amortization (a scheduled reduction) — under most GAAP/IFRS frameworks, Goodwill is not amortized but is tested annually for impairment

🔁 Follow-up questions

➡️ Related cases

Previous Case 13: 3-Statement Change: Capitalize vs. Expense $100 Next Case 15: 3-Statement Change: Customer Pays Upfront (Deferred Revenue)

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