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INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2025
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  
INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL
The carrying value of the Company's intangible assets, which consists primarily of trade names and supply and distribution agreements, was $961 million and $1.4 billion at September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, and is stated net of accumulated amortization of $1.6 billion and $2.1 billion, respectively. Amortization expense of intangible assets was $53 million and $161 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, respectively, and $55 million and $166 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively.

The carrying value of the Company's goodwill at September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 was $2.7 billion and $2.8 billion, respectively, and is stated net of cumulative impairment charges of $2.2 billion and $2.0 billion, respectively.

Impairment of Goodwill and Intangible Assets

As of September 30, 2025, the Company performed its annual goodwill impairment test. Except for the KAYAK reporting unit, the fair values of the Company's reporting units exceeded their respective carrying values.

For the KAYAK reporting unit's goodwill, the Company recognized an impairment charge of $180 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, which is not tax-deductible, resulting in an adjusted carrying value of $203 million at September 30, 2025. In addition, for the KAYAK asset group's intangible assets (trade names and supply and distribution agreements), the Company recognized an impairment charge of $277 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025. The impairments were primarily driven by a reduction in the forecasted cash flows for KAYAK, reflecting its meta-search business being impacted by expected increases in customer acquisition costs. These impairment charges are recorded in "Impairment" in the Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The estimated fair value of KAYAK was determined using a combination of standard valuation techniques, including an income approach (discounted cash flow) and a market approach (applying comparable company multiples). The income approach estimates fair value utilizing long-term growth rates and discount rates applied to the cash flow projections. The discount rate is determined based on the reporting unit's estimated weighted-average cost of capital and adjusted to reflect the risks inherent in its cash flows, which require significant judgments. Changes in the assumptions used for discount rates would result in directionally opposite changes in the fair value. The market approach estimates value using prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving comparable publicly-traded companies, including the use of the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization ("EBITDA") multiple. A change in the assumption used for the EBITDA multiple would result in a directionally similar change in the fair value.

At September 30, 2025, the fair values of KAYAK's trade names and supply and distribution agreements were $103 million and $76 million, respectively, estimated using an income approach. The key unobservable inputs used for these intangible assets include royalty rates, distributor margins, and supplier attrition rates (in the range of 2% to 5%, as applicable) and the useful lives of the trade names (20 years). Significant changes in any of these inputs in isolation would result in significantly different fair value measurements. Generally, a change in the assumption used for the royalty rate, distributor margin, and expected useful life would result in a directionally similar change in the fair value and a change in the assumption used for the attrition rate would result in a directionally opposite change in the fair value.
The estimation of fair value reflects numerous assumptions that are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including key assumptions regarding expected growth rates and operating margin, as well as other key assumptions with respect to matters outside of the Company's control, such as discount rates and market comparables. It requires significant judgments and estimates and actual results could be materially different than the judgments and estimates used to estimate fair value. Future events and changing market conditions may lead the Company to re-evaluate its current assumptions and may result in a need to recognize an additional goodwill and/or long-lived asset impairment charge that could have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations.