Note 5. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Acquisitions

During the first quarter of fiscal year 2018, the Company entered into a confidential settlement agreement with FirstPower Group, LLC (“FirstPower”) for dismissal of FirstPower’s trademark infringement complaint against the Company relating to use of the words, “EZ-REACH” for the Company’s WD-40 EZ-REACH Flexible Straw product. The settlement agreement provided for the Company’s acquisition of FirstPower’s trademark rights associated with the words “EZ REACH” for lubricating oil products for a purchase consideration of $0.2 million. The Company has used the words “EZ-REACH” since the introduction of the WD-40 EZ-REACH Flexible Straw product in fiscal year 2015.

The entire purchase consideration of $0.2 million was paid in cash upon execution of the settlement agreement and was allocated to the trade name-related intangible assets category. The Company began to amortize this definite-lived intangible asset on a straight-line basis over an estimated useful life of five years in the first quarter of fiscal year 2018. This acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

Goodwill

The following table summarizes the changes in the carrying amounts of goodwill by segment (in thousands):



	Americas		EMEA		Asia-Pacific		Total
Balance as of August 31, 2016	$	85,452	$	8,987	$	1,210	$	95,649
Translation adjustments		(4)		(48)		-		(52)
Balance as of August 31, 2017		85,448		8,939		1,210		95,597
Translation adjustments		1		23		-		24
Balance as of August 31, 2018	$	85,449	$	8,962	$	1,210	$	95,621

During the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, the Company performed its annual goodwill impairment test. The annual goodwill impairment test was performed at the reporting unit level as required by the authoritative guidance as of the Company’s most recent goodwill impairment testing date, November 30, 2017. During the fiscal year 2018 annual goodwill impairment test, the Company performed a qualitative assessment of each reporting unit to determine whether it was more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit was less than its carrying amount. In performing this qualitative assessment, the Company assessed relevant events and circumstances that may impact the fair value and the carrying amount of each of its reporting units. Factors that were considered included, but were not limited to, the following: (1) macroeconomic conditions; (2) industry and market conditions; (3) historical financial performance and expected financial performance, including the anticipated impacts of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”, which was signed into law on December 22, 2017 and became effective beginning January 1, 2018; (4) other entity specific events, such as changes in management or key personnel; and (5) events affecting the Company’s reporting units, such as a change in the composition of net assets or any expected dispositions. Based on the results of this qualitative assessment, the Company determined that it is more likely than not that the carrying value of each of its reporting units is less than its fair value as of the goodwill impairment testing date and, thus, a quantitative analysis was not required. As a result, the Company concluded that no impairment of its goodwill existed as of February 28, 2018.

In addition, there were no indicators of impairment identified as a result of the Company’s review of events and circumstances related to its goodwill subsequent to February 28, 2018, the date of its most recent annual goodwill impairment test. To date, there have been no impairment losses identified and recorded related to the Company’s goodwill.

Definite-lived Intangible Assets

The Company’s definite-lived intangible assets, which include the 2000 Flushes, Spot Shot, Carpet Fresh, 1001, EZ REACH and GT85 trade names, the Belgium customer list, the GT85 customer relationships and the GT85 technology are included in other intangible assets, net in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. The following table summarizes the definite-lived intangible assets and the related accumulated amortization (in thousands):



	August 31,		August 31,
	2018		2017
Gross carrying amount	$	36,122	$	35,891
Accumulated amortization		(22,609)		(19,647)
Net carrying amount	$	13,513	$	16,244

There has been no impairment charge for the period ended August 31, 2018 as a result of the Company’s review of events and circumstances related to its existing definite-lived intangible assets.

Changes in the carrying amounts of definite-lived intangible assets by segment are summarized below (in thousands):



	Americas		EMEA		Asia-Pacific		Total
Balance as of August 31, 2016	$	14,913	$	4,278	$	-	$	19,191
Amortization expense		(2,207)		(672)		-		(2,879)
Translation adjustments		-		(68)		-		(68)
Balance as of August 31, 2017		12,706		3,538		-		16,244
Amortization expense		(2,237)		(714)		-		(2,951)
EZ REACH trade name		175		-		-		175
Translation adjustments		-		45		-		45
Balance as of August 31, 2018	$	10,644	$	2,869	$	-	$	13,513

The estimated amortization expense for the Company’s definite-lived intangible assets in future fiscal years is as follows (in thousands):



	Trade Names		Customer-Based
Fiscal year 2019	$	2,455	$	260
Fiscal year 2020		2,055		166
Fiscal year 2021		1,266		166
Fiscal year 2022		1,266		166
Fiscal year 2023		1,020		-
Thereafter		4,693		-
Total	$	12,755	$	758

Included in the total estimated future amortization expense is the amortization expense for the 1001 trade name and the GT85 intangible assets, which are based on current foreign currency exchange rates, and as a result amounts in future periods may differ from those presented due to fluctuations in those rates.