As of this year’s third quarter, the number of U.S. public companies with goodwill decreased to a low of 2,431, and goodwill on the balance sheets fell to $1.8 trillion after reaching a high of $2.2 trillion in 2007, according to Adams Capital. “Accounting rule clarifications and interpretations continue to bedevil the financial reporting for many companies. With continued economic uncertainty, there is a focus on accurate fair value measurements for intangible assets including goodwill. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has recently proposed changes to the goodwill impairment test that could affect companies as early as December 31, 2010,” the analysts add.

Read the full report “Goodwill - Is There Any Left?”, which includes M&A market data during the past 12 months.