11 » Goodwill

The following table presents a reconciliation of the carrying amount of goodwill:

adidas determines whether goodwill impairment is necessary at least on an annual basis. The impairment test for goodwill is performed based on groups of cash-generating units that represent the lowest level within the company at which goodwill is monitored for internal management purposes. This requires an estimation of the recoverable amount of the groups of cash-generating units to which the goodwill is allocated. The recoverable amount of a group of cash-generating units is determined based on its value in use. Estimating the value in use requires adidas to make an estimate of the expected future cash flows from the groups of cash-generating units and to choose a suitable discount rate to calculate the present value of those cash flows.

This calculation uses cash flow projections based on the financial planning covering a four-year period in total. The planning is based on long-term expectations of the company and reflects an average annual high-single-digit sales increase with varying forecast growth prospects for the different groups of cash-generating units. Furthermore, adidas expects the operating margin to improve to a level of low double-digit profitability for the company by 2027, primarily driven by an improvement in gross margin, as well as lower operating expenses as a percentage of sales. The planning for capital expenditure and working capital is primarily based on past experience. The planning for future tax payments is based on current statutory corporate tax rates of the individual groups of cash-generating units. Cash flows beyond this four-year period are extrapolated using steady growth rates between 1.5% and 2.2% (2022: 1.7%). According to the company’s expectations, these growth rates do not exceed the long-term average growth rate of the business sector in which the respective group of cash-generating units operates.

Discount rates are based on a weighted average cost of capital calculation considering a five-year average market-weighted debt/equity structure and financing costs referencing major competitors for the respective group of cash-generating units. The discount rates used reflect the specific equity and country risk of the respective group of cash-generating units.

The groups of cash-generating units are defined as the regional markets that are responsible for the distribution of the adidas brands. The regional markets are Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), North America, Greater China, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. The number of groups of cash-generating units amounted to a total of five at the end of 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The goodwill impairment tests revealed no need for goodwill impairment for the years ending December 31, 2023 and 2022.

The carrying amounts of acquired goodwill allocated to the respective groups of cash-generating units and the respective discount rates applied to the cash flow projections are as follows:

A change in the discount rate by up to approximately 1.6 percentage points or a reduction of planned free cash inflows by up to approximately 15.2% would not result in any impairment requirement of the cash generating unit North America.

Among the remaining cash generating units, neither a change in the discount rate by up to approximately 5.8 percentage points, nor a reduction of planned free cash inflows by up to approximately 36.9% would result in any impairment requirement.

Future changes in expected cash flows and discount rates may lead to impairments of the reported goodwill in the future.

The majority of goodwill is denominated in US dollars. The effect of currency translation is as follows: