Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS:

In December 2017, CNX Gas entered into a purchase agreement with Noble Energy, pursuant to which CNX Gas acquired Noble’s 50% membership interest in CNX Gathering (then named "CONE Gathering LLC"), for a cash purchase price of $305,000 (the "Midstream Acquisition").

Prior to the Midstream Acquisition, the Company accounted for its 50% interest in CNX Gathering as an equity method investment as the Company had the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, over the operating and financial policies of the midstream operations. In conjunction with the Midstream Acquisition, the Company obtained a controlling interest in CNX Gathering and control over the Partnership. Accordingly, the Midstream Acquisition was accounted for as a business combination using the acquisition method of accounting pursuant to ASC Topic 805, Business Combinations, or ASC 805. ASC 805 requires that, in circumstances where a business combination is achieved in stages (or step acquisition), previously held equity interests are remeasured at fair value. The fair value assigned to the previously held equity interest in CNX Gathering and CNXM was $799,033 and was determined using the income approach, based on a discounted cash flow methodology.

As part of the allocation of purchase price and in connection with the fair value of consideration transferred at closing on January 3, 2018, CNX recorded $796,359 of goodwill and $128,781 of other intangible assets which are comprised of customer relationships.

Impairment of Goodwill

All goodwill is attributed to the Midstream reportable segment. Goodwill is evaluated for impairment at least annually and whenever events or changes in circumstance indicate that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. In connection with the evaluation of goodwill for impairment, CNX may first consider qualitative factors to assess whether there are indicators that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit may not exceed its carrying amount. If after assessing such factors or circumstances, CNX determines it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is greater than its carrying amount, then a quantitative assessment is not required. If CNX chooses to bypass the qualitative assessment, or if it chooses to perform a qualitative assessment but is unable to qualitatively conclude that no impairment has occurred, then CNX will perform a quantitative assessment If the estimated fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, an impairment charge is recognized for the excess of the reporting unit's carrying value over its fair value. The Company uses a combination of the income approach (generally a discounted cash flow method) and market approach (which may include the guideline public company method and/or the guideline transaction method) to estimate the fair value of a reporting unit.

During the first quarter of 2020, the Company identified indicators of impairment in the form of deteriorating macroeconomic conditions, and the decline in the observable market value of CNXM securities both in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and the overall decline in the MLP market space. Management concluded that these factors presented indications that the fair value of the midstream reporting unit was more likely than not below the reporting unit’s carrying value. CNX bypassed the qualitative assessment and performed a quantitative test that utilized a combination of the income and market approaches as described above to estimate the fair value of the Midstream reporting unit. As a result of this assessment, CNX concluded that the carrying value exceeded its estimated fair value, and a corresponding impairment of $473,045 was recorded, which was included in Impairment of Goodwill in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income. Any additional adverse changes in the future could reduce the underlying cash flows used to estimate fair values and could result in a decline in fair value that could trigger future impairment charges relating to the Midstream reporting unit.

In estimating the fair value of the midstream reporting unit, the Company used the income approach’s discounted cash flow method, which applies significant inputs not observable in the public market (Level 3), including estimates and assumptions related to the use of an appropriate discount rate, future throughput volumes, operating costs and capital spending, discounted to present value using an industry rate adjusted for company-specific risk, which management feels reflects the overall level of inherent risk of the reporting unit. These assumptions are affected by expectations about future market, industry and economic conditions. Cash flow projections were derived from board approved budgeted amounts, a five-year operating forecast and an estimate of future cash flows. Subsequent cash flows were developed using growth or contraction rates that management believes are reasonably likely to occur. The Company used the market approach’s comparable company method. The comparable company method evaluates the value of a company using metrics of other businesses of similar size and industry.

The estimates of future cash flows and EBITDA are subjective in nature and are subject to impacts from business risks as described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in CNX's 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the SEC on February 10, 2020 ("2019 Form 10-K"). The fair value estimation process requires considerable judgment and determining the fair value is sensitive to changes in assumptions impacting management’s estimates of future financial results. Although CNX believes the estimates and assumptions used in estimating the fair value are reasonable and appropriate, different assumptions and estimates could materially impact the estimated fair value. Future results could differ from our current estimates and assumptions.

Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill consist of the following activity:


	Amount
December 31, 2019	$	796,359
Impairment	473,045
March 31, 2020	$	323,314

Other Intangible Assets

The carrying amount and accumulated amortization of other intangible assets consist of the following:


	March 31, 2020		December 31, 2019
Other Intangible Assets
Gross Amortizable Asset - Customer Relationships	$	109,752	$	109,752
Less: Accumulated Amortization - Customer Relationships	14,743		13,105
Total Other Intangible Assets, net	$	95,009	$	96,647

The customer relationship intangible asset is being amortized on a straight-line basis over approximately 17 years. Amortization expense related to other intangible assets was $1,638 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. The estimated annual amortization expense is expected to approximate $6,552 per year for each of the next five years.