Note 5 - Intangible Assets

3 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Text Block]

(5)    Intangible Assets

Intangible assets consisted of the following (in thousands):

	April 30, 2023						January 31, 2023
	Gross				Net		Gross				Net
	Carrying		Accumulated		Carrying		Carrying		Accumulated		Carrying
	Amount		Amortization		Amount		Amount		Amortization		Amount
Developed software/ courseware	$	376,349	$	141,625	$	234,724	$	374,057	$	123,219	$	250,838
Customer contracts/ relationships		336,758		53,282		283,476		336,182		42,026		294,156
Vendor relationships		40,103		38,181		1,922		39,887		36,666		3,221
Trademarks and trade names		44,000		2,520		41,480		44,000		1,454		42,546
Publishing rights		41,100		15,504		25,596		41,100		13,449		27,651
Backlog		49,700		36,070		13,630		49,700		32,780		16,920
Skillsoft trademark		84,700		—		84,700		84,700		—		84,700
Global Knowledge trademark		23,206		5,365		17,841		23,080		5,046		18,034
Total intangible assets	$	995,916	$	292,547	$	703,369	$	992,706	$	254,640	$	738,066

Amortization expense related to the existing finite-lived intangible assets is expected to be as follows (in thousands):

For fiscal years ended January 31:	Amortization Expense
2024 (nine months remaining)	$	115,119
2025		133,447
2026		129,154
2027		82,455
2028		42,472
Thereafter		116,022
Total future amortization	$	618,669

Amortization expense related to intangible assets in the aggregate was $38.2 million and $39.6 million for the three months ended April 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Impairment Review Requirements

The Company reviews intangible assets subject to amortization if any adverse conditions exist or a change in circumstances has occurred that would indicate impairment or a change in remaining useful life. The Company reviews indefinite lived intangible assets, including goodwill, on the annual impairment test date ( January 1) or more frequently if there are indicators of impairment.

In connection with the impairment evaluation, the Company may first consider qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances indicates that it is more likely than not (i.e., a likelihood of more than 50%) that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. Performing a quantitative goodwill impairment test is not necessary if an entity determines based on this assessment that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If the Company fails or elects to bypass the qualitative assessment, the goodwill impairment test must be performed. This test requires a comparison of the carrying value of the reporting unit to its estimated fair value. If the carrying value of a reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss equal to the difference is recorded, not to exceed the amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. In determining reporting units, the Company first identifies its operating segments, and then assesses whether any components of these segments constitute a business for which discrete financial information is available and where segment management regularly reviews the operating results of that component.

The Company completed the qualitative assessment discussed above for the three months ended April 30, 2023 and concluded that, there were not indicators of impairment for our reporting units.

A roll forward of goodwill is as follows:

Description	Content & Platform			Instructor-Led Training		Consolidated
Goodwill, net January 31, 2023	$	417,340		$	40,404	$	457,744
Foreign currency translation adjustment		(665	)		1,148		483
Goodwill, net April 30, 2023	$	416,675		$	41,552	$	458,227

As of April 30, 2023, there was $569.3 million and $72.1 million of accumulated impairment losses for the Content & Platform (formerly referred to as Skillsoft) and Instructor-Led Training (formerly referred to as Global Knowledge) segments, respectively.

If current discount rates rise or if relevant market-based inputs for our impairment assessment worsen during the remainder of fiscal 2024, and if our share price remains below our reporting unit fair value per share, we will need to reassess intangible impairment at the end of each quarter. Subsequent reviews of intangibles could result in impairment during fiscal 2024. Factors that could result in an impairment include, but are not limited to, the following:

● Prolonged period of our estimated fair value of our reporting units exceeding our market capitalization;

● Lower expectations for future profitability of bookings or EBITDA, which in part, could be impacted by legislative, regulatory or tax changes that affect the cost of, or demand for, products and services as well as the loss of key personnel;

● Deterioration in key assumptions used in our income approach estimates of fair value, such as higher discount rates from higher stock market volatility; and

● Valuations of significant mergers or acquisitions of companies that provide relevant market-based inputs for our impairment assessment that could support less favorable conclusions regarding the estimated fair value of our reporting units.