Intangibles are non-physical assets like patents, brands, and software.
What it is
Intangible Assets are resources that lack physical substance but still carry economic value, such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, licenses, software, and acquired customer relationships. On the balance sheet they usually refer to identifiable intangibles, which are reported separately from goodwill. They appear among non-current assets.
Why it matters
Intangibles can be the core of a company's competitive advantage, especially in technology, pharma, and brand-driven businesses. A pitfall is that internally created intangibles (like a homegrown brand or self-developed software) are often expensed rather than recorded, so the balance sheet can understate a company's true intangible strength while acquired intangibles can be overstated.
How it's calculated
Recorded at cost when purchased or acquired, then reduced over time by amortization for finite-life intangibles, or tested for impairment if their life is indefinite.
How Quintarthai uses it
Intangible Assets are shown in the balance sheet within the Financials tab on each company's deep-analysis page at /app/.
Cross-border note. IFRS permits capitalizing certain development costs as intangibles when criteria are met, while US GAAP generally requires expensing most research and development, so Canadian filers may carry intangibles that US peers would not.
FAQ
How are intangible assets different from goodwill?
Intangible assets are identifiable and can be valued or sold separately (like a patent), whereas goodwill is the unidentifiable premium left over after an acquisition.
Why might a strong brand not show up on the balance sheet?
Internally built brands are usually expensed as they are created, so only brands acquired through a purchase typically appear as recorded intangible assets.
Check your understanding
Why might a company's powerful, well-known brand fail to appear as an intangible asset on its balance sheet?
Internally generated brands are generally expensed as they develop, so only brands acquired through a purchase typically show up as recorded intangibles.