Forward Air Corporation Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Acquisitions, Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets (Notes)

Acquisitions, Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Acquisitions, Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets

Intermodal Acquisitions

As part of the Company's strategy to expand its Intermodal operations, in January 2016, the Company acquired certain assets of Ace Cargo, LLC ("Ace") for $1,700, and in August 2016, the Company acquired certain assets of Triumph Transport, Inc. and Triumph Repair Service, Inc. (together referred to as “Triumph”) for $10,100 and an earnout of $1,250 paid in September 2017. These acquisitions provided an opportunity for our Intermodal operations to expand into additional Midwest markets.

In May 2017, the Company acquired certain assets of Atlantic Trucking Company, Inc., Heavy Duty Equipment Leasing, LLC, Atlantic Logistics, LLC and Transportation Holdings, Inc. (together referred to as “Atlantic” in this note) for $22,500 and an earnout of $135 paid in the fourth quarter of 2018. The acquisition was funded by a combination of cash on hand and funds from our revolving credit facility. Atlantic was a privately held provider of intermodal, drayage and related services headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina. It also has terminal operations in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Jacksonville, Memphis, Nashville, Norfolk and Savannah. These locations allow Intermodal to significantly expand its footprint in the southeastern region. In October 2017, the Company acquired certain assets of Kansas City Logistics, LLC ("KCL") for $640 and an earnout of $100 paid in the second quarter of 2018. KCL provides CST with an expanded footprint in the Kansas and Missouri markets.

In July 2018, the Company acquired certain assets of Multi-Modal Transport Inc. ("MMT") for $3,737 and in October 2018, the Company acquired certain assets of Southwest Freight Distributors (“Southwest”) for $16,250. Southwest is a Dallas, Texas based premium drayage provider. The MMT acquisition provides Intermodal with an expanded footprint in the Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin markets, and the Southwest acquisition provides an expanded footprint in Texas. Both MMT and Southwest also provide access to several strategic customer relationships.

The assets, liabilities, and operating results of these collective acquisitions have been included in the Company's consolidated financial statements from their dates of acquisition and have been included in the Intermodal reportable segment.

Allocations of Purchase Prices

The following table presents the allocations of the previously discussed purchase prices to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values and resulting residual goodwill (in thousands):



	Ace & Triumph		Atlantic		KCL		MMT		Southwest
	January & August 2016		May 7, 2017		October 22, 2017		July 25, 2018		October 28, 2018
Tangible assets:
Property and equipment	$	1,294	$	1,821	$	223	$	81	$	933
Total tangible assets	1,294		1,821		223		81		933
Intangible assets:
Non-compete agreements	139		1,150		6		43		650
Customer relationships	5,335		13,400		234		1,659		9,200
Goodwill	6,282		6,719		277		1,954		5,467
Total intangible assets	11,756		21,269		517		3,656		15,317
Total assets acquired	13,050		23,090		740		3,737		16,250

Liabilities assumed:
Current liabilities	—		590		100		—		—
Other liabilities	1,250		—		—		—		—
Total liabilities assumed	1,250		590		100		—		—
Net assets acquired	$	11,800	$	22,500	$	640	$	3,737	$	16,250

The acquired definite-lived intangible assets have the following useful lives:



	Useful Lives
	Ace & Triumph	Atlantic	KCL	MMT	Southwest
Customer relationships	15 years	15 years	15 years	15 years	10 years
Non-compete agreements	5 years	5 years	2 years	4 years	3 years

The fair value of the customer relationships and non-compete agreements were estimated using an income approach (level 3). Under this method, an intangible asset's fair value is equal to the present value of the incremental after-tax cash flows (excess earnings) attributable solely to the intangible asset over its remaining useful life. To estimate fair value, the Company used cash flows discounted at rates considered appropriate given the inherent risks associated with each type of asset. The Company believed the level and timing of cash flows appropriately reflected market participant assumptions. Cash flows were assumed to extend through the remaining economic useful life of each class of intangible asset.

Goodwill

The Company conducted its annual impairment assessments and tests of goodwill for each reporting unit as of June 30, 2018. The first step of the goodwill impairment test is the Company's assessment of qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than the reporting unit's carrying amount, including goodwill. When performing the qualitative assessment, the Company considers the impact of factors including, but not limited to, macroeconomic and industry conditions, overall financial performance of each reporting unit, litigation and new legislation. If based on the qualitative assessments, the Company believes it more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than the reporting unit's carrying amount, or periodically as deemed appropriate by management, the Company will prepare an estimation of the respective reporting unit's fair value utilizing a quantitative approach.

If a quantitative fair value estimation is required, the Company estimates the fair value of the applicable reporting units based on a combination of a market approach, which considers comparable companies, and the income approach, using a discounted cash flow model, as of the valuation date. Under the market approach, valuation multiples are derived based on a selection of comparable companies and applied to projected operating data for each reporting unit to arrive at an indication of fair value. Under the income approach, the discounted cash flow model determines fair value based on the present value of management prepared projected cash flows over a specific projection period and a residual value related to future cash flows beyond the projection period. Both values are discounted using a rate which reflects our best estimate of the weighted average cost of capital of a market participant, and is adjusted for appropriate risk factors. The Company believes the most sensitive estimate used in the income approach is the management prepared projected cash flows. Consequently, as necessary the Company performs sensitivity tests on select reporting units to ensure reductions of the present value of the projected cash flows by at least 10% would not adversely impact the results of the goodwill impairment tests. Historically, the Company has equally weighted the income and market approaches as it believed the quality and quantity of the collected information were approximately equal. The inputs used in the fair value estimates for goodwill are classified within level 3 of the fair value hierarchy as defined in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification and the Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“the FASB Codification”).

If the estimation of fair value indicates the impairment potentially exists, the Company will then measure the amount of the impairment, if any. Goodwill impairment exists when the estimated implied fair value of goodwill is less than its carrying value. Changes in strategy or market conditions could significantly impact these fair value estimates and require adjustments to recorded asset balances.

Goodwill is allocated to reporting units that are expected to benefit from the business combinations generating the goodwill. As of June 30, 2018, the Company had five reporting units - Expedited LTL, TLX Forward Air, Intermodal, Pool Distribution and Total Quality, Inc. ("TQI"). The TLX Forward Air and the TQI reporting units were assigned to the Truckload Premium Services reportable segment. Currently, there is no goodwill assigned to the TLX Forward Air reporting unit. Our 2018 calculations for LTL, Pool Distribution, Intermodal and TQI indicated that, as of June 30, 2018, the fair value of each reporting unit exceeded their carrying value by approximately 349.0%, 182.0%, 73.0% and 36.0%, respectively.

For our June 30, 2018 analysis, the significant assumptions used for the income approach were projected net cash flows and the following discount and long-term growth rates:



	Expedited LTL		Pool		Intermodal		TQI
Discount rate	12.0	%	15.5	%	14.0	%	16.5	%
Long-term growth rate	4.0	%	4.0	%	4.0	%	4.0	%

The estimates used to calculate the fair value of each reporting unit change from year to year based on operating results, market conditions, and other factors. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the determination of the reporting unit's fair value and goodwill impairment for the reporting unit.

As of July 1, 2018, the TLX Forward Air and TQI reporting units were fully integrated into the Truckload Premium Services reporting unit. As a result, as of December 31, 2018 we had four reporting units - Expedited LTL, Truckload Premium Services, Intermodal and Pool Distribution. The Company conducted a qualitative assessment as of December 31, 2018 and no indicators of impairment were identified.

In 2016, due to the financial performance of the TQI reporting unit falling notably short of previous projections the Company reduced TQI's projected cash flows and as a result the estimate of TQI's fair value no longer exceeded the respective carrying value. Consequently, the Company recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $25,686 for the TQI reporting unit during the year ended December 31, 2016.

The following is a summary of the changes in goodwill for Intermodal and the Company for the year ended December 31, 2018. There were no changes to Expedited LTL, Truckload Premium or Pool Distribution during the year ended December 31, 2018. Approximately $119,948 of goodwill is deductible for tax purposes.



	Expedited LTL				Truckload Premium					Pool Distribution					Intermodal				Total
			Accumulated				Accumulated					Accumulated					Accumulated
	Goodwill		Impairment		Goodwill		Impairment			Goodwill		Impairment			Goodwill		Impairment		Net
Ending balance, December 31, 2017	$	97,593	$	—	$	45,164	$	(25,686	)	$	12,359	$	(6,953	)	$	69,194	$	—	$	191,671
MMT acquisition	—		—		—		—			—		—			1,954		—		1,954
Southwest acquisition	—		—		—		—			—		—			5,467		—		5,467
Ending balance, December 31, 2018	$	97,593	$	—	$	45,164	$	(25,686	)	$	12,359	$	(6,953	)	$	76,615	$	—	$	199,092

Other Acquired Intangibles

Through acquisitions, the Company acquired customer relationships, non-compete agreements and trade names having weighted-average useful lives of 15.0, 4.5 and 4.0 years, respectively. Amortization expense on acquired customer relationships, non-compete agreements and trade names for each of the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 was $9,138, $10,193 and $10,122, respectively.

As of December 31, 2018, definite-lived intangible assets are comprised of the following:



	Acquired Intangibles		Accumulated Amortization		Accumulated Impairment		Net Acquired Intangibles
Customer relationships	$	204,226	$	75,585	$	16,501	$	112,140
Non-compete agreements	5,102		3,581		—		1,521
Trade name	1,500		1,500		—		—
Total	$	210,828	$	80,666	$	16,501	$	113,661

As of December 31, 2017, definite-lived intangible assets are comprised of the following:



	Acquired Intangibles		Accumulated Amortization		Accumulated Impairment		Net Acquired Intangibles
Customer relationships	$	193,209	$	66,986	$	16,501	$	109,722
Non-compete agreements	4,566		3,074		—		1,492
Trade name	1,500		1,467		—		33
Total	$	199,275	$	71,527	$	16,501	$	111,247

The estimated amortization expense for the next five years on definite-lived intangible assets as of December 31, 2018 is as follows:



	2019		2020		2021		2022		2023
Customer relationships	$	9,350	$	9,350	$	9,207	$	9,007	$	8,659
Non-compete agreements	516		486		438		81		—
Total	$	9,866	$	9,836	$	9,645	$	9,088	$	8,659

Additionally, the Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Impairment is recognized on assets classified as held and used when the sum of undiscounted estimated cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset is less than the carrying value. If such measurement indicates a possible impairment, the estimated fair value of the asset is compared to its net book value to measure the impairment charge, if any. In conjunction with the June 30, 2016 TQI goodwill impairment assessment the Company determined there were indicators that TQI's customer relationship and non-compete intangible assets were impaired, as the undiscounted cash flows associated with the applicable assets no longer exceeded the related assets' net book values. The Company estimated the fair value of the customer relationship and non-compete assets using an income approach (level 3). Under this method, an intangible asset's fair value is equal to the present value of the incremental after-tax cash flows (excess earnings) attributable solely to the intangible asset over its remaining useful life. To estimate fair value, the Company used cash flows discounted at rates considered appropriate given the inherent risks associated with each type of asset. The Company believed the level and timing of cash flows appropriately reflected market participant assumptions. As a result of these estimates the Company recorded an impairment charge of $16,501 related to TQI customer relationships during the year ended December 31, 2016. The Company incurred no such impairment charges during the years ended December 31, 2017 or 2018.