Global Rulemakers Reject Revamping Goodwill Accounting Treatment

Global standard setters voted against changing the accounting treatment of goodwill, saying there is no clear evidence a change would cut costs for companies or give investors better information.

International Accounting Standards Board members in a 10-1 vote Thursday rejected switching over to goodwill amortization, writing off its value over time. Goodwill is the intangible asset recorded when companies buy another business.

They will instead stick to the present system of impairment where goodwill is only written down if there are concrete reasons to do so.

• IASB chair Andreas Barckow said that views were split equally across the accounting ...