Goodwill and other intangible assets

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Goodwill And Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Note 12. Goodwill and other intangible assets

Reconciliations of the changes in the carrying value of goodwill for the first quarter of 2020 and for the year ended December 31, 2019 follows (in millions).

	March 31, 2020			December 31, 2019
Balance at beginning of year	$	81,882		$	81,025
Acquisitions of businesses		15			890
Other, including foreign currency translation		(238	)		(33	)
Balance at end of period	$	81,659		$	81,882

Other intangible assets and related accumulated amortization are summarized as follows (in millions).

	March 31, 2020				December 31, 2019
	Gross carrying amount		Accumulated amortization		Gross carrying amount		Accumulated amortization
Insurance and other:
Trademarks and trade names	$	5,283	$	764	$	5,286	$	759
Patents and technology		4,591		3,096		4,560		3,032
Customer relationships		27,820		5,137		27,943		5,025
Other		3,291		1,295		3,364		1,286
	$	40,985	$	10,292	$	41,153	$	10,102

Railroad, utilities and energy:
Trademarks and trade names	$	212	$	27	$	212	$	26
Customer relationships		678		333		678		324
Other		113		59		113		58
	$	1,003	$	419	$	1,003	$	408

Intangible asset amortization expense in the first quarter was $325 million in 2020 and $333 million in 2019. Intangible assets with indefinite lives were $19.0 billion as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 and primarily related to certain customer relationships and trademarks and trade names.