GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLES

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, Griffon modified its reportable segment structure to provide investors with improved visibility after a series of portfolio repositioning actions which included the divestiture of the Plastics business, the acquisition of ClosetMaid and its subsequent integration into AMES, and the acquisition of CornellCookson by Clopay. Griffon now reports its operations through three reportable segments: the newly formed Consumer and Professional Products segment, which consists of AMES; Home and Building Products, which consists of Clopay; and Defense Electronics, which consists of Telephonics Corporation.

Before changing its reportable segment structure, the Company completed its annual impairment review of its legacy HBP reporting unit, which also was its legacy reportable segment, and determined that the fair value of the legacy HBP reporting unit substantially exceeded the carrying value of the assets, as performed under step one, and no impairment existed.

In connection with the Company's change in its reportable segments, the Company performed its annual impairment testing of goodwill at Griffon's new reporting unit level as of September 30, 2019. See in Note 1, Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, for a description of the Company's goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible impairment testing methodology. The Company performed an impairment test before and after the change in our reportable segment structure, and as a result of this analysis, no impairment was identified. ASC 350 “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other Intangibles” provides guidance on a company's subsequent measurement and recognition of goodwill and other intangibles, including subsequent changes to carrying amounts, including impairment and fair value adjustments. In accordance with the guidance set forth in ASC 350,

and in connection with the modification of its reportable segment structure, using a relative fair value approach, the Company reallocated $148,076 of goodwill between the CPP and HBP segments. See Note 18, Segment Information for further information on the Company's three reportable segments.

The following table provides changes in carrying value of goodwill by segment through the year ended September 30, 2019:



	At September 30, 2017		Goodwill from acquisitions		Foreign currency translation adjustments			At September 30, 2018		Goodwill from acquisitions		Reallocation of Goodwill			Foreign currency translation adjustments			At September 30, 2019
Consumer and Professional Products	$	300,594	$	77,024	$	428		$	378,046	$	—	$	(148,076	)	$	(2,701	)	$	227,269
Home and Building Products	—		42,883		(79		)	42,804		300		148,076			73			191,253
Defense Electronics	18,545		—		—			18,545		—		—			—			18,545
Total	$	319,139	$	119,907	$	349		$	439,395	$	300	$	—		$	(2,628	)	$	437,067

The following table provides the gross carrying value and accumulated amortization for each major class of intangible asset:



	At September 30, 2019					At September 30, 2018
	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization		Average Life (Years)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization
Customer relationships & other	$	183,515	$	57,783	23	$	186,031	$	49,822
Unpatented technology	19,167		7,329		13	19,004		6,238
Total amortizable intangible assets	202,682		65,112			205,035		56,060
Trademarks	219,069		—			221,883		—
Total intangible assets	$	421,751	$	65,112		$	426,918	$	56,060

Amortization expense for intangible assets subject to amortization was $9,922, $9,070 and $6,658 in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Amortization expense for each of the next five years and thereafter, based on current intangible balances and classifications, is estimated as follows: 2020 - $9,593; 2021 - $9,387; 2022 - $9,387; 2023 - $9,234 and 2024 - $9,208; thereafter - $90,761.

No event or indicator or impairment occurred during 2019, which would require impairment testing of long-lived intangible assets including goodwill.