GOODWILL

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

5.	GOODWILL

The table below sets forth the carrying amount of goodwill for June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

	As of June 30, 2024		As of December 31, 2023

Gross carrying amount	$	—	$	—
Acquired in business combination ⁽¹⁾		55,794,524		55,794,524
Total		55,794,524		55,794,524
Accumulated impairment	$	(39,136,871)	$	—
Impairment ⁽²⁾		—		(39,136,871)
		—		—

Goodwill, net	$	16,657,653	$	16,657,653

(1)

Goodwill was acquired during the year ended December 31, 2022 resulted from the acquisition of Fintech as disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023.

(2)

The Company has adopted a policy of performing its annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of every year. In connection with the annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company estimated the fair value of our FintechAsia reporting unit using the income approach. In the annual 2023 test, the FintechAsia reporting unit exceeded the carrying values by more than 50 percent. The Company performed a qualitative test on our FintechAsia reporting unit and concluded it was more likely than not the fair value of this reporting unit exceeded its carrying value.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $39,136,871 in our FintechAsia reporting unit, primarily due to the surrendering of our credit token license, significant impacts on money broking transactional volume following the cryptocurrency market crash in 2022, and the fair value of share price which is much higher than the fair value of the assets acquired. Both significantly impacted forecasted cash flows used in our analysis. Moreover, operating expenses did not decline proportionally to revenue. In addition, inflationary pressures also caused our forecasted expenses to increase. Furthermore, our discounted cash flows utilized a higher risk-adjusted discount rate for the 2023 impairment test, primarily due to central banks raising interest rates in 2023 and increased country-specific risk due to macroeconomic factors.

The Company estimated the fair value of the FintechAsia reporting unit based on income approach. Fair value under the income approach was determined by discounting to present value the estimated future cash flows of the reporting unit.

In estimating the future cash flows of the FintechAsia reporting unit, the Company utilized a combination of market and company-specific inputs that a market participant would use in assessing the fair value of the reporting units. The primary market input was revenue growth rates. These rates were based upon historical trends and estimated future growth drivers such as the money brokering, payment solutions, and white labelling growth rate. Significant company-specific inputs included assumptions regarding how the reporting unit could leverage operating expenses as revenue grows.

Under the guideline public company methodology, the Company took into consideration specific risk differences between our reporting unit and the comparable companies, such as recent financial performance, size risks and product portfolios, among other considerations.

The Company used significant unobservable inputs within the income approach valuation method. These include the discount rate of 25.05%, being the calculated weighted average cost of capital for our company, and the long-term growth rate of 1.50% was based on the annual percentage change of real GDP growth. Significant increases (decreases) in growth rates, control premiums and multiples, assuming no change in discount rates, would result in a significantly higher (lower) fair value measurement. Significant decreases (increases) in discount rates, assuming no changes in growth rates, control premiums and multiples, would result in a significantly higher (lower) fair value measurement.

The Company will continue to monitor the fair value of our reporting units in our interim and annual reporting periods. While the policy of the Company on conducting impairment on annual basis stand, it is the directors’ responsibility to ensure that the reports (including annual and quarterly reports) are accurate. Hence, for good corporate governance practice purposes, the directors have also reviewed the fair value of goodwill in both quantitative and qualitative information during this quarterly period. If our estimated cash flows decrease, the Company may have to record further impairment charges in the future. Factors that could result in our cash flows being lower than our current estimates include: 1) decreased revenues caused by unforeseen changes the market, 2) our inability to achieve the estimated operating margins in our forecasts from our restructuring programs, cost saving initiatives, and other unforeseen factors, and 3) the weakening of foreign currencies against the U.S. Dollar. Additionally, changes in the broader economic environment could cause changes to our estimated discount rates and comparable company valuation indicators, which may impact our estimated fair values. Due to the significant carrying amount of goodwill recognized, any further impairment may cause a significant adverse financial impact on the Company that could raise doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2024, the management has determined that a quarterly goodwill impairment assessment is not necessary for the following reasons, despite the annualized financial performance of the FintechAsia reporting unit for the full year 2024 being lower than our current estimates:

1. New Clients Onboarding: FintechAsia has onboarded new clients with the potential for significant transaction volumes. The level of contribution from these new clients remains undetermined, as it will depend on the volume of transactions. Based on discussions with clients, the Company believes there is still a possibility of reaching breakeven for FintechAsia by the end of 2024.

2. Cost Saving Initiatives: The costs associated with Fintech are expected to decrease significantly in 2024. These cost savings are expected to be reflected in the Company’s financial performance starting from the quarterly period ending September 30, 2024. The full impact of these cost-saving initiatives will be more accurately reflected in the Company’s results when the books are closed at year-end.

Given these factors, the management believes that conducting a quarterly goodwill impairment test would not provide an accurate reflection of the Company’s financial position and would not align with the adopted policy. The year-end goodwill impairment review for the annual financial statements is based on a complete 12-month period of results, allowing for a more robust assessment of the contracts entered into by the Company. This approach is consistent with the policy adopted for the Company’s goodwill assessment and the impairment provisions for the Form 10-K for the financial year ended December 31, 2023. Management will conduct a more detailed analysis to determine whether further impairment is required when preparing the Form 10-K for the financial year ending December 31, 2024.

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2024, our total assets stood at $20,417,969, while our total stockholders’ equity was $17,025,973. For discussion purposes, assuming a full goodwill impairment of $16,657,653, our total assets would be reduced to $3,760,316, and total stockholders’ equity would decrease to $368,320. Even after this assumed impairment, our total assets would still exceed total liabilities of $3,391,996 by $368,320, and our total stockholders’ equity would remain positive. Management believes that the going concern basis for the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate, even with a full goodwill impairment (which is highly unlikely, as FintechAsia will continue to drive value, and therefore goodwill will not require a full impairment). The scenario of full impairment presented above is a conservative assumption to demonstrate that, even in this unlikely case, the Group would still maintain positive total assets and stockholders’ equity.

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2024, the Company reported amounts due to related parties totalling $1,196,146. These loans were obtained to provide the Company with the necessary funds to meet its short-term financial obligations. To enhance investor confidence, the Company intends to negotiate with the related parties to secure their continued support by extending the due date of these loans for a period of no less than 12 months, with the assurance that no repayment will be sought until the Company’s liabilities are stabilized.

Fintech Scion Ltd 10-Q