Intangible Asset

Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Intangible Asset'

An asset that is not physical in nature. Corporate intellectual property (items such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, business methodologies), goodwill and brand recognition are all common intangible assets in today's marketplace. An intangible asset can be classified as either indefinite or definite depending on the specifics of that asset. A company brand name is considered to be an indefinite asset, as it stays with the company as long as the company continues operations. However, if a company enters a legal agreement to operate under another company's patent, with no plans of extending the agreement, it would have a limited life and would be classified as a definite asset.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Intangible Asset'

While intangible assets don't have the obvious physical value of a factory or equipment, they can prove very valuable for a firm and can be critical to its long-term success or failure. For example, a company such as Coca-Cola wouldn't be nearly as successful were it not for the high value obtained through its brand-name recognition. Although brand recognition is not a physical asset you can see or touch, its positive effects on bottom-line profits can prove extremely valuable to firms such as Coca-Cola, whose brand strength drives global sales year after year.

Sign Up For Term of the Day!

Try Our Stock Simulator!

Test your trading skills!

Related Definitions

  1. Going-Concern Value

    The value of a ...
  2. Alternative Asset

    Any ...
  3. Tangible Asset

    Assets that have ...
  4. Nonfinancial Asset

    An asset with a ...
  5. Shadow Pricing

    1. The actual ...
  6. Intellectual Capital

    The value of a ...
  7. Hard Asset

    A tangible and ...
  8. Proprietary Technology

    A process, tool, ...
  9. Patent

    A government ...
  10. Nonmonetary Assets

    Assets in which ...

Articles Of Interest

  1. Intangible Assets Provide Real Value To Stocks

    Intangible assets don't appear on balance sheets, but they're crucial to judging a company's value.
  2. How To Evaluate A Company's Balance Sheet

    Asset performance shows how what a company owes and owns affects its investment quality.
  3. Using The Price-To-Book Ratio To Evaluate Companies

    The P/B ratio can be an easy way to determine a company's value, but it isn't magic!
  4. Can You Count On Goodwill?

    Carefully examine goodwill and its sources before considering the value of your investment.
  5. Investment Valuation Ratios: Price/Book Value Ratio

    This ratio indicates, how much shareholders are paying for the company''s net assets. See this section for an indepth look at this ratio and its calculation.
  6. What is the difference between amortization and depreciation?

  7. Should computer software be classified as an intangible asset or part of property, plant and equipment?

  8. Revenue Projections Show Profit Potential

    Examining how a company makes money can offer clues about its earnings potential.
  9. Spotting Profitability With ROCE

    This straightforward ratio measures whether a company is efficient, money-making or neither.
  10. Analyze Cash Flow The Easy Way

    Find out how to analyze the way a company spends its money to determine whether there will be any money left for investors.

comments powered by Disqus
Recommended
Loading, please wait...
Trading Center