Writing off goodwill refers to the process of reducing or eliminating the recorded value of goodwill on a company's balance sheet. When a company's management determines that the value of its goodwill has become impaired, meaning that the future benefits expected from the acquisition are no longer as valuable as previously estimated, they must write off or reduce the value of goodwill on the balance sheet.
This can lead to a loss of investor confidence and a decrease in demand for the company's shares, putting downward pressure on the share price.
One real example of a company whose share price was affected after writing off goodwill is