Net Tangible Assets: Definition, Calculation, Examples (2024)

What Are Net Tangible Assets?

The term net tangible assets refers to the total physical assets of a company minus all intangible assets and liabilities. In other words, net tangible assets focus on physical assets such as property, plant, and equipment (PP&E), as well as inventories and cash instruments. Physical assets are anything that is listed on a company's balance sheet while intangible assets are those without a physical form. A company's net tangible assets can help it secure financing and determine how much risk it carries.

Key Takeaways

  • Net tangible assets are all the physical assets a company owns less any intangible assets and liabilities.
  • They are listed on a company's balance sheet and indicate its book value.
  • To calculate a company's net tangible assets, subtract its liabilities, par value of preferred shares, and any intangible assets, such as goodwill, patents, and trademarks from its total assets.
  • Net tangible assets allow analysts to focus on a firm's physical assets in isolation.
  • Companies can access financing and determine how much risk they carry based on the value of their net tangible assets.

Understanding Net Tangible Assets

As noted above, net tangible assets are any physical assets less intangible assets and liabilities. In order to calculate this, a company takes the fair market value (FMV) of its tangible assets and subtracts the fair market value of its liabilities. Remember that physical assets refer to anything that can be touched and can be found listed on a company's balance sheet, such as:

Intangible assets, on the other hand, are those that have no tangible form, such as trademarks, goodwill, patents, and copyrights. Liabilities, of course, refer to any debts the company owes, whether that's current or non-current, including accounts payable, long-term debt, and other similar obligations.

For example, if a company has total assets of $1 million, total liabilities of $100,000, and intangible goodwill of $100,000, its net tangible asset amount is $800,000. This is derived by subtracting $200,000 (the sum of both liabilities and goodwill) from the value of the company's total assets of $1 million.

The value of a company's net tangible assets may also be referred to as its net asset value (NAV) or book value. This value is important to a company as it provides a window into how much risk it carries—notably, its liquidity and solvency. It can also be used to help it access financing to meet its future goals.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Net Tangible Assets

This measurement of a company's tangible assets is important because it allows a firm's management team to analyze its asset position without including obsolete or difficult to value intangible assets. A company's return on assets (ROA), for example, is often more accurate when net tangible assets are used in the calculation.

The usefulness of deriving net tangible assets, however, varies across industries. Medical device manufacturers, for example, have high levels of valuable intangible assets. This means it's important to look at a company's price-to-book (P/B) value and compare it against similar companies to gauge performance.

Pros

  • Companies can assess asset position without including intangible assets

Cons

  • Usefulness can vary across industries, especially those with higher intangible asset values

Net Tangible Assets vs. Net Tangible Assets Per Share

Some companies use their net tangible assets per share value in lieu of the net tangible assets measurement. To calculate a company's net tangible asset per share of common stock, divide its net tangible assets figure by the number of outstanding common shares. If a company has net tangible assets of $1 million and 500,000 shares outstanding, its net tangible asset value per share is $2.

This value is useful when conducting a comparative analysis of companies within an industry. Auto manufacturers, for example, may have high net tangible assets per share, while a software company with a high level of intangible assets may have a much lower number per share. It is therefore important to use this measure only when analyzing companies within the same industry.

Real-World Examples of Net Tangible Assets

Let us look at some actual data for Amazon and Meta and calculate the net tangible assets for each using their annual 10-K filings.

  • Amazon: The ecommerce giant reported total assets of $321.2 billion, total liabilities of $227.8 billion, and goodwill of $15.01 billion on Dec. 31, 2020. Its resulting net tangible assets were $78.39 billion, or $321.2 billion less $227.8 billion and $15.01 billion.
  • Meta: The company behind the Facebook platform had total assets of $133.4 billion,total liabilitiesof $32.3 billion, intangible assets of $894 million, and goodwill of $18.7 billion on Dec. 31, 2019. To calculate the value of Meta's net tangible assets at that time, subtract itsintangible assets, goodwill, and total liabilities from its total assets. So, its net tangible assets were approximately $81.5 billion.
Net Tangible Assets: Definition, Calculation, Examples (2024)

FAQs

How do you calculate net tangible assets? ›

NTA = Total assets – Intangible assets – Total liabilities

Where: Total assets include tangible and intangible assets and can be found on a company's balance sheet.

What are net tangible assets examples? ›

For example, if a company has total assets of $1 million, total liabilities of $100,000, and intangible goodwill of $100,000, its net tangible asset amount is $800,000. This is derived by subtracting $200,000 (the sum of both liabilities and goodwill) from the value of the company's total assets of $1 million.

What is the formula for calculating ATNW? ›

Once you determine the value of all your assets and the size of all your liabilities, you can use the formula (Tangible Net Worth = Total Assets - Total Liabilities - Intangible Assets) to determine your tangible net worth.

What is the formula used to calculate net assets? ›

Net assets are the value of a company's assets minus its liabilities. It is calculated ((Total Fixed Assets + Total Current Assets) – (Total Current Liabilities + Total Long Term Liabilities)).

What is the formula for net assets per share? ›

Net assets per share is usually calculated by dividing net assets (that is, total assets on the balance sheet less total liabilities) by the number of equity shares in issue (excluding any shares held in treasury).

What are three examples of tangible assets? ›

Tangible assets are physical things. Examples include land, buildings, vehicles, furniture, and equipment.

What is a net asset example? ›

The term 'net assets' refers to the total assets of an entity, minus its all liabilities. In other words, net assets are all things or shares that a company owns, minus what it owes to other organisations or people. The total amount of net assets is exactly the same as the stockholders' equity of a business.

What are tangible net worth assets? ›

The tangible net worth calculation for a company is total assets minus total liabilities minus intangible assets. Tangible net worth can also be calculated for individuals, using the same formula of total tangible assets minus total debt liabilities.

How do you calculate ATNW on a balance sheet? ›

This is done in a net worth statement, also called a balance sheet, which lists all of your assets and all of your liabilities. According to Investopedia, the basic ANTW formula is Total Assets - Total Liabilities - Intangible Assets = Tangible Net Worth.

How do you calculate change in net assets? ›

Your Change in Net Assets is the difference between the revenue you have recorded and the expenses incurred during a given period. It's essentially what a for-profit company would call Net Income or Profit.

Is net tangible assets the same as total equity? ›

Key Takeaways

The big difference is that shareholder equity includes intangible assets, such as goodwill, while net tangible assets do not. Net tangible assets are the theoretical value of a company's physical assets.

What is the difference between NAV and NTA? ›

Net Asset Value (NAV) The total assets of a company, or managed fund, less total libilities. A more pure measure is Net Tangible Assets (NTA), which do not include intangible items, such as goodwill.

What is the net tangible assets per unit? ›

Net Tangible Assets per share (NTA) is the value of the total portfolio divided by the number of shares on issue. Using a simple example, if the value of the total portfolio is $100 and the number of shares on issue is 10, then the NTA is $10 per share.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Prof. An Powlowski

Last Updated:

Views: 5709

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (64 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Prof. An Powlowski

Birthday: 1992-09-29

Address: Apt. 994 8891 Orval Hill, Brittnyburgh, AZ 41023-0398

Phone: +26417467956738

Job: District Marketing Strategist

Hobby: Embroidery, Bodybuilding, Motor sports, Amateur radio, Wood carving, Whittling, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Prof. An Powlowski, I am a charming, helpful, attractive, good, graceful, thoughtful, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.