companydata.dkFixed assets (anlægsaktiver)
Fixed assets (anlægsaktiver) are assets intended for lasting use in the business — e.g. property, machinery, goodwill, software, and equity stakes in other companies. Their counterpart is current assets.
Fixed assets fall into three groups: intangible (goodwill, patents, software), tangible (land, buildings, machinery, vehicles), and financial (stakes in subsidiaries and associates, long-term receivables). They are typically depreciated over their useful life — except e.g. land and financial fixed assets.
What do fixed assets tell you?
The composition reveals the business model: a manufacturer typically has large tangible fixed assets, a holding company almost only financial ones, and an acquired business may carry significant goodwill. Large intangible assets deserve scrutiny — their value depends on future earnings.
Related terms
Current assets (omsætningsaktiver)
Current assets (omsætningsaktiver) are assets not intended for lasting use, expected to be converted to cash within a short period — typically inventory, trade receivables, and cash.
Balance sheet total (balancesum)
The balance sheet total (balancesum) is the sum of all the company's assets — and equally the sum of equity and liabilities, since the balance sheet balances by definition. It is used as a measure of company size.
Holding company (holdingselskab)
A holding company (holdingselskab) is a company (typically an ApS or A/S) whose primary purpose is to own shares in other companies rather than run its own operations. The structure is used to separate risk and defer tax.