Final answer:
Inventory is not an identifiable intangible asset in a business combination but rather a tangible asset. Patents, trademarks, and goodwill are examples of identifiable intangible assets, with inventory being the exception among the options 4) given.
Step-by-step explanation:
When examining the different types of identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination, it's important to distinguish between assets that are reportable and non-reportable as part of this transaction. The options presented include patents, trademarks, goodwill, and inventory.
Patents and trademarks come under the umbrella of intellectual property and are considered identifiable intangible assets because they can be separately identified and have clear value to the business acquiring them. Similarly, goodwill is an intangible asset that represents the excess value paid over the fair value of net identifiable assets in a business combination. However, unlike patents or trademarks, goodwill is not separately identified from the acquired business as a whole.
In contrast, inventory is a tangible asset, consisting of the goods available for sale and raw materials used to produce those goods. Inventory, therefore, does not fit into the category of identified intangible assets in the context of a business combination. Hence, all of the following are examples of reportable identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination, except for inventory, which is a tangible asset, not an intangible one.