BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Consolidation

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company prepared these unaudited consolidated financial statements following the requirements of the SEC and U.S. GAAP for interim reporting. Under those rules, certain footnotes and other financial information that are normally required for annual financial statements can be condensed or omitted. The Company is responsible for the consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which include all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the results of operations and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. These financial statements and the related notes should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020 included in the 2020 Form 10-K. Refer to the Summary of Abbreviated Terms at the end of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for terms used throughout the document.

Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Business Segment Information

BMS operates in a single segment engaged in the discovery, development, licensing, manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sale of innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. A global research and development organization and supply chain organization are responsible for the discovery, development, manufacturing and supply of products. Regional commercial organizations market, distribute and sell the products. The business is also supported by global corporate staff functions. Consistent with BMS’s operational structure, the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), as the chief operating decision maker, manages and allocates resources at the global corporate level. Managing and allocating resources at the global corporate level enables the CEO to assess both the overall level of resources available and how to best deploy these resources across functions, therapeutic areas, regional commercial organizations and research and development projects in line with our overarching long-term corporate-wide strategic goals, rather than on a product or franchise basis. The determination of a single segment is consistent with the financial information regularly reviewed by the CEO for purposes of evaluating performance, allocating resources, setting incentive compensation targets, and planning and forecasting future periods. For further information on product and regional revenue, see “—Note 2. Revenue.”

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates and Judgments

Revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities can vary during each quarter of the year. Accordingly, the results and trends in these unaudited consolidated financial statements may not be indicative of full year operating results. The preparation of financial statements requires the use of management estimates, judgments and assumptions. The most significant assumptions are estimates used in determining accounting for business combinations; impairments of intangible assets; sales rebate and return accruals; legal contingencies; and income taxes. Actual results may differ from estimates.

Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications were made to conform the prior period consolidated financial statements to the current period presentation. Cash payments resulting for licensing arrangements, including upfront and contingent milestones previously included in operating activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows are now presented in investing activities. The adjustment resulted in an increase to net cash provided by operating activities and net cash used in investing activities of $43 million in the three months ended March 31, 2020. These reclassifications did not have an impact on net assets or net earnings.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In December 2019, the FASB issued amended guidance on the accounting and reporting of income taxes. The guidance is intended to simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing exceptions related to certain intraperiod tax allocations and deferred tax liabilities; clarifying guidance primarily related to evaluating the step-up tax basis for goodwill in a business combination; and reflecting enacted changes in tax laws or rates in the annual effective tax rate. BMS adopted the new guidance effective January 1, 2021. The amended guidance did not have a material impact on BMS’s results of operations.