Background and Basis of Presentation

Background

The principal business of AbbVie Inc. (AbbVie or the company) is the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of a broad line of pharmaceutical products. AbbVie’s products are generally sold worldwide directly to wholesalers, distributors, government agencies, health care facilities, specialty pharmacies, and independent retailers from AbbVie-owned distribution centers and public warehouses. Substantially all of AbbVie’s net revenues in the United States are to three wholesalers. Outside the United States, products are sold primarily to customers or through distributors, depending on the market served.

AbbVie was incorporated in Delaware on April 10, 2012. On January 1, 2013, AbbVie became an independent, publicly-traded company as a result of the distribution by Abbott Laboratories (Abbott) of 100% of the outstanding common stock of AbbVie to Abbott’s shareholders. In connection with the separation, AbbVie and Abbott entered into transition services agreements covering certain corporate support and back office services that AbbVie historically received from Abbott. Such services included information technology, accounts payable, payroll, receivables collection, treasury and other financial functions, as well as order entry, warehousing, engineering support, quality assurance support and other administrative services. These agreements facilitated the separation by allowing AbbVie to operate independently prior to establishing stand-alone back office functions across its organization. The transition services agreements had original terms of up to 24 months, with an option for a one-year extension. The majority of these transaction service agreements expired without extension at December 31, 2014. With certain limited exceptions, the remaining transition services agreements terminated on or prior to December 31, 2015.

Basis of Historical Presentation

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements of AbbVie have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (U.S. GAAP) have been omitted. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the company’s audited consolidated financial statements and notes included in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.

It is management’s opinion that these financial statements include all normal and recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the company’s financial position and operating results. Net revenues and net earnings for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of future or annual results. Certain reclassifications were made to conform the prior period interim condensed consolidated financial statements to the current period presentation.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, Summary and Amendments That Create Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) and Other Assets and Deferred Costs–Contracts with Customers (Subtopic 340-40). The amendments in this standard supersede most current revenue recognition requirements. The core principal of the new guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. AbbVie can apply the amendments using one of the following two methods: (i) retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented, or (ii) modified retrospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying the amendments recognized at the date of initial application. This standard will be effective for AbbVie starting with the first quarter of 2018. Early application is permitted for AbbVie only for annual reporting periods starting with the first quarter of 2017. AbbVie is currently assessing the impact and timing of adopting this guidance on its consolidated financial statements and the implementation approach to be used.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. The standard requires several targeted changes including that equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting, or those that result in consolidation of the investee) be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net earnings. These provisions will not impact the accounting for AbbVie's investments in debt securities. The new guidance also changes certain disclosure requirements and other aspects of current U.S. GAAP. Amendments are to be applied as a cumulative-effect adjustment to the balance sheet as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. This standard will be effective for AbbVie starting with the first quarter of 2018. The standard does not permit early adoption with the exception of certain targeted provisions. AbbVie is currently assessing the impact and timing of adopting this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). ASU 2016-02 outlines a comprehensive lease accounting model and supersedes the current lease guidance. The new standard requires lessees to recognize lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use assets for all leases with lease terms greater than 12 months. It also changes the definition of a lease and expands the disclosure requirements of lease arrangements. The new standard must be adopted using the modified retrospective approach and will be effective for AbbVie starting with the first quarter of 2019. Early adoption is permitted. AbbVie is currently assessing the impact and timing of adopting this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. Under the new guidance, excess tax benefits associated with share-based awards will be recognized in the statement of earnings when the awards vest or settle, rather than in stockholders’ equity. The standard also permits entities to make a policy election to account for forfeitures as they occur and clarifies the statement of cash flows presentation for certain components of share-based awards. The guidance will be effective for AbbVie starting with the first quarter of 2017. Early adoption is permitted with any adjustments reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. AbbVie is currently assessing the impact and timing of adopting this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326). The standard changes how credit losses are measured for most financial assets and certain other instruments. For trade and other receivables, held-to-maturity debt securities, loans and other instruments, the standard requires the use of a new forward-looking "expected credit loss" model that generally will result in the earlier recognition of allowances for losses. For available-for-sale debt securities with unrealized losses, the standard now requires allowances to be recorded instead of reducing the amortized cost of the investment. The standard additionally requires new disclosures and will be effective for AbbVie starting with the first quarter of 2020. Early adoption beginning in the first quarter of 2019 is permitted. With certain exceptions, adjustments are to be applied using a modified-retrospective approach by reflecting adjustments through a cumulative-effect impact to retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. AbbVie is currently assessing the impact and timing of adopting this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.