Revenue and Accounts Receivable

Revenue

Our principal source of revenue is product sales. We recognize revenue from product sales when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, title to product and associated risk of loss has passed to the customer, the price is fixed or determinable, collection from the customer is reasonably assured and we have no further performance obligations. Revenue is recorded upon receipt of the product by the end customer, which is typically a hospital, physician’s office, private or government pharmacy or other health care facility. Amounts collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities, such as value-added taxes (VAT) in foreign jurisdictions, are presented on a net basis in our statements of operations and do not impact net product sales.

Because of factors such as the pricing of Soliris, the limited number of patients, the short period from product sale to patient infusion and the lack of contractual return rights, Soliris customers often carry limited inventory. We also monitor inventory within our sales channels to determine whether deferrals are appropriate based on factors such as inventory levels, contractual terms, and reliance on a single distributor in a market and financial strength of distributors.

We have entered into volume-based arrangements with governments in certain countries in which reimbursement is limited to a contractual amount. We estimate incremental discounts resulting from these contractual limitations, based on estimated sales during the limitation period, and we apply the discount percentage to product shipments as a reduction of revenue. In addition to sales in countries where Soliris is commercially available, we have also recorded revenue on sales for patients receiving Soliris treatment through named-patient programs. The relevant authorities or institutions in those countries have agreed to reimburse for product sold on a named-patient basis where Soliris has not received final approval for commercial sale.

We record estimated rebates payable under governmental programs, including Medicaid in the United States and other programs outside the United States, as a reduction of revenue at the time of product sale. Our calculations related to these rebate accruals require analysis of historical claim patterns and estimates of customer mix to determine which sales will be subject to rebates and the amount of such rebates. We update our estimates and assumptions each period and record any necessary adjustments, which may have an impact on revenue in the period in which the adjustment is made. Generally, the length of time between product sale and the processing and reporting of the rebates is three to six months.

We record distribution and other fees paid to our customers as a reduction of revenue, unless we receive an identifiable and separate benefit for the consideration and we can reasonably estimate the fair value of the benefit received. If both conditions are met, we record the consideration paid to the customer as an operating expense. These costs are typically known at the time of sale, resulting in minimal adjustments subsequent to the period of sale.

We enter into foreign exchange forward contracts to hedge exposures resulting from portions of our forecasted intercompany revenues that are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. These hedges are designated as cash flow hedges upon inception. We record the effective portion of these cash flow hedges to revenue in the period in which the sale is made to an unrelated third party and the derivative contract is settled.

Accounts Receivable

Our standard credit terms vary based on the country of sale and range from 30 to 120 days. Our consolidated average days’ sales outstanding ranges from 80 to 100 days. We sell Soliris to a limited number of customers, and we evaluate the creditworthiness of each such customer on a regular basis. In certain European countries, sales by us are subject to payment terms that are statutorily determined. This is primarily the case in countries where the payor is government-owned or government-funded and we consider to be creditworthy. The length of time from sale to receipt of payment in certain countries typically exceeds our credit terms. In countries in which collections from customers extend beyond normal payment terms, we seek to collect interest. We record interest on customer receivables as interest income when collected. For non-interest bearing receivables with an estimated payment beyond one year, we discount the accounts receivable to present value at the date of sale, with a corresponding adjustment to revenue. If creditworthiness declines further, subsequent adjustments for further declines in credit rating are recorded as bad debt expense as a component of selling, general and administrative expense. We also use judgments as to our ability to collect outstanding receivables and provide allowances for the portion of receivables if and when collection becomes doubtful.

We continue to monitor economic conditions, including volatility associated with international economies and the sovereign debt crisis in Europe, and the associated impacts on the financial markets and our business. The credit and economic conditions in Greece, Italy and Spain, among other members of the European Union, have deteriorated throughout 2011 and into 2012. These conditions have resulted in, and may continue to result in, an increase in the average length of time it takes to collect our outstanding accounts receivable in these countries. Substantially all of our accounts receivable due from these countries are due from or backed by sovereign or local governments, and the amount of non-sovereign accounts receivable is not material. Our exposure to the sovereign debt crisis in Greece is limited, as we do not have a material amount of accounts receivable in Greece.

As of September 30, 2012, our gross accounts receivable in Italy and Spain were approximately $86,100. Approximately $25,300 of this amount has been outstanding for greater than one year, and we have recorded an allowance of approximately $2,500 related to these gross receivables as of September 30, 2012. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, we have recorded expense of approximately $115 and $1,580, respectively, related to the expectation of delayed payment from these countries. Our net accounts receivable from these countries as of September 30, 2012 are summarized as follows:



	Total Accounts Receivable, net		Accounts Receivable, net > one year
Italy	$	35,836	$	6,805
Spain	$	47,785	$	17,130