Debt and Other Financing Arrangements	9 Months Ended
Sep. 28, 2013
Debt And Other Financing Arrangements Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt and Other Financing Arrangements [Text Block]	Note 8. Debt and Other Financing Arrangements Credit Facilities On July 25, 2013, the company terminated its prior revolving credit agreement and entered into a new revolving credit facility with a bank group that provides for up to $1.5 billion of unsecured multi-currency revolving credit. The facility expires in July 2018. The agreement calls for interest at either a LIBOR-based rate or a rate based on the prime lending rate of the agent bank, at the company's option. The agreement contains affirmative, negative and financial covenants, and events of default customary for financings of this type. The financial covenant requires the company to maintain a Consolidated Leverage Ratio of debt to EBITDA (as defined in the agreement) below 3.5 to 1.0 prior to the closing date of the Life Technologies Acquisition, below 5.5 to 1.0 during the first six months after the closing date of the Life Technologies Acquisition and decreasing, based on the passage of time, to 3.5 to 1.0, after 18 months and an Interest Coverage Ratio of EBITDA (as defined in the agreement) to interest expense below 3.0 to 1.0. The credit agreement permits the company to use the facility for working capital; acquisitions; repurchases of common stock, debentures and other securities; the refinancing of debt; and general corporate purposes. The credit agreement allows for the issuance of letters of credit, which reduces the amount available for borrowing. If the company borrows under this facility, it intends to leave undrawn an amount equivalent to outstanding commercial paper ($50 million at September 28, 2013) to provide a source of funds in the event that commercial paper markets are not available. As of September 28, 2013, no borrowings were outstanding under the facility, although available capacity was reduced by approximately $46 million as a result of outstanding letters of credit. In connection with the planned acquisition of Life Technologies, the company entered into a bridge credit agreement and a term loan agreement. The bridge credit agreement is a 364-day unsecured committed bridge facility in the principal amount of $3.56 billion as of November 1, 2013. The term loan agreement is a 3-year unsecured $5 billion term loan facility. Borrowing under both agreements is conditioned on, among other things, the consummation of the Life Technologies Acquisition. The agreements call for interest at either a LIBOR-based rate or a rate based on the prime lending rate of the agent bank, at the company's option. The agreements contain affirmative, negative and financial covenants, and events of default customary for financings of this type. The financial covenants require the company to maintain a Consolidated Leverage Ratio of debt to EBITDA (as defined in the agreements) below 5.5 to 1.0 during the first six months after the borrowing date and decreasing, based on the passage of time, to 3.5 to 1.0, beginning 18 months after the borrowing date. The company must also maintain a minimum interest coverage ratio of 3.0 to 1.0. The company expects to issue long-term debt to replace the bridge facility. Cash Flow Hedge Arrangements During 2013, the company entered into interest rate swap agreements to mitigate the risk of interest rates rising prior to completion of a debt offering. Based on the company's conclusion that a debt offering is probable as a result of debt maturing in 2014 and that such debt would carry semi-annual interest payments over a 10-year term, the swaps hedge the cash flow risk for each of the semi-annual fixed-rate interest payments on $575 million of principal amount of the planned 10-year fixed-rate debt issue. The increase in the fair value of the hedges, $5 million, net of tax, as of September 28, 2013, was classified as an increase to accumulated other comprehensive items within shareholder's equity.

Debt and Other Financing Arrangements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 28, 2013

Debt And Other Financing Arrangements Disclosure [Abstract]

Debt and Other Financing Arrangements [Text Block]

Note 8. Debt and Other Financing Arrangements

Credit Facilities

On July 25, 2013, the company terminated its prior revolving credit agreement and entered into a new revolving credit facility with a bank group that provides for up to $1.5 billion of unsecured multi-currency revolving credit. The facility expires in July 2018. The agreement calls for interest at either a LIBOR-based rate or a rate based on the prime lending rate of the agent bank, at the company's option. The agreement contains affirmative, negative and financial covenants, and events of default customary for financings of this type. The financial covenant requires the company to maintain a Consolidated Leverage Ratio of debt to EBITDA (as defined in the agreement) below 3.5 to 1.0 prior to the closing date of the Life Technologies Acquisition, below 5.5 to 1.0 during the first six months after the closing date of the Life Technologies Acquisition and decreasing, based on the passage of time, to 3.5 to 1.0, after 18 months and an Interest Coverage Ratio of EBITDA (as defined in the agreement) to interest expense below 3.0 to 1.0. The credit agreement permits the company to use the facility for working capital; acquisitions; repurchases of common stock, debentures and other securities; the refinancing of debt; and general corporate purposes. The credit agreement allows for the issuance of letters of credit, which reduces the amount available for borrowing. If the company borrows under this facility, it intends to leave undrawn an amount equivalent to outstanding commercial paper ($50 million at September 28, 2013) to provide a source of funds in the event that commercial paper markets are not available. As of September 28, 2013, no borrowings were outstanding under the facility, although available capacity was reduced by approximately $46 million as a result of outstanding letters of credit.

In connection with the planned acquisition of Life Technologies, the company entered into a bridge credit agreement and a term loan agreement. The bridge credit agreement is a 364-day unsecured committed bridge facility in the principal amount of $3.56 billion as of November 1, 2013. The term loan agreement is a 3-year unsecured $5 billion term loan facility. Borrowing under both agreements is conditioned on, among other things, the consummation of the Life Technologies Acquisition. The agreements call for interest at either a LIBOR-based rate or a rate based on the prime lending rate of the agent bank, at the company's option. The agreements contain affirmative, negative and financial covenants, and events of default customary for financings of this type. The financial covenants require the company to maintain a Consolidated Leverage Ratio of debt to EBITDA (as defined in the agreements) below 5.5 to 1.0 during the first six months after the borrowing date and decreasing, based on the passage of time, to 3.5 to 1.0, beginning 18 months after the borrowing date. The company must also maintain a minimum interest coverage ratio of 3.0 to 1.0. The company expects to issue long-term debt to replace the bridge facility.

Cash Flow Hedge Arrangements

During 2013, the company entered into interest rate swap agreements to mitigate the risk of interest rates rising prior to completion of a debt offering. Based on the company's conclusion that a debt offering is probable as a result of debt maturing in 2014 and that such debt would carry semi-annual interest payments over a 10-year term, the swaps hedge the cash flow risk for each of the semi-annual fixed-rate interest payments on $575 million of principal amount of the planned 10-year fixed-rate debt issue. The increase in the fair value of the hedges, $5 million, net of tax, as of September 28, 2013, was classified as an increase to accumulated other comprehensive items within shareholder's equity.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for information about short-term and long-term debt arrangements, which includes amounts of borrowings under each line of credit, note payable, commercial paper issue, bonds indenture, debenture issue, own-share lending arrangements and any other contractual agreement to repay funds, and about the underlying arrangements, rationale for a classification as long-term, including repayment terms, interest rates, collateral provided, restrictions on use of assets and activities, whether or not in compliance with debt covenants, and other matters important to users of the financial statements, such as the effects of refinancing and noncompliance with debt covenants.

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