Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (the company or Thermo Fisher) enables customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer by helping them accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics, deliver medicines to market and increase laboratory productivity. Markets served include pharmaceutical and biotech, academic and government, industrial and applied, as well as healthcare and diagnostics.

The accompanying financial statements include the accounts of the company and its wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The company accounts for investments in businesses using the equity method when it has the ability to exercise significant influence but not control (generally between 20% and 50% ownership) and is not the primary beneficiary.

Prior to 2018, the company recognized revenue after all significant obligations had been met, collectability was probable and title had passed, which typically occurred upon shipment, delivery, completion of services, or ratably over the contract period. Beginning in 2018, the company recognizes revenue as performance obligations are satisfied by transferring control of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. See Recent Accounting Pronouncements below for a discussion of the change in revenue recognition accounting that became effective in 2018.

Consumables revenues consist of single-use products and are recognized at a point in time following the transfer of control of such products to the customer, which generally occurs upon shipment. Instruments revenues typically consist of longer-lived assets that, for the substantial majority of sales, are recognized at a point in time in a manner similar to consumables. Service revenues (clinical trial logistics, pharmaceutical development and manufacturing services, asset management, diagnostic testing, training, service contracts, and field services including related time and materials) are recognized over time as customers receive and consume the benefits of such services. For revenues recognized over time, the company generally uses costs accumulated relative to total estimated costs to measure progress as this method approximates satisfaction of the performance obligation. For contracts that contain multiple performance obligations, the company allocates the consideration to which it expects to be entitled to each performance obligation based on relative standalone selling prices and recognizes the related revenue when or as control of each individual performance obligation is transferred to customers. The company exercises judgment in determining the timing of revenue by analyzing the point in time or the period over which the customer has the ability to direct the use of and obtain substantially all of the remaining benefits of the asset. The company immediately expenses contract costs that would otherwise be capitalized and amortized over a period of less than one year.

Payments from customers for most instruments, consumables and services are typically due in a fixed number of days after shipment or delivery of the product. Service arrangements commonly call for payments in advance of performing the work (e.g. extended service contracts), upon completion of the service (e.g. pharmaceutical development and manufacturing) or a mix of both.

Accounts receivable include amounts that have been billed and are currently due from customers. They are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The company maintains allowances for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of its customers to pay amounts due. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the company’s best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in existing accounts receivable. The company determines the allowance based on the age of the receivable, the creditworthiness of the customer and any other information that is relevant to the judgment. Account balances are charged off against the allowance when the company believes it is probable the receivable will not be recovered. The company does not have any off-balance-sheet credit exposure related to customers.

Contract assets include revenues recognized in advance of billings and are recorded net of estimated losses resulting from the inability to invoice customers. Contract assets are classified as current or noncurrent based on the amount of time expected to lapse until the company's right to consideration becomes unconditional. Noncurrent contract assets are included within other assets in the accompanying balance sheet.

Contract liabilities include billings in excess of revenues recognized, such as those resulting from customer advances and deposits and unearned revenue on service contracts. Contract liabilities are classified as current or noncurrent based on the periods over which remaining performance obligations are expected to be transferred to customers. Noncurrent contract liabilities are included within other long-term liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet. Contract assets and liabilities are presented on a net basis in the consolidated balance sheet if they arise from different performance obligations in the same contract. Contract asset and liability balances are as follows:

Substantially all of the current contract liabilities balance at December 31, 2018 and January 1 2018, was recognized in revenue during 2019 and 2018, respectively. Contract assets increased in 2019 primarily due to growth in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing services. Contract liabilities increased during 2019 primarily due to an advance payment from a customer and an acquisition.

The company provides for the estimated cost of standard product warranties, primarily from historical information, in cost of product revenues at the time product revenue is recognized. While the company engages in extensive product quality programs and processes, including actively monitoring and evaluating the quality of its component supplies, the company’s warranty obligation is affected by product failure rates, utilization levels, material usage, service delivery costs incurred in correcting a product failure and supplier warranties on parts delivered to the company. Should actual product failure rates, utilization levels, material usage, service delivery costs or supplier warranties on parts differ from the company’s estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty liability would be required. The liability for warranties is included in other accrued expenses in the accompanying balance sheet. Extended warranty agreements are considered service contracts, which are discussed above. Costs of service contracts are recognized as incurred. The changes in the carrying amount of standard product warranty obligations are as follows:

The company determines whether an arrangement is, or contains, a lease at inception. Prior to 2019, the company did not account for operating leases on the balance sheet. Beginning in 2019, as discussed below under Recent Accounting Pronouncements, operating leases that have commenced are included in other assets, other accrued expenses and other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. Classification of operating lease liabilities as either current or noncurrent is based on the expected timing of payments due under the company’s obligations.

Right-of-use (ROU) assets represent the company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the consolidated balance sheet. The company recognizes lease expense for these leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Because most of the company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the company estimates incremental borrowing rates based on the information available at the commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The company uses the implicit rate when readily determinable. Lease terms may include the effect of options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the company will exercise that option. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

The company conducts research and development activities to increase its depth of capabilities in technologies, software and services. Research and development costs include employee compensation and benefits, consultants, facilities related costs, material costs, depreciation and travel. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.

Accounting for the timing and amount of termination benefits provided by the company to employees is determined based on whether: (a) the company has a substantive plan to provide such benefits, (b) the company has a written employment contract with the affected employees that includes a provision for such benefits, (c) the termination benefits are due to the occurrence of an event specified in an existing plan or agreement, or (d) the termination benefits are a one-time benefit. In certain circumstances, employee termination benefits may meet more than one of the characteristics listed above and therefore, may have individual elements that are subject to different accounting models.

From time to time when executing a restructuring or exit plan, the company also incurs costs other than termination benefits, such as lease termination costs, that are not associated with or will not be incurred to generate revenues. These include costs that represent amounts under contractual obligations that exist prior to the restructuring plan communication date and will either continue after the restructuring plan is completed with no economic benefit or result in a penalty to cancel a contractual obligation. Such costs are recognized when incurred, which generally occurs at the contract termination or over the period from when a plan to abandon a leased facility is approved through the cease-use date but charges may continue over the remainder of the original contractual period.

Basic earnings per share has been computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the year. Except where the result would be antidilutive to income from continuing operations, diluted earnings per share has been computed using the treasury stock method for outstanding stock options and restricted units (Note 9).

Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value, cost being determined principally by the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method with certain of the company’s businesses utilizing the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method. The company periodically reviews quantities of inventories on hand and compares these amounts to the expected use of each product or product line. In addition, the company has certain inventory that is subject to fluctuating market pricing. The company assesses the carrying value of this inventory based on a lower of cost or net realizable value analysis. The company records a charge to cost of sales for the amount required to reduce the carrying value of inventory to net realizable value. Costs associated with the procurement of inventories, such as inbound freight charges, purchasing and receiving costs, and internal transfer costs, are included in cost of revenues in the accompanying statement of income. The components of inventories are as follows:

The value of inventories maintained using the LIFO method was $268 million and $244 million at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, which was below estimated replacement cost by $39 million and $34 million, respectively. Reductions to cost of revenues as a result of the liquidation of LIFO inventories were nominal during the three years ended December 31, 2019.

Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost. The costs of additions and improvements are capitalized, while maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. The company provides for depreciation and amortization using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the property as follows: buildings and improvements, 25 to 40 years; machinery and equipment (including software), 3 to 10 years; and leasehold improvements, the shorter of the term of the lease or the life of the asset. When assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the assets and related accumulated depreciation are eliminated from the accounts and the resulting gain or loss is reflected in the accompanying statement of income. Property, plant and equipment consists of the following:


	December 31,		December 31,
(In millions)	2019		2018

Land	$	396	$	397
Buildings and Improvements	1,873		1,729
Machinery, Equipment and Leasehold Improvements	5,495		4,694

Property, Plant and Equipment, at Cost	7,764		6,820
Less: Accumulated Depreciation and Amortization	3,015		2,655

Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	$	4,749	$	4,165

Acquisition-related intangible assets include the costs of acquired customer relationships, product technology, tradenames and other specifically identifiable intangible assets, and are being amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives, which range from 2 to 20 years. In addition, the company has tradenames and in-process research and development that have indefinite lives and which are not amortized. The company reviews intangible assets for impairment when indication of potential impairment exists, such as a significant reduction in cash flows associated with the assets. Intangible assets with indefinite lives are reviewed for impairment annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate they may be impaired. Acquisition-related intangible assets are as follows:


	Balance at December 31, 2019										Balance at December 31, 2018
(In millions)	Gross		Accumulated Amortization		Net		Gross		Accumulated Amortization		Net

Definite Lived:
Customer relationships	$	16,906	$	(6,997)	$	9,909	$	17,120	$	(6,833)	$	10,287
Product technology	5,544		(3,121)		2,423		6,036		(3,178)		2,858
Tradenames	1,300		(869)		431		1,495		(929)		566
Other	9		(9)		—		33		(33)		—

	23,759		(10,996)		12,763		24,684		(10,973)		13,711
Indefinite Lived:
Tradenames	1,235		N/A		1,235		1,235		N/A		1,235
In-process research and development	16		N/A		16		32		N/A		32

	1,251		N/A		1,251		1,267		N/A		1,267

Acquisition-related Intangible Assets	$	25,010	$	(10,996)	$	14,014	$	25,951	$	(10,973)	$	14,978

Prior to January 1, 2018, investments for which there are not readily determinable market values were accounted for under the cost method of accounting. The company periodically evaluated the carrying value of its investments accounted for under the cost method of accounting, which provided that they are recorded at the lower of cost or estimated net realizable value. Effective January 1, 2018, equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values are measured at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or similar investments of the same issuer. The company performs qualitative assessments to identify impairments of these investments. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the company had such investments with carrying amounts of $34 million and $36 million, respectively, which are included in other assets.

The company assesses goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level annually and whenever events occur or circumstances change that would more-likely-than-not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. Such events or circumstances generally include the occurrence of operating losses or a significant decline in earnings associated with one or more of the company’s reporting units. The company is permitted to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the goodwill impairment test is necessary. If the qualitative assessment results in a determination that the fair value of a reporting unit is more-likely-than-not less than its carrying amount, the company performs a quantitative goodwill impairment test. The company may bypass the qualitative assessment for the reporting unit in any period and proceed directly to the goodwill impairment test. The company estimates the fair value of its reporting units by using forecasts of discounted future cash flows and peer market multiples. The company would record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying amount over its fair value (limited to the amount of goodwill). The company determined that no impairments existed in 2019, 2018 or 2017.


(In millions)	Life Sciences Solutions		Analytical Instruments		Specialty Diagnostics		Laboratory Products and Services		Total

Balance at December 31, 2017	$	8,391	$	5,027	$	3,856	$	8,016	$	25,290
Acquisitions	161		—		—		—		161
Finalization of purchase price allocations for 2017 acquisitions	—		1		—		20		21

Currency translation	(5)		(77)		(121)		79		(124)
Other	1		(1)		—		(1)		(1)

Balance at December 31, 2018	8,548		4,950		3,735		8,114		25,347
Acquisitions	—		9		—		938		947
Finalization of purchase price allocations for 2018 acquisitions	(2)		—		—		—		(2)
Sale of business	—		—		(478)		—		(478)
Currency translation	(3)		(38)		(72)		11		(102)
Other	1		7		(1)		(5)		2

Balance at December 31, 2019	$	8,544	$	4,928	$	3,184	$	9,058	$	25,714

Accruals are recorded for various contingencies, including legal proceedings, environmental, workers’ compensation, product, general and auto liabilities, self-insurance and other claims that arise in the normal course of business. The accruals are based on management’s judgment, historical claims experience, the probability of losses and, where applicable, the consideration of opinions of internal and/or external legal counsel and actuarial estimates. Additionally, the company records

All assets and liabilities of the company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries are translated at period-end exchange rates. Resulting translation adjustments are reflected in the “accumulated other comprehensive items” component of shareholders’ equity. Revenues and expenses are translated at average exchange rates for the period. Currency transaction gains (losses) are included in the accompanying statement of income and in aggregate were $52 million, $19 million and $(31) million in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The company is exposed to certain risks relating to its ongoing business operations including changes to interest rates and currency exchange rates. The company uses derivative instruments primarily to manage currency exchange and interest rate risks. The company recognizes derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities and measures those instruments at fair value. If a derivative is a hedge, depending on the nature of the hedge, changes in the fair value of the derivative are either offset against the change in fair value of the hedged item through earnings or recognized in other comprehensive items until the hedged item is recognized in earnings. Derivatives that are not designated as hedges are recorded at fair value through earnings.

The company uses short-term forward and option currency exchange contracts primarily to hedge certain balance sheet and operational exposures resulting from changes in currency exchange rates, predominantly intercompany loans and cash balances that are denominated in currencies other than the functional currencies of the respective operations. The currency-exchange contracts principally hedge transactions denominated in Swiss franc, euro, Canadian dollars, Swedish kronor, British pounds sterling, Japanese yen and Czech koruna. The company does not hold or engage in transactions involving derivative instruments for purposes other than risk management.

Cash flow hedges. For derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as a cash flow hedge, the gain or loss on the derivative is reported as a component of other comprehensive items and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings and is presented in the same income statement line item as the earnings effect of the hedged item.

Net investment hedges. The company also uses foreign currency-denominated debt and cross-currency interest rate swaps to partially hedge its net investments in foreign operations against adverse movements in exchange rates. The majority of the company’s euro-denominated senior notes and cross-currency interest rate swaps have been designated as, and are effective as, economic hedges of part of the net investment in a foreign operation. Accordingly, foreign currency transaction gains or losses due to spot rate fluctuations on the euro-denominated debt instruments and contract fair value changes on the cross-currency interest rate swaps, excluding interest accruals, are included in currency translation adjustment within other comprehensive items and shareholders’ equity.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

In January 2020, the FASB issued new guidance to clarify the interaction of the accounting for certain equity securities, equity method investments, and certain forward contracts and purchased options. Among other things, the new guidance clarifies that an entity should consider observable transactions that require it to either apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting for the purposes of applying measurement principles for certain equity securities immediately before applying or discontinuing the equity method. The company expects to adopt this guidance in 2020 using a prospective method. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the company’s consolidated financial statements.

computation in the interim period that includes the enactment date. The company expects to adopt this guidance when it is effective in 2021 using a prospective method. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the company’s consolidated financial statements; however, the impact in future periods will be dependent on the extent of future events or conditions that would be affected such as enacted changes in tax laws or rates.

In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance to modify the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. The company will adopt the guidance in 2020 using a retrospective method. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the company’s disclosures.

In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance to modify the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements. The company will adopt the guidance in 2020 with some items requiring a prospective method and others requiring a retrospective method. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the company’s disclosures.

In February 2018, the FASB issued new guidance to allow reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive items (AOCI) to retained earnings for certain tax effects on items within AOCI resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the Tax Act). The company adopted this guidance in January 2018 and recorded the reclassifications in the period of adoption. The balance sheet impact of adopting this guidance is included in the table below. This guidance only relates to the effects of the Tax Act. For all other tax law changes that have occurred or may occur in the future, the company reclassifies the tax effects to the consolidated statement of income on an item-by-item basis when the pre-tax item in AOCI is reclassified to income.

In December 2017, the SEC staff issued guidance to address the application of accounting guidance in situations when a registrant does not have the necessary information available, prepared, or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Act enacted on December 22, 2017. The company reported provisional amounts in its 2017 financial statements for certain income tax effects of the Tax Act for which a reasonable estimate could be determined. Adjustments to provisional amounts identified during the measurement period, which ended December 22, 2018, are included as adjustments to Provision for Income Taxes in 2018 (Note 8).

In August 2017, the FASB issued new guidance to simplify the application of hedge accounting guidance. Among other things, the new guidance will permit more hedging strategies to qualify for hedge accounting, allow for additional time to perform an initial assessment of a hedge’s effectiveness, and permit a qualitative effectiveness test for certain hedges after initial qualification. The company adopted this guidance in January 2018. The balance sheet impact of adopting this guidance is included in the table below.

In October 2016, the FASB issued new guidance eliminating the deferral of the tax effects of intra-entity asset transfers. The impact of this guidance in future periods will be dependent on the extent of future asset transfers which usually occur in connection with planning around acquisitions and other business structuring activities. The balance sheet impact of adopting this guidance as of January 1, 2018 is included in the table below.

In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance to require a financial asset measured at amortized cost basis, such as accounts receivable, to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. During 2018 and 2019, the FASB issued additional guidance and clarification. The company will adopt the guidance in 2020 using a modified retrospective method. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the company’s consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance which requires lessees to record most leases on their balance sheets as lease liabilities, initially measured at the present value of the future lease payments, with corresponding right-of-use assets. The new guidance also sets forth new disclosure requirements related to leases. During 2017 - 2019, the FASB issued additional guidance and clarification. The company adopted this guidance in January 2019. The company elected to adopt the guidance using a modified retrospective method, by applying the transition approach as of the beginning of the period of adoption. Comparative periods have not been restated. As permitted upon transition, the company did not reassess whether any expired or existing contracts were or contained embedded leases, the lease classification for any expired or existing leases, initial direct costs for any leases, or whether land easements met the definition of a lease if they were not accounted for as leases under the prior guidance. Adoption of the new guidance impacted the company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet as follows:

In January 2016, the FASB issued new guidance which affects the accounting for equity investments, financial liabilities under the fair value option, and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. This guidance requires equity investments to be measured at fair value with subsequent changes recognized in net income, except for those accounted for under the equity method or requiring consolidation. The guidance also changes the accounting for investments without a readily determinable fair value and that do not qualify for the practical expedient permitted by the guidance to estimate fair value. The balance sheet impact of adopting this guidance as of January 1, 2018 is included in the table below.

In May 2014, the FASB issued new revenue recognition guidance which provides a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most previous revenue recognition guidance. The new standard also requires significantly expanded disclosures regarding the qualitative and quantitative information of an entity's nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. During 2016 and 2017, the FASB issued additional guidance and clarification, including the elimination of certain SEC Staff Guidance. The guidance is effective for the company in 2018. The company elected to adopt this guidance through application of the modified retrospective method by applying it to contracts that were not completed as of December 31, 2017 (in addition to new contracts in 2018).


(In millions)	December 31, 2017 as Reported		Impact of Adopting New Revenue Guidance		Impact of Adopting New Equity Investment Guidance		Impact of Adopting New Intra-entity Tax Guidance		Impact of Adopting New Hedge Accounting Guidance		Impact of Adopting New Tax Effects on Items in AOCI Guidance		January 1, 2018 as Adopted

Accounts Receivable, Less Allowances	$	3,879	$	(8)	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	3,871
Inventories	2,971		(252)		—		—		—		—		2,719
Other Current Assets	1,236		229		—		—		—		—		1,465
Other Assets	1,227		18		—		(77)		—		—		1,168
Deferred Revenue	719		(719)		—		—		—		—		—
Contract Liabilities	—		736		—		—		—		—		736
Other Accrued Expenses	1,848		(153)		—		—		—		—		1,695
Deferred Income Taxes	2,766		—		—		(57)		—		2		2,711
Other Long-term Liabilities	2,569		74		—		—		—		—		2,643
Long-term Obligations	18,873		—		—		—		(3)		—		18,870
Retained Earnings	15,914		49		(1)		(20)		3		87		16,032
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Items	(2,003)		—		1		—		—		(89)		(2,091)

Had the company continued to use the revenue recognition guidance in effect prior to 2018, no material changes would have resulted to the consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, or cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2018 from amounts reported therein. However, inventories would have been $357 million higher and other current assets would have been $359 million lower as of December 31, 2018, primarily as a result of differences in the accounting for pharmaceutical development and manufacturing services under the new revenue guidance. Under the prior guidance, costs of these services were recorded in inventory and revenues were recognized generally when the products were delivered to customers. Under the new guidance, costs are expensed and revenues are recognized as the manufacturing service is performed and the company's rights to consideration are recorded as contract assets.