BASIS OF PRESENTATION	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
BASIS OF PRESENTATION	1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements of Baxter International Inc. and its subsidiaries (the company or Baxter) have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the United States have been condensed or omitted. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 (2015 Annual Report). In the opinion of management, the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the interim periods. All such adjustments, unless otherwise noted herein, are of a normal, recurring nature. The results of operations for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for the full year. Certain reclassifications have been made to conform the prior period condensed consolidated statements to the current period presentation. Separation of Baxalta Incorporated On July 1, 2015, Baxter completed the distribution of approximately 80.5% of the outstanding common stock of Baxalta Incorporated (Baxalta) to Baxter shareholders (the Distribution). The Distribution was made to Baxter’s shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 17, 2015 (Record Date), who received one share of Baxalta common stock for each Baxter common share held as of the Record Date. As a result of the Distribution, Baxalta became an independent public company trading under the symbol “BXLT” on the New York Stock Exchange. As a result of the separation, the condensed consolidated statements of income, condensed consolidated balance sheets, condensed consolidated statements of cash flow and related financial information reflect Baxalta’s operations, assets and liabilities, and cash flows as discontinued operations for all periods presented. Refer to Note 2 for additional information regarding the separation of Baxalta. New accounting standards Recently issued accounting standards not yet adopted In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which amends ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation. The updated guidance requires all tax effects related to share-based payment to be recorded in income tax expense in the consolidated statement of income. Current guidance requires that tax effects of deductions in excess of share-based compensation costs (windfall tax benefits) be recorded in additional paid-in capital, and tax deficiencies recorded in additional paid-in capital to the extent of previously recognized windfall tax benefits, with the remainder recorded in income tax expense. The new guidance also requires all tax-related cash flows resulting from share-based payments to be reported as operating activities in the consolidated statement of cash flows, rather than the current requirement to present windfall tax benefits as an inflow from financing activities and an outflow from operating activities. The guidance is effective for the company beginning January 1, 2017. The company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). Under the new guidance, lessees are required to recognize lease assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for leases classified as operating leases under current GAAP. This ASU is effective for the company beginning January 1, 2019. The company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which amends the existing accounting standards for revenue recognition. ASU No. 2014-09 is based on principles that govern the recognition of revenue at an amount an entity expects to be entitled when products are transferred to customers. ASU No. 2014-09 will be effective for the company beginning on January 1, 2018. The standard may be applied retrospectively to each prior period presented or retrospectively with the cumulative effect recognized as of the date of adoption. The company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting the standard on its consolidated financial statements. Recently adopted accounting pronouncements As of January 1, 2016, the company adopted ASU No. 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which amended ASC 835-30, Interest - Imputation of Interest. This guidance requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability. As a result of the adoption, the company reclassified debt issuance costs of $13 million from other assets to long-term debt in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015. The adoption of this guidance did not impact the company’s consolidated statements of earnings, comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity, or cash flows. As of January 1, 2016, the company adopted ASU No. 2015-05, Intangibles–Goodwill and Other–Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40), Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement. This guidance requires software licenses within cloud computing arrangements to be classified as intangible assets. The adoption of ASU No. 2015-05 did not have a material impact on Baxter’s financial position or results of operations.

1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

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

In the opinion of management, the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the interim periods. All such adjustments, unless otherwise noted herein, are of a normal, recurring nature. The results of operations for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for the full year.

Certain reclassifications have been made to conform the prior period condensed consolidated statements to the current period presentation.

Separation of Baxalta Incorporated

On July 1, 2015, Baxter completed the distribution of approximately 80.5% of the outstanding common stock of Baxalta Incorporated (Baxalta) to Baxter shareholders (the Distribution). The Distribution was made to Baxter’s shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 17, 2015 (Record Date), who received one share of Baxalta common stock for each Baxter common share held as of the Record Date. As a result of the Distribution, Baxalta became an independent public company trading under the symbol “BXLT” on the New York Stock Exchange.

As a result of the separation, the condensed consolidated statements of income, condensed consolidated balance sheets, condensed consolidated statements of cash flow and related financial information reflect Baxalta’s operations, assets and liabilities, and cash flows as discontinued operations for all periods presented. Refer to Note 2 for additional information regarding the separation of Baxalta.

New accounting standards

Recently issued accounting standards not yet adopted

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which amends ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation. The updated guidance requires all tax effects related to share-based payment to be recorded in income tax expense in the consolidated statement of income. Current guidance requires that tax effects of deductions in excess of share-based compensation costs (windfall tax benefits) be recorded in additional paid-in capital, and tax deficiencies recorded in additional paid-in capital to the extent of previously recognized windfall tax benefits, with the remainder recorded in income tax expense. The new guidance also requires all tax-related cash flows resulting from share-based payments to be reported as operating activities in the consolidated statement of cash flows, rather than the current requirement to present windfall tax benefits as an inflow from financing activities and an outflow from operating activities. The guidance is effective for the company beginning January 1, 2017. The company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). Under the new guidance, lessees are required to recognize lease assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for leases classified as operating leases under current GAAP. This ASU is effective for the company beginning January 1, 2019. The company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which amends the existing accounting standards for revenue recognition. ASU No. 2014-09 is based on principles that govern the recognition of revenue at an amount an entity expects to be entitled when products are transferred to customers. ASU No. 2014-09 will be effective for the company beginning on January 1, 2018. The standard may be applied retrospectively to each prior period presented or retrospectively with the cumulative effect recognized as of the date of adoption. The company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting the standard on its consolidated financial statements.

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements

As of January 1, 2016, the company adopted ASU No. 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which amended ASC 835-30, Interest - Imputation of Interest. This guidance requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability. As a result of the adoption, the company reclassified debt issuance costs of $13 million from other assets to long-term debt in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015. The adoption of this guidance did not impact the company’s consolidated statements of earnings, comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity, or cash flows.

As of January 1, 2016, the company adopted ASU No. 2015-05, Intangibles–Goodwill and Other–Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40), Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement. This guidance requires software licenses within cloud computing arrangements to be classified as intangible assets. The adoption of ASU No. 2015-05 did not have a material impact on Baxter’s financial position or results of operations.