BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

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, 2016 (2016 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.

New Accounting Standards

New accounting standards

Recently issued accounting standards not yet adopted

In March 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2017-07, Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost, which amends ASC 715, Compensation – Retirement Benefits, to require employers that present a measure of operating income in their statements of earnings to include only the service cost component of net periodic postretirement benefit cost in operating expenses. The service cost component of net periodic postretirement benefit cost should be presented in the same operating expense line items as other employee compensation costs arising from services rendered during the period. The other components of net benefit cost, including interest costs, expected return on assets, amortization of prior service cost/credit, and settlement and curtailment effects, are to be included separately and outside of any subtotal of operating income. The Company intends to adopt the standard effective January 1, 2018.  This guidance will impact the presentation of the Company’s consolidated statements of income with no impact on net income.  The Company’s current presentation of service cost components is consistent with the requirements of the new standard.  Upon adoption of the new standard, the other components will be presented within other expense (income), net on the consolidated statements of income.  Upon adoption of the standard on January 1, 2018, operating income for the three months ended March 31, 2017 will be recast to increase $9 million with a corresponding increase in other expense (income), net.

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements

As of January 1, 2017, the company adopted on a prospective basis 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 payments to be recorded in income tax expense in the consolidated statement of income. Previous guidance required 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 be 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 the cash flows resulting from windfall tax benefits to be reported as operating activities in the consolidated statement of cash flows, rather than the previous requirement to present windfall tax benefits as an inflow from financing activities and an outflow from operating activities. As a result of the adoption, net income and operating cash flow for the first quarter of 2017 increased by approximately $17 million.  The prior period has not been restated and therefore, windfall tax benefits of $15 million were not included in net income and were included as an inflow from financing activities and an outflow from operating activities in the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows.