Equity (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Equity

Summary of AbbVie stock option activity for both AbbVie and Abbott employees

year ended December 31 (options in thousands, aggregate intrinsic value in millions)	Options			Weighted- average exercise price		Weighted- average remaining life (in years)		Aggregate intrinsic value
Outstanding at beginning of period		28,280		$	28.53		3.3	$	1,044
Granted		1,207			58.83
Exercised		(5,871	)		26.31
Lapsed		(47	)		27.50
Outstanding at end of period		23,569		$	30.64		3.0	$	674
Exercisable at end of period		21,091		$	28.16		2.4	$	656

Summary of AbbVie RSA and RSU activity (including performance-based awards) for both AbbVie and Abbott employees

year ended December 31 (share units in thousands)	Share units			Weighted-average grant date fair value
Outstanding at beginning of period		12,815		$	40.98
Granted		6,052			60.85
Vested		(5,702	)		37.46
Lapsed		(675	)		51.11
Outstanding at end of period		12,490		$	51.66

Summary of changes in balances of each component of accumulated other comprehensive loss

(in millions) (brackets denote losses)	Foreign currency translation adjustments			Pension and post- employment benefits			Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable equity securities			Hedging activities			Total
Balance as of December 31, 2012	$	181		$	(511	)	$	1		$	(21	)	$	(350	)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications		48			519			1			(77	)		491
Net losses reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss		—			79			—			—			79
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)		48			598			1			(77	)		570
Separation-related adjustments		241			(914	)		—			11			(662	)
Balance as of December 31, 2013		470			(827	)		2			(87	)		(442	)
Other comprehensive (loss) income before reclassifications		(1,073	)		(827	)		1			187			(1,712	)
Net losses reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss		—			46			—			77			123
Net current-period other comprehensive (loss) income		(1,073	)		(781	)		1			264			(1,589	)
Balance as of December 31, 2014		(603	)		(1,608	)		3			177			(2,031	)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications		(667	)		147			48			122			(350	)
Net losses (gains) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss		—			83			(4	)		(259	)		(180	)
Net current-period other comprehensive (loss) income		(667	)		230			44			(137	)		(530	)
Balance as of December 31, 2015	$	(1,270	)	$	(1,378	)	$	47		$	40		$	(2,561	)

Schedule of the significant amounts reclassified out of each component of accumulated other comprehensive loss

years ended December 31 (in millions) (brackets denote gains)		2015			2014			2013
Pension and post-employment benefits
Amortization of actuarial losses and other(a)		$	129		$	66		$	114
Less tax benefit			(46	)		(20	)		(35	)
Total reclassifications, net of tax		$	83		$	46		$	79
Hedging activities
(Gains) losses on designated cash flow hedges(b)		$	(265	)	$	79		$	—
Less tax expense (benefit)			6			(2	)		—
Total reclassifications, net of tax		$	(259	)	$	77		$	—
(a)	Amounts are included in the computation of net periodic benefit cost (see Note 11).
(b)	Amounts are included in cost of products sold (see Note 10).