Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 27, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

We prepared the condensed consolidated financial statements following the requirements of the SEC for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules, certain footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by U.S. GAAP can be condensed or omitted.

The financial information included in our condensed consolidated financial statements for subsidiaries operating outside the U.S. is as of and for the three and nine months ended August 23, 2020 and August 25, 2019. The financial information included in our condensed consolidated financial statements for U.S. subsidiaries is as of and for the three and nine months ended September 27, 2020 and September 29, 2019.

Revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities can vary during each quarter of the year. Therefore, the results and trends in these interim financial statements may not be representative of those for the full year.

We are responsible for the unaudited financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The interim financial statements include all normal and recurring adjustments that are considered necessary for the fair statement of results for the interim periods presented. The information included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in our 2019 Financial Report.

At the beginning of our 2019 fiscal year, we began to manage our commercial operations through a new global structure consisting of three business segments––Biopharma, Upjohn and through July 31, 2019, Consumer Healthcare. Biopharma and Upjohn are the only reportable segments. See Note 14.

Beginning in 2020, Upjohn began managing our Meridian subsidiary, the manufacturer of EpiPen and other auto-injector products, and a pre-existing strategic collaboration between Pfizer and Mylan for generic drugs in Japan (Mylan-Japan). As a result, revenues and expenses associated with Meridian and Mylan-Japan are reported in our Upjohn business beginning in the first quarter of 2020. In 2019, revenues and expenses from Meridian and Mylan-Japan were recorded in our Biopharma business. We performed certain reclassifications between the Biopharma and Upjohn segments to conform 2019 segment revenues and expenses associated with Meridian and Mylan-Japan to the current presentation. There was no impact to our consolidated financial statements. See Note 14.

Acquisitions and other business development activities completed in 2019 and in the first nine months of 2020, including the contribution of our Consumer Healthcare business to the GSK Consumer Healthcare joint venture, impacted financial results in the periods presented. See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 1A. Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies: Basis of Presentation in our 2019 Financial Report, and Note 2.

Certain amounts in the condensed consolidated financial statements and associated notes may not add due to rounding. All percentages have been calculated using unrounded amounts.

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Adoption of New Accounting Standards in 2020

On January 1, 2020, we adopted four new accounting standards.

Credit Losses on Financial Instruments––We adopted a new accounting standard for credit losses on financial instruments, which replaces the probable initial recognition threshold for incurred loss estimates under prior guidance with a methodology that reflects expected credit loss estimates. The standard generally impacts financial assets that have a contractual right to receive cash and are not accounted for at fair value through net income, such as accounts receivable and held-to-maturity debt securities. The new guidance requires us to identify, analyze, document and support new methodologies for quantifying expected credit loss estimates for certain financial instruments, using information such as historical experience, current economic conditions and information, and the use of reasonable and supportable forecasted information. The standard also amends existing impairment guidance for available-for-sale debt securities to incorporate a credit loss allowance and allows for reversals of credit impairments in the event the issuer’s credit improves.

We adopted the new accounting standard utilizing the modified retrospective method and, therefore, no adjustments were made to amounts in our prior period financial statements. The cumulative effect of adopting the standard as an adjustment to the

opening balance of Retained earnings was not material. The impact of adoption did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated statements of income for the three and nine months ended September 27, 2020 or condensed consolidated statement of cash flows for the nine months ended September 27, 2020, nor on our condensed consolidated balance sheet as of September 27, 2020. See Note 1C.

Goodwill Impairment Testing––We prospectively adopted the new standard, which eliminates the requirement to perform a hypothetical purchase price allocation to measure goodwill impairment. Under the new guidance, the goodwill impairment test is performed by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, and recognizing an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value. There was no impact to our condensed consolidated financial statements from the adoption of this new standard.

Implementation Costs in a Cloud Computing Arrangement––We prospectively adopted the new standard related to customers’ accounting for implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is considered a service contract. The new guidance aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

Collaboration Agreements––We prospectively adopted the new standard, which provides new guidance clarifying the interaction between the accounting for collaborative arrangements and revenue from contracts with customers. There was no impact to our condensed consolidated financial statements from the adoption of this new standard.

Revenues and Trade Accounts Receivable

Revenues and Trade Accounts Receivable

Deductions from Revenues––Our accruals for Medicare rebates, Medicaid and related state program rebates, performance-based contract rebates, chargebacks, sales allowances and sales returns and cash discounts are as follows:

(MILLIONS OF DOLLARS)	September 27, 2020		December 31, 2019
Reserve against Trade accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	$	1,126	$	1,257
Other current liabilities:
Accrued rebates	3,270		3,285
Other accruals	573		581
Other noncurrent liabilities	622		565
Total accrued rebates and other accruals	$	5,591	$	5,689

Trade Accounts Receivable––Trade accounts receivable are stated at their net realizable value. The allowance for credit losses against gross trade accounts receivable reflects the best estimate of expected credit losses of the receivables portfolio determined on the basis of historical experience, current information, and forecasts of future economic conditions. In developing the estimate for expected credit losses, trade accounts receivables are segmented into pools of assets depending on market (U.S. versus international), delinquency status, and customer type (high risk versus low risk and government versus non-government), and fixed reserve percentages are established for each pool of trade accounts receivables.

In determining the reserve percentages for each pool of trade accounts receivables, we considered our historical experience with certain customers and customer types, regulatory and legal environments, country and political risk, and other relevant current and future forecasted macroeconomic factors. These credit risk indicators are monitored on a quarterly basis to determine whether there have been any changes in the economic environment that would indicate the established reserve percentages should be adjusted, and are considered on a regional basis to reflect more geographic-specific metrics. Additionally, write-offs and recoveries of customer receivables are tracked against collections on a quarterly basis to determine whether the reserve percentages remain appropriate. When management becomes aware of certain customer-specific factors that impact credit risk, specific allowances for these known troubled accounts are recorded. Trade accounts receivable are written off after all reasonable means to collect the full amount (including litigation, where appropriate) have been exhausted.