REVENUE RECOGNITION

The Company’s revenues are primarily generated from product sales that consist of: (i) branded pharmaceuticals, (ii) generic and branded generic pharmaceuticals, (iii) OTC products and (iv) medical devices (contact lenses, intraocular lenses, ophthalmic surgical equipment and aesthetics devices). Other revenues include alliance and service revenue from the licensing and co-promotion of products and contract service revenue primarily in the areas of dermatology and topical medication. Contract service revenue is derived primarily from contract manufacturing for third parties and is not material. See Note 19, "SEGMENT INFORMATION" for the disaggregation of revenue which depicts how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are affected by the economic factors of each category of customer contracts.

Product Sales

The Company recognizes revenue when the customer obtains control of promised goods or services and in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve this core principle, the Company applies the five-step revenue model to contracts within its scope: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer, (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determine the transaction price, (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.

A contract with the Company’s customers exists for each product sale. Where a contract with a customer contains more than one performance obligation, the Company allocates the transaction price to each distinct performance obligation based on its relative standalone selling price. The transaction price is adjusted for variable consideration which is discussed further below. The Company generally recognizes revenue for product sales at a point in time, when the customer obtains control of the products.

Product Sales Provisions

As is customary in the pharmaceutical industry, gross product sales are subject to a variety of deductions in arriving at reported net product sales. The transaction price for product sales is typically adjusted for variable consideration, which may be in the form of cash discounts, allowances, returns, rebates, chargebacks and distribution fees paid to customers. Provisions for variable consideration are established to reflect the Company’s best estimates of the amount of consideration to which it is entitled based on the terms of the contract. The amount of variable consideration included in the transaction price may be constrained, and is included in the net sales price only to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of the cumulative revenue recognized will not occur in the future period.

Provisions for these deductions are recorded concurrently with the recognition of gross product sales revenue and include cash discounts and allowances, chargebacks, and distribution fees, which are paid to direct customers, as well as rebates and returns, which can be paid to direct and indirect customers. Returns provision balances and volume discounts to direct customers are included in Accrued and other current liabilities. All other provisions related to direct customers are included in Trade receivables, net, while provision balances related to indirect customers are included in Accrued and other current liabilities.

The following table presents the activity and ending balances of the Company’s variable consideration provisions for the nine months ended September 30, 2018.



	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018
(in millions)	Discounts and Allowances			Returns			Rebates			Chargebacks			Distribution Fees			Total
Reserve balance, January 1, 2018	$	167		$	863		$	1,094		$	274		$	148		$	2,546
Current period provision	643			209			1,976			1,462			178			4,468
Payments and credits	(632		)	(264		)	(1,939		)	(1,512		)	(167		)	(4,514		)
Reserve balance, September 30, 2018	$	178		$	808		$	1,131		$	224		$	159		$	2,500

Included in Rebates in the table above are cooperative advertising credits due to customers of approximately $29 million as of September 30, 2018, which are reflected as a reduction of Trade accounts receivable, net in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Company continually monitors its variable consideration provisions and evaluates the estimates used as additional information becomes available. Adjustments will be made to these provisions periodically to reflect new facts and circumstances that may indicate that historical experience may not be indicative of current and/or future results. The Company is required to make subjective judgments based primarily on its evaluation of current market conditions and trade inventory levels related to the Company's products. This evaluation may result in an increase or decrease in the experience rate that is applied to current and future sales, or an adjustment related to past sales, or both. If the actual amounts paid vary from the Company’s estimates, the Company adjusts these estimates, which would affect net product revenue and earnings in the period such variance becomes known. The Company applies this method consistently for contracts with similar characteristics. The following describes the major sources of variable consideration in the Company’s customer arrangements and the methodology, estimates and judgments applied to estimate each type of variable consideration.

Cash Discounts and Allowances

Cash discounts are offered for prompt payment and allowances for volume purchases. Provisions for cash discounts are estimated at the time of sale and recorded as direct reductions to trade receivables and revenue. Management estimates the provisions for cash discounts and allowances based on contractual sales terms with customers, an analysis of unpaid invoices and historical payment experience. Estimated cash discounts and allowances have historically been predictable and less subjective, due to the limited number of assumptions involved, the consistency of historical experience and the fact that these amounts are generally settled within one month of incurring the liability.

Returns

Consistent with industry practice, customers are generally allowed to return product within a specified period of time before and after its expiration date, excluding European businesses which generally do not carry a right of return. The returns provision is estimated utilizing historical sales and return rates over the period during which customers have a right of return, taking into account available information on competitive products and contract changes. The information utilized to estimate the returns provision includes: (i) historical return and exchange levels, (ii) external data with respect to inventory levels in the wholesale distribution channel, (iii) external data with respect to prescription demand for products, (iv) remaining shelf lives of products at the date of sale and (v) estimated returns liability to be processed by year of sale based on an analysis of lot information related to actual historical returns.

In determining the estimate for returns, management is required to make certain assumptions regarding the timing of the introduction of new products and the potential of these products to capture market share. In addition, certain assumptions with respect to the extent and pattern of decline associated with generic competition are necessary. These assumptions are formulated using market data for similar products, past experience and other available information. These assumptions are continually reassessed, and changes to the estimates and assumptions are made as new information becomes available. A change of 1% in the estimated return rates would have impacted the Company’s pre-tax earnings by approximately $68 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018.

The estimate for returns may be impacted by a number of factors, but the principal factor relates to the inventory levels in the distribution channel. When management becomes aware of an increase in such inventory levels, it considers whether the increase may be temporary or other-than-temporary. Temporary increases in wholesaler inventory levels will not differ from original estimates of provision for returns. Other-than-temporary increases in wholesaler inventory levels, however, may be an indication that future product returns could be higher than originally anticipated, and, as a result, estimates for returns may need to be adjusted. Factors that suggest increases in wholesaler inventory levels are temporary include: (i) recently implemented or announced price increases for certain products, (ii) new product launches or expanded indications for existing products and (iii) timing of purchases by wholesale customers. Conversely, factors that suggest increases in wholesaler inventory levels are other-than-temporary include: (i) declining sales trends based on prescription demand, (ii) introduction of new products or generic competition, (iii) increasing price competition from generic competitors and (iv) recent changes to the U.S. National Drug Codes (“NDC”) of products. Changes in the NDC of products could result in a period of higher returns related to products with the old NDC, as U.S. customers generally permit only one NDC per product for identification and tracking within their inventory systems.

Rebates and Chargebacks

Product sales made under governmental and managed-care pricing programs in the U.S. are subject to rebates. The Company participates in state government-managed Medicaid programs, as well as certain other qualifying federal and state government programs whereby rebates are provided to participating government entities. Medicaid rebates are generally billed 45 days after the quarter, but can be billed up to 270 days after the quarter in which the product is dispensed to the Medicaid participant. As a result, the Medicaid rebate reserve includes an estimate of outstanding claims for end-customer sales that occurred, but for which the related claim has not been billed and/or paid, and an estimate for future claims that will be made when inventory in the distribution channel is sold through to plan participants. The calculation of the Medicaid rebate reserve also requires other estimates, such as estimates of sales mix, to determine which sales are subject to rebates and the amount of such rebates. A change of 1% in the volume of product sold through to Medicaid plan participants would have impacted the Company’s pre-tax earnings by approximately $68 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. Quarterly, the Medicaid rebate reserve is adjusted based on actual claims paid. Due to the delay in billing, adjustments to actual claims paid may incorporate revisions of that reserve for several periods.

Managed Care rebates relate to contractual agreements to sell products to managed care organizations and pharmacy benefit managers at contractual rebate percentages in exchange for volume and/or market share.

Chargebacks relate to contractual agreements to sell products to government agencies, group purchasing organizations and other indirect customers at contractual prices that are lower than the list prices the Company charges wholesalers. When these group purchasing organizations or other indirect customers purchase products through wholesalers at these reduced prices, the wholesaler charges the Company for the difference between the prices they paid the Company and the prices at which they sold the products to the indirect customers.

In estimating provisions for rebates and chargebacks, management considers relevant statutes with respect to governmental pricing programs and contractual sales terms with managed-care providers and group purchasing organizations. Management estimates the amount of product sales subject to these programs based on historical utilization levels. Changes in the level of utilization of products through private or public benefit plans and group purchasing organizations will affect the amount of rebates and chargebacks that the Company is obligated to pay. Management continually updates these factors based on new contractual or statutory requirements, and any significant changes in sales trends that may impact the percentage of products subject to rebates or chargebacks.

The amount of Managed Care, Medicaid and other rebates and chargebacks has become more significant as a result of a combination of deeper discounts due to the price increases implemented in each of the last three years, changes in the Company’s product portfolio due to recent acquisitions and increased Medicaid utilization due to expansion of government funding for these programs. Management’s estimate for rebates and chargebacks may be impacted by a number of factors, but the principal factor relates to the level of inventory in the distribution channel.

Rebate provisions are based on factors such as timing and terms of plans under contract, time to process rebates, product pricing, sales volumes, amount of inventory in the distribution channel and prescription trends. Adjustments to actual for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 were not material to the Company’s revenues or earnings.

Patient Co-Pay Assistance programs, Consumer Rebates and Loyalty Programs are rebates offered on many of the Company’s products. Patient Co-Pay Assistance Programs are patient discount programs offered in the form of coupon cards or point of sale discounts, with which patients receive certain discounts off their prescription at participating pharmacies, as defined by the specific product program. An accrual for these programs is established, equal to management’s estimate of the discount, rebate and loyalty incentives attributable to a sale. That estimate is based on historical experience and other relevant factors. The accrual is adjusted throughout each quarter based on actual experience and changes in other factors, if any.

Distribution Fees

The Company sells product primarily to wholesalers, and in some instances to large pharmacy chains such as CVS and Wal-Mart. The Company has Distribution Services Agreements ("DSAs") with several large wholesale customers such as McKesson Corporation, AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc. and McKesson Specialty. Under the DSAs, the wholesalers agree to provide services, and the Company pays the contracted DSA distribution service fees for these services based on product volumes. Additionally, price appreciation credits are generated when the Company increases a product’s wholesaler acquisition cost (“WAC”) under contracts with certain wholesalers. Under such contracts, the Company is entitled to credits from such wholesalers for the impact of that WAC increase on inventory currently on hand at the wholesalers. Such credits are offset against the total distribution service fees paid to each such wholesaler. The variable consideration associated with price appreciation credits is reflected in the transaction price of products sold when it is determined to be probable that a significant reversal will not occur. Net revenue from price appreciation credits for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was $15 million and is a reduction of distribution fees in the variable consideration provisions table above.

Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities

There are no contract assets for any period presented. Contract liabilities consist of deferred revenue, the balance of which is not material to any period presented.

Sales Commissions

The Company expenses sales commissions when incurred because the amortization period would have been less than one year. Sales commissions are included in selling, general and administrative expenses.

Financing Component

The Company has elected not to adjust consideration for the effects of a significant financing component when the period between the transfer of a promised good or service to the customer and when the customer pays for that good or service will be one year or less. The Company's global payment terms are generally between thirty to ninety days.