Get Started for Free Contexxia identifies hard-to-find pieces of information in SEC filings. No more highlighters, no more redlining, no more poring over huge documents. AbbVie Inc. (1551152) 10-Q published on May 03, 2019 at 10:28 am
Reporting Period: Mar 30, 2019
In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The standard outlines a comprehensive lease accounting model that supersedes the previous lease guidance and requires lessees to recognize lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use assets for all leases with lease terms greater than 12 months. The guidance also changes the definition of a lease and expands the disclosure requirements of lease arrangements. AbbVie adopted the standard in the first quarter of 2019 using the modified retrospective method. Results for reporting periods beginning after December 31, 2018 have been presented in accordance with the standard, while results for prior periods have not been adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with AbbVie's historical accounting. The cumulative effect of initially applying the new leases standard was recognized as an adjustment to the opening condensed consolidated balance sheet as of January 1, 2019.
The company elected a package of practical expedients for leases that commenced prior to January 1, 2019 and did not reassess historical conclusions on: (i) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases; (ii) lease classification for any expired or existing leases; and (iii) initial direct costs capitalization for any existing leases.
AbbVie's lease portfolio primarily consists of real estate properties, vehicles and equipment. Short-term leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet. For leases commencing or modified in 2019 or later, AbbVie does not separate lease components from non-lease components.
The company records lease liabilities based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. AbbVie generally uses an incremental borrowing rate to discount its lease liabilities, as the rate implicit in the lease is typically not readily determinable. Certain lease agreements include renewal options that are under the company's control. AbbVie includes optional renewal periods in the lease term only when it is reasonably certain that AbbVie will exercise its option.
Product liability cases were filed in which plaintiffs generally allege that AbbVie and other manufacturers of TRTs did not adequately warn about risks of certain injuries, primarily heart attacks, strokes and blood clots. Approximately 3,900 claims against AbbVie are consolidated for pre-trial purposes in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois under the MDL Rules as In re: Testosterone Replacement Therapy Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2545. Approximately 200 claims against AbbVie are pending in various state courts. Plaintiffs generally seek compensatory and punitive damages. In November 2018, AbbVie entered into a Master Settlement Agreement with the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the MDL encompassing existing claims in all courts. All proceedings in pending cases are effectively stayed during the settlement administration process.
Other (income) expense, net included a $169 million charge related to changes in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to a benefit of $148 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The fair value of contingent consideration liabilities is impacted by the passage of time and multiple other inputs, including the probability of success of achieving regulatory/commercial milestones, discount rates, the estimated amount of future sales of the acquired products still in development and other market-based factors. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, the change in fair value represented the effect of lower interest rates and the passage of time. For the three months ended March 31, 2018, the change in fair value represented the effect of rising interest rates partially offset by the passage of time. AbbVie expects the fair value of its contingent consideration liabilities to increase in the second quarter of 2019 as a result of the April 2019 regulatory approvals of SKYRIZI for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The company is in the process of evaluating the impact of the regulatory approvals on the fair value, which includes an increase in the probabilities of success assumptions.
The effective tax rate was 3% for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 1% for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The effective tax rate in each period differed from the U.S. statutory tax rate of 21% principally due to the benefit from foreign operations which reflects the impact of lower income tax rates in locations outside the United States, tax incentives in Puerto Rico and other foreign tax jurisdictions and business development activities. The increase in the effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2019 over the prior year was principally due to the beneficial impact of the timing of provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act) related to earnings from certain foreign subsidiaries in prior year. Additionally, the 2019 effective tax rate reflected the favorable resolution of various tax positions and lower excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation compared to the prior year.