Abbott's revenues are derived primarily from the sale of a broad line of health care products under short-term receivable arrangements. Patent protection and licenses, technological and performance features, and inclusion of Abbott's products under a contract or by a pharmacy benefit manager most impact which products are sold; price controls, competition and rebates most impact the net selling prices of products; and foreign currency translation impacts the measurement of net sales and costs. Abbott's primary products are nutritional products, prescription pharmaceuticals, diagnostic testing products and vascular products.

In October 2011, Abbott announced a plan to separate into two publicly traded companies, one in diversified medical products and the other in research-based pharmaceuticals. To accomplish the separation, Abbott created a new company, AbbVie Inc. ("AbbVie") for its research-based pharmaceuticals business which consists primarily of Abbott's Proprietary Pharmaceutical Products segment. On January 1, 2013, Abbott distributed all of the outstanding shares of AbbVie to Abbott's shareholders. As a result of the distribution, AbbVie is now an independent company trading under the symbol "ABBV". Beginning in the first quarter of 2013, the historical results of the research-based pharmaceuticals business will be reflected in Abbott's consolidated financial statements as discontinued operations.

Prior to the separation of AbbVie, sales in international markets were approximately 60 percent of consolidated net sales. Post-separation, sales outside the U.S. are expected to comprise approximately 70 percent of net sales.

Continued robust growth of HUMIRA in a broad range of indications, the acquisitions of Solvay's pharmaceuticals business (Solvay Pharmaceuticals) and Piramal Healthcare Limited's Healthcare Solutions business, sales growth and margin improvement in the nutritional and diagnostics businesses, a government investigation of Abbott's sales and marketing activities related to Depakote, and the challenging economic and fiscal environment in many countries around the world have impacted Abbott's sales, costs and financial position over the last three years.

Pharmaceutical research and development was focused over the last three years on therapeutic areas that included immunology, oncology, neuroscience, pain management, hepatitis C (HCV), chronic kidney disease and women's health. In addition, Abbott acquired the rights to various in-process pharmaceutical research and development projects including the development of second-generation oral antioxidant inflammation modulators and an oral, next-generation JAK1 inhibitor with the potential to treat multiple autoimmune diseases.

In 2003, Abbott began the worldwide launch of HUMIRA for rheumatoid arthritis, followed by launches for six additional indications in the U.S. and eight additional indications in the European Union. HUMIRA's worldwide sales increased to $9.3 billion in 2012 compared to $7.9 billion in 2011, and $6.5 billion in 2010. Generic competition for TriCor began in the fourth quarter of 2012. Austerity measures implemented by several European countries reduced healthcare spending and affected pharmaceutical pricing over the last three years. The U.S. proprietary pharmaceuticals business was negatively affected by the 2010 U.S. health care reform legislation which resulted in rebate changes beginning in 2010 and the payment of an annual fee beginning in 2011.

In February 2010, Abbott acquired Solvay Pharmaceuticals which provided Abbott with a large and complementary portfolio of pharmaceutical products and expanded Abbott's presence in key global emerging markets. The acquisition added approximately $3.1 billion to Abbott's 2010 net sales, primarily outside the U.S. In September 2010, Abbott completed the acquisition of Piramal's Healthcare Solutions business, propelling Abbott to market leadership in the Indian pharmaceutical market and further

In May 2012, Abbott reached resolution of all Depakote-related federal claims, Medicaid-related claims with 49 states and the District of Columbia, and consumer protection claims with 45 states and the District of Columbia. Abbott recorded charges related to this matter of $1.5 billion in 2011 and $100 million in 2012, of which approximately $1.6 billion was paid in 2012.

In Abbott's worldwide nutritional products business, sales were positively impacted by demographics such as an aging population and an increasing rate of chronic disease in developed markets and the rise of a middle class in many emerging markets, as well as by numerous new product introductions that leveraged Abbott's strong brands. At the same time, manufacturing and distribution process changes and other cost reductions drove margin improvements across the business.

In Abbott's worldwide diagnostics business, margin improvement continued to be a key focus and operating margins increased from 14.7 percent of sales in 2010 to 18.7 percent in 2012.

Over the last three years, Abbott continued to build its Xience drug-eluting stent franchise with the receipt of approval to market Xience Xpedition in various countries, including U.S. approval in the fourth quarter of 2012 as well as the launches of Xience nano and Xience PRIME in the U.S. in 2011, and Xience PRIME and Xience V in Japan in April 2012 and January 2010, respectively. Xience, which includes Xience V, PRIME, nano and Xpedition, ended 2012 as the market-leading drug eluting stent globally. In 2011, the third party distributor of the Promus product began transitioning away from the product and that supply agreement ended in 2012. The effect of the winding down of the agreement will continue into the first quarter of 2013.

In 2010, the U.S. government passed health care reform legislation which included an increase in Medicaid rebate rates and the extension of the rebate to drugs provided through Medicaid managed care organizations beginning in 2010. The legislation also imposed annual fees which pharmaceutical manufacturers began paying in 2011 and medical device companies will begin paying in 2013, as well as additional rebates related to the Medicare Part D "donut hole" beginning in 2011. In addition to a 2010 one-time charge of approximately $60 million to reduce deferred tax assets associated with retiree health care liabilities related to the Medicare Part D retiree drug subsidy, the legislation's negative impact on Abbott's performance grew from more than $200 million in 2010 to approximately $400 million per year in 2011 and 2012. The $400 million annual impact included approximately $100 million for the annual pharmaceutical manufacturer fee. This fee is not tax-deductible and is included in selling, general and administrative expenses. With the separation of AbbVie at the beginning of 2013, Abbott no longer sells pharmaceutical products in the U.S. and therefore is no longer subject to the annual pharmaceutical fee or the additional rebates. Beginning in 2013, Abbott will begin paying the 2.3 percent medical device tax under U.S. health care reform legislation. This tax will be included in selling, general and administrative expenses and the amount of the tax is not expected to be material.

In the fourth quarter of 2012, Abbott extinguished $7.7 billion of long-term debt and incurred a charge of $1.35 billion related to the early repayment, net of gains from the unwinding of interest rate swaps related to the debt. Abbott's short- and long-term debt totaled $20.5 billion at December 31, 2012. This balance includes $1 billion of short-borrowings and $14.7 billion of long-term debt that was issued by AbbVie Inc. in 2012. After the separation of AbbVie on January 1, 2013, Abbott has no remaining obligations related to this $15.7 billion of debt. At December 31, 2012, Abbott's long-term debt rating was A+ by Standard and Poor's Corporation and A1 by Moody's Investors Service. Operating cash flows in excess of capital expenditures and cash dividends have partially funded acquisitions over the last three years.

Critical Accounting Policies

Sales Rebates - In 2012, approximately 56 percent of Abbott's consolidated gross revenues were subject to various forms of rebates and allowances that Abbott recorded as reductions of revenues at the time of sale. Most of these rebates and allowances are in the Proprietary Pharmaceutical Products segment and the Nutritional Products segment. Abbott provides rebates to pharmacy benefit management companies, state agencies that administer the federal Medicaid program, insurance companies that administer Medicare drug plans, state agencies that administer the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), wholesalers, group purchasing organizations, and other government agencies and private entities. Rebate amounts are usually based upon the volume of purchases using contractual or statutory prices for a product. Factors used in the rebate calculations include the identification of which products have been sold subject to a rebate, which customer or government agency price terms apply, and the estimated lag time between sale and payment of a rebate. Using historical trends, adjusted for current changes, Abbott estimates the amount of the rebate that will be paid, and records the liability as a reduction of gross sales when Abbott records its sale of the product. Settlement of the rebate generally occurs from two to eight months after sale. Abbott regularly analyzes the historical rebate trends and makes adjustments to reserves for changes in trends and terms of rebate programs. Rebates and chargebacks charged against gross sales in 2012, 2011 and 2010 amounted to approximately $6.2 billion, $5.5 billion and $4.9 billion, respectively, or 22.9 percent, 22.2 percent and 23.1 percent, respectively, based on gross sales of approximately $26.9 billion, $24.8 billion and $21.1 billion, respectively, subject to rebate. A one-percentage point increase in the percentage of rebates to related gross sales would decrease net sales by approximately $269 million in 2012. Abbott considers a one-percentage point increase to be a reasonably likely increase in the percentage of rebates to related gross sales. Other allowances charged against gross sales were approximately $542 million, $409 million and $415 million for cash discounts in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and $365 million, $490 million and $537 million for returns in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Cash discounts are known within 15 to 30 days of sale, and therefore can be reliably estimated. Returns can be reliably estimated because Abbott's historical returns are low, and because sales returns terms and other sales terms have remained relatively unchanged for several periods.

Management analyzes the adequacy of ending rebate accrual balances each quarter. In the domestic nutritional business, management uses both internal and external data available to estimate the level of inventory in the distribution channel. Management has access to several large customers' inventory management data, and for other customers, utilizes data from a third party that measures time on the retail shelf. These sources allow management to make reliable estimates of inventory in the distribution channel. Except for a transition period before or after a change in the supplier for the WIC business in a state, inventory in the distribution channel does not vary substantially. Management also estimates the states' processing lag time based on claims data. In addition, internal processing time is a factor in

In the domestic proprietary pharmaceutical business, the most significant charges against gross sales are for Medicaid and Medicare Rebates, Pharmacy Benefit Manager Rebates and Wholesaler Chargebacks. In order to evaluate the adequacy of the ending accrual balances, management uses both internal and external data to estimate the level of inventory in the distribution channel and the rebate claims processing lag time. External data sources used to estimate the inventory in the distribution channel include inventory levels periodically reported by wholesalers and third party market data purchased by Abbott. Management estimates the processing lag time based on periodic sampling of claims data. To estimate the price rebate percentage, systems and calculations are used to track sales by product by customer and to estimate the contractual or statutory price. Abbott's systems and calculations have developed over time as rebates have become more significant, and Abbott believes they are reliable.

The following table is an analysis of the four largest rebate accruals, which comprise approximately 70 percent of the consolidated rebate provisions charged against revenues in 2012. Remaining rebate provisions charged against gross sales are not significant in the determination of operating earnings.
(dollars in millions)

                                       Domestic Proprietary Pharmaceutical Products
                   Domestic      Medicaid and
                 Nutritionals      Medicare       Pharmacy Benefit          Wholesaler
                 WIC Rebates       Rebates         Manager Rebates         Chargebacks
 Balance at
 January 1,
 2010             $        153      $     352        $          239       $            160
 Provisions                616            899                   841                  1,162
 Payments                 (640 )         (617 )                (670 )               (1,163 )

 Balance at
 December 31,
 2010                      129            634                   410                    159
 Provisions                575            985                   831                  1,361
 Payments                 (568 )         (899 )                (735 )               (1,349 )

 Balance at
 December 31,
 2011                      136            720                   506                    171
 Provisions                657          1,077                   830                  1,645
 Payments                 (670 )         (990 )                (840 )               (1,592 )

 Balance at
 December 31,
 2012             $        123      $     807        $          496       $            224

Historically, adjustments to prior years' rebate accruals have not been material to net income. Abbott employs various techniques to verify the accuracy of claims submitted to it, and where possible, works with the organizations submitting claims to gain insight into changes that might affect the rebate amounts. For Medicaid, Medicare and other government agency programs, the calculation of a rebate involves interpretations of relevant regulations, which are subject to challenge or change in interpretation.

Income Taxes - Abbott operates in numerous countries where its income tax returns are subject to audits and adjustments. Because Abbott operates globally, the nature of the audit items are often very complex, and the objectives of the government auditors can result in a tax on the same income in more than one country. Abbott employs internal and external tax professionals to minimize audit adjustment amounts where possible. In accordance with the accounting rules relating to the measurement of tax contingencies, in order to recognize an uncertain tax benefit, the taxpayer must be more likely than not of sustaining the position, and the measurement of the benefit is calculated as the largest amount that is more

Pension and Post-Employment Benefits - Abbott offers pension benefits and post-employment health care to many of its employees. Abbott engages outside actuaries to assist in the determination of the obligations and costs under these programs. Abbott must develop long-term assumptions, the most significant of which are the health care cost trend rates, discount rates and the expected return on plan assets. The discount rates used to measure liabilities were determined based on high-quality fixed income securities that match the duration of the expected retiree benefits. The health care cost trend rates represent Abbott's expected annual rates of change in the cost of health care benefits and is a forward projection of health care costs as of the measurement date. A difference between the assumed rates and the actual rates, which will not be known for decades, can be significant in relation to the obligations and the annual cost recorded for these programs. Low asset returns due to poor market conditions and low interest rates have significantly increased actuarial losses for these plans. At December 31, 2012, pretax net actuarial losses and prior service costs and (credits) recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income
(loss) for Abbott's defined benefit plans and medical and dental plans were losses of $4.8 billion and $379 million, respectively. Actuarial losses and gains are amortized over the remaining service attribution periods of the employees under the corridor method, in accordance with the rules for accounting for post-employment benefits. Differences between the expected long-term return on plan assets and the actual annual return are amortized over a five-year period. Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements describes the impact of a one-percentage point change in the health care cost trend rate; however, there can be no certainty that a change would be limited to only one percentage point.

Valuation of Intangible Assets - Abbott has acquired and continues to acquire significant intangible assets that Abbott records at fair value. Transactions involving the purchase or sale of intangible assets occur with some frequency between companies in the health care field and valuations are usually based on a discounted cash flow analysis. The discounted cash flow model requires assumptions about the timing and amount of future net cash flows, risk, the cost of capital, terminal values and market participants. Each of these factors can significantly affect the value of the intangible asset. Abbott engages independent valuation experts who review Abbott's critical assumptions and calculations for acquisitions of significant intangibles. Abbott reviews definite-lived intangible assets for impairment each quarter using an undiscounted net cash flows approach. If the undiscounted cash flows of an intangible asset are less than the carrying value of an intangible asset, the intangible asset is written down to its fair value, which is usually the discounted cash flow amount. Where cash flows cannot be identified for an individual asset, the review is applied at the lowest group level for which cash flows are identifiable. Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, which relate to in-process research and development acquired in a business combination, are reviewed for impairment annually or when an event that could result in an impairment occurs. At December 31, 2012, goodwill and intangibles amounted to $15.8 billion and $8.6 billion, respectively, and amortization expense for intangible assets amounted to $1.4 billion in 2012. There were no impairments of goodwill in 2012, 2011 or 2010. In 2012 and 2011, Abbott recorded impairment charges of $82 million and $174 million, respectively, for certain research and development assets due to changes in the projected development and regulatory timelines for the projects.

Litigation - Abbott accounts for litigation losses in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 450, "Contingencies." Under ASC No. 450, loss contingency provisions are recorded for probable losses at management's best estimate of a loss, or when a best estimate cannot be made, a minimum loss contingency amount is recorded. These estimates are often initially developed substantially earlier than the ultimate loss is known, and the estimates are refined each accounting period as additional information becomes known. Accordingly, Abbott is often initially unable to develop a best estimate of loss, and therefore the minimum amount, which could be zero, is recorded. As information becomes

Sales

    The following table details the components of sales growth by reportable
segment for the last three years:


                                              Total           Components of Change %
                                             % Change      Price      Volume     Exchange
Total Net Sales
2012 vs. 2011                                      2.6         1.7        3.8         (2.9 )
2011 vs. 2010                                     10.5         1.2        6.5          2.8
2010 vs. 2009                                     14.3        (0.1 )     13.2          1.2
Total U.S.
2012 vs. 2011                                      4.8         5.6       (0.8 )          -
2011 vs. 2010                                      5.4         4.4        1.0            -
2010 vs. 2009                                      6.8         0.7        6.1            -
Total International
2012 vs. 2011                                      1.1        (1.0 )      7.1         (5.0 )
2011 vs. 2010                                     14.3        (1.2 )     10.6          4.9
2010 vs. 2009                                     20.7        (0.8 )     19.3          2.2
Proprietary Pharmaceutical Products
Segment
2012 vs. 2011                                      5.5         4.5        3.7         (2.7 )
2011 vs. 2010                                     11.0         3.5        5.2          2.3
2010 vs. 2009                                     13.6         0.3       12.7          0.6
Established Pharmaceutical Products
Segment
2012 vs. 2011                                     (4.4 )      (1.3 )      3.4         (6.5 )
2011 vs. 2010                                     20.0        (1.7 )     17.4          4.3
2010 vs. 2009                                     51.7        (0.3 )     49.1          2.9
Nutritional Products Segment
2012 vs. 2011                                      7.7         4.5        4.2         (1.0 )
2011 vs. 2010                                      8.6         3.0        3.6          2.0
2010 vs. 2009                                      4.7         1.7        1.2          1.8
Diagnostic Products Segment
2012 vs. 2011                                      4.0        (1.4 )      8.7         (3.3 )
2011 vs. 2010                                      8.8        (1.1 )      6.5          3.4
2010 vs. 2009                                      6.0         0.1        4.3          1.6
Vascular Products Segment
2012 vs. 2011                                     (7.9 )      (5.2 )     (0.4 )       (2.3 )
2011 vs. 2010                                      4.4        (4.3 )      5.5          3.2
2010 vs. 2009                                     18.6        (4.7 )     22.3          1.0

Total Net Sales in 2012 reflect unit growth, partially offset by the impact of unfavorable foreign exchange. The decrease in 2012 Vascular Products sales is partially due to the winding down of royalty and supply agreements related to certain third-party products, including Promus. Excluding this royalty and supply agreement revenue in both periods and the unfavorable effect of exchange, Vascular Products sales

A comparison of significant product and product group sales is as follows. Percent changes are versus the prior year and are based on unrounded numbers.

                                            Percent               Percent               Percent
                                  2012      Change      2011      Change      2010      Change
                                                     (dollars in millions)
. . .