8-KEarnings & ResultsExhibits & Filings

ABBOTT LABORATORIES 8-K Report, Financial Results (Oct 20, 2010)

Filed October 20, 2010For Securities:ABT

Summary

This 8-K filing by Abbott Laboratories, filed on October 20, 2010, primarily announces the company's third-quarter 2010 financial results. The report highlights the company's use of non-GAAP financial measures, such as net earnings and diluted earnings per share excluding specified items. Abbott's management believes these adjusted figures offer investors a clearer view of ongoing business performance by excluding unusual or unpredictable factors like acquisition costs, currency fluctuations, and litigation settlements. Investors should note that while these non-GAAP measures are presented to provide additional insight into operational performance, they should be considered alongside, and not as a replacement for, financial measures prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The filing primarily serves to furnish the press release containing these detailed results, with Exhibit 99.1 containing the full press release.

Key Highlights

  • 1Abbott Laboratories reported its third-quarter 2010 financial results on October 20, 2010.
  • 2The company utilized non-GAAP financial measures, including net earnings and diluted EPS excluding specified items.
  • 3These non-GAAP measures are intended to provide a better evaluation of ongoing business performance by excluding unusual or unpredictable factors.
  • 4Examples of excluded items include acquisition-related costs, currency devaluations, litigation settlements, and product recall costs.
  • 5Abbott's management uses these non-GAAP measures internally for performance monitoring.
  • 6Investors are cautioned to consider these non-GAAP measures in addition to, and not as a substitute for, GAAP financial measures.
  • 7Exhibit 99.1, a press release dated October 20, 2010, contains the detailed financial results and is furnished as part of this filing.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main purpose of this 8-K filing is to announce and provide the financial results for Abbott Laboratories' third quarter of 2010. It includes a press release detailing these results.

Non-GAAP financial measures, such as net earnings and diluted earnings per share excluding specified items, are financial metrics that are adjusted to exclude certain unusual or unpredictable items. Abbott uses them to offer investors a clearer perspective on the company's ongoing operational performance by removing the impact of factors like acquisition costs, currency fluctuations, and litigation.

Abbott's management advises investors to consider these non-GAAP financial measures as supplementary information. They should be analyzed in conjunction with, and not as a replacement for, the company's financial results prepared according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

The detailed financial results are provided in the press release dated October 20, 2010, which is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this 8-K filing and incorporated by reference.