8-KEarnings & ResultsExhibits & Filings

ABBOTT LABORATORIES 8-K Report, Financial Results (Jan 23, 2013)

Filed January 23, 2013For Securities:ABT

Summary

Abbott Laboratories (ABT) filed an 8-K on January 23, 2013, to report its fourth quarter and full-year 2012 financial results. The report primarily furnished a press release detailing these results, which included both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. Investors should note that Abbott utilizes non-GAAP measures such as net earnings and diluted earnings per share excluding specified items to provide what management believes is a clearer view of ongoing business performance.

Key Highlights

  • 1Abbott Laboratories announced its Q4 and full-year 2012 financial results on January 23, 2013.
  • 2The 8-K filing mainly served to furnish the press release detailing these results.
  • 3The company provided both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures in its results announcement.
  • 4Non-GAAP measures like 'net earnings excluding specified items' and 'diluted earnings per share excluding specified items' were used.
  • 5These non-GAAP adjustments account for unusual or unpredictable factors such as acquisition costs, asset impairments, restructuring, and separation costs.
  • 6Abbott's management believes these non-GAAP measures offer useful insights into ongoing business performance.
  • 7Investors are advised to consider these non-GAAP measures in conjunction with, not as a substitute for, GAAP financial measures.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main purpose of this 8-K filing is to report and furnish the press release containing Abbott Laboratories' financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year of 2012, which were announced on January 23, 2013.

Abbott reported both Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) measures and non-GAAP financial measures. The non-GAAP measures provided adjustments for various items to better reflect ongoing business performance.

Abbott's management uses non-GAAP financial measures to provide investors with additional information that they believe helps in evaluating ongoing business performance by excluding items that may be unusual or unpredictable, such as acquisition-related costs, restructuring expenses, and separation costs.

The specified items excluded from non-GAAP earnings include, but are not limited to, acquisition-related costs, asset impairments, losses on extinguishment of debt, costs related to the separation of its research-based pharmaceuticals business, litigation reserves, restructuring and integration costs, and cost reduction initiatives.