Overview of Results of Operations and Liquidity

Sales in 2018 were $24.36 billion , an increase of $3.44 billion from 2017 . Sales increased $1.53 billion due to acquisitions. The favorable effects of currency translation resulted in an increase in revenues of $173 million in 2018 . Aside from the effects of acquisitions and currency translation, revenues increased $1.74 billion ( 8% ) primarily due to increased demand. Sales to customers in each of the company's primary end markets grew. Sales growth was strong in each of the company's primary geographic areas, particularly Asia.

In 2018 , total company operating income and operating income margin were $3.78 billion and 15.5% , respectively, compared with $2.96 billion and 14.2% , respectively, in 2017 . The increase in operating income was primarily due to profit on higher sales and, to a lesser extent, the effects of acquisitions and productivity improvements, net of inflationary cost increases, offset in part by an increase in strategic growth investments, unfavorable sales mix and amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, due to recent acquisitions. The company’s references to strategic growth investments generally refer to targeted spending for enhancing commercial capabilities, including expansion of geographic sales reach and e-commerce platforms, marketing initiatives, expanded service and operational infrastructure, focused research projects and other expenditures to enhance the customer experience. The company’s references throughout this discussion to productivity improvements generally refer to improved cost efficiencies from its Practical Process Improvement (PPI) business system, reduced costs resulting from global sourcing initiatives, a lower cost structure following restructuring actions, including headcount reductions and consolidation of facilities, and low cost region manufacturing.

The company recorded a provision for income taxes in 2018 including a net provision of $68 million to adjust the estimated initial effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the Tax Act) recorded in 2017, consisting of an incremental provision of $117 million offset in part by a $49 million reduction of related unrecognized tax benefits established in 2017. These adjustments were required based on new U.S. Treasury guidance and further analysis of available tax accounting methods and elections, legislative updates, regulations, earnings and profit computations and foreign taxes. In 2018, the provision for income taxes also included a $71 million charge to establish a valuation allowance against net operating losses that will not be utilized as a result of the planned sale of the Anatomical Pathology business (Note 2).

The company recorded a provision for income taxes in 2017 principally due to a net provision of $204 million from the effects of the Tax Act consisting primarily of a one-time transition tax on deemed repatriated earnings and profits of foreign subsidiaries, net of a benefit from adjusting the deferred tax balances for the U.S. statutory tax rate reduction. In 2017, the company refinanced certain long term inter-company debt which resulted in an income tax benefit of $237 million related to a foreign exchange loss recognized for income tax purposes. In addition, in 2017 the company recorded a $65 million favorable adjustment to deferred tax balances due to extension of a tax holiday agreement in Singapore. The company continued to implement tax planning initiatives related to non-U.S. subsidiaries in 2017. These non-U.S. subsidiaries incurred foreign tax obligations, and made cash and deemed distributions to the company’s U.S. operations which resulted in no net tax cost. As a result of these distributions, the company benefitted from U.S. foreign tax credits of $86 million, offset in part by additional U.S. income taxes of $53 million on the related foreign income (which reduced the benefit from the foreign rate differential in 2017) for a net benefit of $33 million. The foreign tax credits are the result of foreign earnings and profits remitted or deemed remitted to the U.S. during the reporting year and the U.S. treatment of taxes paid in the foreign jurisdictions in the years those profits were originally earned. The company also implemented foreign tax credit planning in Sweden which resulted in $20 million of foreign tax credits, with no related incremental U.S. income tax expense. ,

The effective tax rate in both 2018 and 2017 was also affected by relatively significant earnings in lower tax jurisdictions. Due primarily to the non-deductibility of intangible asset amortization for tax purposes, the company’s cash payments for

income taxes were higher than its income tax expense for financial reporting purposes and totaled $591 million and $479 million in 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The company expects its effective tax rate in 2019 will be between 7% and 10% based on currently forecasted rates of profitability in the countries in which the company conducts business and expected generation of foreign tax credits. The effective tax rate can vary significantly from period to period as a result of discrete income tax factors and events.

Income from continuing operations increased to $2.94 billion in 2018 , from $2.23 billion in 2017 principally due to increase in operating income in 2018 (discussed above).

During 2018 , the company’s cash flow from operations totaled $4.54 billion compared with $4.01 billion for 2017 . The increase primarily resulted from higher income before amortization and depreciation in the 2018 period, offset in part by higher investment in working capital to support sales growth.

As of December 31, 2018 , the company’s short-term debt totaled $1.27 billion , including $693 million of commercial paper obligations and $573 million of senior notes due within the next twelve months. The company has a revolving credit facility with a bank group that provides up to $2.50 billion of unsecured multi-currency revolving credit. If the company borrows under this facility, it intends to leave undrawn an amount equivalent to outstanding commercial paper to provide a source of funds in the event that commercial paper markets are not available. As of December 31, 2018 , no borrowings were outstanding under the company’s revolving credit facility, although available capacity was reduced by approximately $82 million as a result of outstanding letters of credit.

The company expects to fund the acquisition of Gatan Inc. with a combination of existing cash balances and short-term borrowings. The company believes that its existing cash and cash equivalents of $2.10 billion as of December 31, 2018 and its future cash flow from operations together with available borrowing capacity under its revolving credit agreement will be sufficient to meet the cash requirements of its existing businesses for the foreseeable future, including at least the next 24 months.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The company’s discussion and analysis of its financial condition and results of operations is based upon its financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses and related disclosure of contingent liabilities. On an on-going basis, management evaluates its estimates, including those related to intangible assets and goodwill, income taxes, contingencies and litigation, and pension costs. Management believes the most complex and sensitive judgments, because of their significance to the consolidated financial statements, result primarily from the need to make estimates about the effects of matters that are inherently uncertain. Management bases its estimates on historical experience, current market and economic conditions and other assumptions that management believes are reasonable. The results of these estimates form the basis for judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities where the values are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

The company believes the following represent its critical accounting policies and estimates used in the preparation of its financial statements:

The company uses assumptions and estimates in determining the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination. The determination of the fair value of intangible assets, which represent a significant portion of the purchase price in many of the company’s acquisitions, requires the use of significant judgment with regard to (i) the fair value; and (ii) whether such intangibles are amortizable or non-amortizable and, if the former, the period and the method by which the intangible asset will be amortized. The company estimates the fair value of acquisition-related intangible assets principally based on projections of cash flows that will arise from identifiable intangible assets of acquired businesses. The projected cash flows are discounted to determine the present value of the assets at the dates of acquisition. Definite-lived intangible assets totaled $13.71 billion at December 31, 2018 . The company reviews definite-lived intangible assets for impairment when indication of potential impairment exists, such as a significant reduction in cash flows associated with the assets. Actual cash flows arising from a particular intangible asset could vary from projected cash flows which could imply different carrying values from those established at the dates of acquisition and which could result in impairment of such asset.

The company evaluates goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment annually and when events occur or circumstances change that would more-likely-than-not reduce the fair value of the asset below its carrying amount. Events or circumstances that might require an interim evaluation include unexpected adverse business conditions, economic factors, unanticipated technological changes or competitive activities, loss of key personnel and acts by governments and courts. Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets totaled $25.35 billion and $1.27 billion , respectively, at December 31, 2018 . Estimates of discounted future cash flows require assumptions related to revenue and operating income growth, discount rates and other factors. For the goodwill impairment tests, the company considers peer revenues and earnings trading multiples from companies that have operational and financial characteristics that are similar to the respective reporting units and estimated weighted average costs of capital. Different assumptions from those made in the company’s analysis could materially affect projected cash flows and the company’s evaluation of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment.

For reporting units where the company performed the quantitative goodwill impairment test, indications of fair value based on projections of profitability for 2019 and thereafter and on peer revenues and earnings trading multiples were sufficient to conclude that no impairment of goodwill or indefinite-lived intangible assets existed at the end of the tenth fiscal month of 2018 , the date of the company’s impairment testing. There can be no assurance, however, that an economic downturn will not materially adversely affect peer trading multiples and the company’s businesses such that they do not achieve their forecasted profitability and these assets become impaired. Should the fair value of the company’s goodwill or indefinite-lived intangible assets decline because of reduced operating performance, market declines, or other indicators of impairment, or as a result of changes in the discount rate, charges for impairment may be necessary.

With the completion of the Patheon acquisition in August 2017, the company established a new reporting unit, called Pharma Services, which solely consists of the legacy Patheon business, the book carrying value of which equaled its fair value as of the acquisition date. During its annual 2018 goodwill impairment assessment, the company determined that the Pharma Services reporting unit's cushion of fair value over book value had increased to 5%. Despite this favorable increase, given that the fair value of the reporting unit was not substantially in excess of its carrying value, relatively small decreases in future cash flows from anticipated results could result in impairment of goodwill. The key variables that drive the valuation of the reporting unit are revenue and operating income growth rate assumptions, peer revenue and earnings trading multiples, as well as the weighted average cost of capital rate applied. The estimates used for these assumptions represent management's best estimates, which the company believes are reasonable. These assumptions, however are subject to variability and uncertainty, including the degree to which the reporting unit will grow revenue and profitability levels. The Pharma Services reporting unit had $3.37 billion of goodwill, and an overall carrying value of $7.70 billion as of December 31, 2018.

In the ordinary course of business there is inherent uncertainty in quantifying the company’s income tax positions. The company assesses income tax positions and records tax benefits for all years subject to examination based upon management’s evaluation of the facts, circumstances and information available at the reporting date. For those tax positions where it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will be sustained, the company has recorded the largest amount of tax benefit with a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information. For those income tax positions where it is not more likely than not that a tax benefit will be sustained, no tax benefit has been recognized in the financial statements. Should tax return positions that the company expects are sustainable not be sustained upon audit, the company could be required to record an incremental tax provision for such taxes. The company’s liability for these unrecognized tax benefits totaled $1.44 billion at December 31, 2018 .

The company operates in numerous countries under many legal forms and, as a result, is subject to the jurisdiction of numerous domestic and non-U.S. tax authorities, as well as to tax agreements and treaties among these governments. Determination of taxable income in any jurisdiction requires the interpretation of the related tax laws and regulations and the use of estimates and assumptions regarding significant future events, such as the amount, timing and character of deductions, permissible revenue recognition methods under the tax law and the sources and character of income and tax credits. Changes in tax laws, regulations, agreements and treaties, currency exchange restrictions or the company’s level of operations or profitability in each taxing jurisdiction could have an impact upon the amount of current and deferred tax balances and hence the company’s net income.

The company estimates the degree to which tax assets and loss carryforwards will result in a benefit, after consideration of all positive and negative evidence, and provides a valuation allowance for tax assets and loss carryforwards that it believes will more likely than not go unused. In situations in which the company has been able to conclude that its deferred tax assets will be realized, it has generally relied on future reversals of taxable temporary differences, expected future taxable income where such estimates have historically been reliable, and other factors. If it becomes more likely than not that a tax asset or loss carryforward will be used, the company reverses the related valuation allowance. Any such reversals are recorded as a reduction of the company’s tax provision. The company’s tax valuation allowance totaled $471 million at December 31, 2018 . Should the company’s actual future taxable income by tax jurisdiction vary from estimates, additional allowances or reversals thereof may be necessary.

The company has not provided state income or foreign withholding taxes on certain of its non-U.S. subsidiaries’ undistributed earnings, as such amounts are intended to be reinvested outside the United States indefinitely in the respective jurisdictions based on specific business plans and tax strategies. These business plans and tax strategies consider: short-term and long-term forecasts and budgets of the U.S. parent and non-U.S. subsidiaries; working capital and other needs in locations where earnings are generated; the company’s past practices regarding non-U.S. subsidiary dividends; sources of financing by the U.S. parent, such as issuing debt or equity; and uses of cash by the U.S. parent that are more discretionary in nature, such as business combinations and share repurchase programs. However, should the company change its business plans and tax strategies in the future and decide to repatriate a portion of these earnings to one of its U.S. subsidiaries, including cash maintained by these non-U.S. subsidiaries, the company would recognize additional tax liabilities. It is not practicable to estimate the amount of additional state and foreign withholding tax liabilities that the company would incur. The company’s intent is to only make distributions from non-U.S. subsidiaries in the future when they can be made at no net tax costs.  

The company records accruals for various contingencies, including legal proceedings, environmental, workers’ compensation, product, general and auto liabilities, and other claims that arise in the normal course of business. The accruals are based on management’s judgment, historical claims experience, the probability of losses and, where applicable, the consideration of opinions of internal and or external legal counsel and actuarial estimates. Accruals of acquired businesses, including product liability and environmental accruals, were initially recorded at fair value and discounted to their net present value. Additionally, the company records receivables from third-party insurers when recovery has been determined to be probable.

Several of the company’s U.S. and non-U.S. subsidiaries sponsor defined benefit pension and other retiree benefit plans. The cost and obligations of these arrangements are calculated using many assumptions to estimate the benefits that the employee earns while working, the amount of which cannot be completely determined until the benefit payments cease. Major assumptions used in the accounting for these employee benefit plans include the discount rate, expected return on plan assets and rate of increase in employee compensation levels. Assumptions are determined based on company data and appropriate market indicators in consultation with third-party actuaries, and are evaluated each year as of the plans’ measurement date. Net periodic pension costs for the company’s pension and other postretirement benefit plans totaled $22 million in 2018 . The company’s unfunded benefit obligation totaled $391 million at year-end 2018 compared with $486 million at year-end 2017 . Should any of these assumptions change, they would have an effect on net periodic pension costs and the unfunded benefit obligation. For example, a 10% decrease in the discount rate would result in an annual increase in pension and other postretirement benefit expense of approximately $2 million and an increase in the benefit obligation of approximately $93 million .