Insiders ranked by realized 90-day signed return on their open-market trades at Abbvie Inc.. Minimum 3 scored trades. Returns are signed - a sale followed by a rally counts against the insider.
Year-over-year tone shift - average net-tone change across Risk Factors and MD&A vs the prior 10-K. This filing is 0.14pp more bullish than last year's.
Why YoY instead of absolute: the LM lexicon has ~6.6× more negative words than positive (legal/risk-disclosure language is heavy on hedging), so every 10-K reads bearish on raw tone. Year-over-year change strips that bias and surfaces the actual shift in management's framing.
Tone shift by section
The two components the gauge averages: how Risk Factors and MD&A each shifted in net tone versus last year's 10-K. The headline above is their average, so a green needle over a soft section just means the other section carried it.
Risk Factors
+0.16pp
Flat
Net-tone change vs last year's 10-K.
MD&A
+0.12pp
Flat
Net-tone change vs last year's 10-K.
Per-snippet highlights
Sentence-level sentiment highlighting with category and subcategory filters is coming once the snippet-scoring pipeline lands. For now, dig into the actual section text on the Sections tab.
Language change vs prior 10-K
Risk Factors (Item 1A) - words with the biggest YoY frequency increase
Negative rising
adversely+4
adverse+2
disrupt+2
challenges+1
litigation+1
Positive rising
benefit+3
favored+1
transparency+1
improve+1
integrity+1
Risk Factors (Item 1A)
9,163 words
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
You should carefully consider the following risks and other information in this Form 10-K in evaluating AbbVie and AbbVie's common stock. Any of the following risks could materially and adversely affect AbbVie's results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. The risk factors generally have been separated into two groups: risks related to AbbVie's business and risks related to AbbVie's common stock. Based on the information currently known to it, AbbVie believes that the following information identifies the most significant risk factors affecting it in each of these categories of risks. However, the risks and uncertainties AbbVie faces are not limited to those set forth in the risk factors described below and may not be in order of importance or probability of occurrence. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to AbbVie or that AbbVie currently believes to be immaterial may also adversely affect its business. In addition, past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods.
If any of the following risks and uncertainties develops into actual events, these events could have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's business, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. In such case, the trading price of AbbVie's common stock could .
Language change vs prior 10-K
MD&A (Item 7) - words with the biggest YoY frequency increase
Negative rising
unfavorable+3
litigation+1
critical+1
inadvisable+1
tolerated+1
Positive rising
innovation+4
exclusivity+2
favorably+2
effective+1
strong+1
MD&A (Item 7)
9,486 words
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following is a discussion and analysis of the financial condition of AbbVie Inc. (AbbVie or the company). This commentary should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes appearing in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data." This section of Form 10-K generally discusses 2025 and 2024 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2025 and 2024. Discussions of 2023 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2024 and 2023 that are not included in this Form 10-K can be found in “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
Company Overview
AbbVie is a global, diversified research-based biopharmaceutical company positioned for success with a comprehensive product portfolio that has leadership positions across immunology, neuroscience, oncology and aesthetics. AbbVie uses its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to develop and market advanced therapies that address some of the world’s most complex and serious diseases.
On February 13, 2025, the board of directors of AbbVie unanimously elected Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Robert A. Michael to Richard A. Gonzalez as Chairman of the board of directors, July 1, 2025, at which time Mr. Gonzalez retired from the board.
The expiration or loss of patent protection and licenses, including the loss of exclusivity for any of our products and increased competition from generics and biosimilars, may adversely affect AbbVie's revenues and operating earnings.
AbbVie relies on patent, trademark and other intellectual property protection in the discovery, development, manufacturing and sale of its products. In particular, patent protection is, in the aggregate, important in AbbVie's marketing of pharmaceutical products in the United States and most major markets outside of the United States. Patents covering AbbVie products normally provide market exclusivity, which is important for the profitability of many of AbbVie's products.
As patents for certain of its products expire, AbbVie could face competition from lower priced generic or biosimilar products. The expiration or loss of patent protection for a product typically is followed promptly by substitutes that may significantly reduce sales for that product in a short amount of time. If AbbVie's competitive position is compromised because of generics, biosimilars or otherwise, it could have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's business and results of operations. In addition, proposals emerge from time to time for legislation to further encourage the early and rapid approval of generic drugs or biosimilars. Any such proposals that are enacted into law could increase the impact of generic or biosimilar competition.
Large pharmaceutical companies and generics manufacturers of pharmaceutical products continue to expand into the biotechnology field and form partnerships to pursue biosimilars. Companies have developed and are developing biosimilars that compete with AbbVie’s biologic products. As competitors obtain marketing approval for biosimilars referencing AbbVie’s biologic products, AbbVie’s products may become subject to competition from such biosimilars, with the attendant competitive pressure and consequences. Expiration of or successfulchallenges to AbbVie’s applicable patent rights could also trigger competition from other products, assuming any relevant exclusivity period has expired. As a result, AbbVie could face increased litigation and administrative proceedings with respect to the validity and/or scope of patents relating to its biologic products.
A significant portion of AbbVie's revenues and operating earnings are derived from two major products. Specifically, Skyrizi and Rinvoq each represented greater than 10% of AbbVie's total net revenues and, in aggregate, these products accounted for approximately 42% of total net revenues in 2025.
AbbVie's principal patents and trademarks are described in greater detail in Item 1, "Business—Intellectual Property Protection and Regulatory Exclusivity" and Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Results of Operations," and litigation regarding these patents is described in Item 3, "Legal Proceedings."
AbbVie's major products could lose patent protection earlier than expected, which could adversely affect AbbVie's revenues and operating earnings.
Third parties or government authorities may challenge or seek to invalidate or circumvent AbbVie's patents and patent applications. For example, manufacturers of generic pharmaceutical products file, and may continue to file, Abbreviated New Drug Applications with the FDA seeking to market generic forms of AbbVie's products prior to the expiration of relevant patents owned or licensed by AbbVie by asserting that the patents are invalid, unenforceable and/or not infringed. In addition, petitioners have filed, and may continue to file, challenges to the validity of AbbVie's patents under the 2011 Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, which created inter partes review and post grant review procedures for challenging patent validity in administrative proceedings at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Although most of the challenges to AbbVie's intellectual property have come from other businesses, governments have and are expected to also challenge intellectual property rights. For example, court decisions and potential legislation relating to patents, such as legislation regarding biosimilars, and other regulatory initiatives may result in further erosion of intellectual property protection. In addition, certain governments outside the United States have indicated that compulsory licenses to patents may be sought to further their domestic policies or on the basis of national emergencies, such as HIV/AIDS. If triggered, compulsory licenses may diminish or eliminate sales and profits from those jurisdictions and negatively affect AbbVie's results of operations.
AbbVie normally responds to challenges by vigorously defending its patents, including by filing patent infringement lawsuits. Patent litigation, administrative proceedings and other challenges to AbbVie's patents are costly and unpredictable and may deprive AbbVie of market exclusivity for a patented product. To the extent AbbVie's intellectual property is successfullychallenged, circumvented or weakened, or to the extent such intellectual property does not allow AbbVie to compete effectively, AbbVie's business will suffer. To the extent that countries do not enforce AbbVie's intellectual property rights or require compulsory licensing of AbbVie's intellectual property, AbbVie's revenues and operating earnings will be reduced.
| 2025 Form 10-K
A third party's intellectual property may prevent AbbVie from selling its products or have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's profitability and financial condition.
Third parties may claim that an AbbVie product infringes upon their intellectual property. In addition, in its pursuit of valid business opportunities, AbbVie may be required to challenge intellectual property rights held by others that it believes were improperly granted. Resolving an intellectual property infringement or other claim can be costly and time consuming and may require AbbVie to enter into license agreements. AbbVie cannot guarantee that it would be able to obtain license agreements on commercially reasonable terms. A successful claim of patent or other intellectual property infringement could subject AbbVie to significant damages or an injunctionpreventing the manufacture, sale, or use of the affected AbbVie product or products. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's profitability and financial condition.
AbbVie's research and development efforts may not succeed in developing products and technologies that can be successfully commercialized, which may cause its revenues and profitability to decline.
To remain competitive, AbbVie must continue to launch new products and new indications and/or brand extensions for existing products. Such launches must generate revenue sufficient both to cover its substantial research and development costs and to replace revenues of profitable products that are lost to or displaced by competing products or therapies. Failure to do so would have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's revenue and profitability. Accordingly, AbbVie commits substantial effort, funds and other resources to research and development and must make ongoing substantial expenditures without any assurance that its efforts will be commercially successful. A high rate of failure in the biopharmaceutical industry is inherent in the research and development of new products, and failure can occur at any point in the research and development process, including after significant resources have been invested. Products that appear promising in development may fail to reach the market for numerous reasons, including, but not limited to, failure to demonstrate effectiveness, safety concerns, superior safety or efficacy of competing therapies, failure to achievepositive clinical or pre-clinical outcomes beyond the current standards of care, inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or delays in the approval of new products and new indications, limited scope of approved uses, excessive costs to manufacture or the failure to obtain or maintain intellectual property rights, or infringement of the intellectual property rights of others.
Decisions about research studies made early in the development process of a pharmaceutical product candidate can affect the marketing strategy once such candidate receives regulatory approval. More detailed studies may demonstrate additional benefits that can help in the marketing, but they also consume time and resources and may delay submitting the pharmaceutical product candidate for regulatory approval. AbbVie cannot guarantee that a proper balance of speed and testing will be made with respect to each pharmaceutical product candidate or that decisions in this area would not adversely affect AbbVie's results of operations.
Even if AbbVie successfully develops and markets new products or enhancements to its existing products, they may be quickly rendered obsolete by changing clinical preferences, changing industry standards, or competitors' innovations. AbbVie's innovations may not be accepted quickly in the marketplace because of existing clinical practices or uncertainty over third-party reimbursement. AbbVie cannot state with certainty when or whether any of its products under development will be launched, whether it will be able to develop, license, or otherwise acquire compounds or products, or whether any products will be commercially successful. Failure to launch successful new products or new indications for existing products may cause AbbVie's products to become obsolete, causing AbbVie's revenues and operating results to suffer.
AbbVie is subject to cost-containment efforts and pricing pressures that could cause a reduction in revenues and operating earnings, and changes in the terms of rebate and chargeback programs, which are common in the pharmaceuticals industry, could have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's operations.
Cost-containment efforts by governments and private organizations are described in greater detail in Item 1, "Business—Regulation—Commercialization, Distribution and Manufacturing." To the extent these cost containment efforts are not offset by greater demand, increased patient access to health care, or other factors, AbbVie's revenues and operating earnings will be reduced. In the United States, European Union member states and other countries, AbbVie's business has experienced downward pressure on product pricing, and this pressure could increase in the future.
AbbVie is subject to increasing public and legislative pressure with respect to pharmaceutical pricing. In the United States, practices of managed care organizations, and institutional and governmental purchasers, as well as federal laws and regulations related to Medicare and Medicaid, contribute to pricing pressures. In particular, the IRA will have the effect of reducing prices and reimbursements for certain of our products, which could significantly impact AbbVie’s results of operations. Under the IRA, HHS can effectively set prices for certain single-source drugs and biologics reimbursed under Medicare Part B and Part D. Generally, these government prices can apply as soon as nine years (for small-molecule drugs) or 13 years (for biological products) from their FDA approval and will be capped at a statutory ceiling price that is likely to represent a significant discount from average prices to wholesalers and direct purchasers. In August 2023, HHS, through CMS,
2025 Form 10-K |
selected Imbruvica as one of 10 medicines subject to government-set prices in Medicare Part D beginning January 1, 2026, and in January 2025, selected Vraylar and Linzess as two of 15 medicines subject to government-set prices in Medicare Part D beginning January 1, 2027. In January 2026, Botox was selected as one of 15 medicines subject to government-set prices in Medicare Parts B and D beginning January 1, 2028. It is possible that more of our products, including products that generate substantial revenues, could be selected in future years, which could, among other things, accelerate revenue erosion prior to expiration of intellectual property protections. In addition, beginning in January 2025, under the IRA, the 70% coverage gap discount program was replaced by a 10% manufacturer discount for all Medicare Part D beneficiaries that have met their deductible and incurred out of pocket drug costs below a $2,000 threshold and a 20% discount for beneficiaries that have incurred out of pocket drug costs above the $2,000 threshold under the new Part D benefit redesign. Manufacturers that fail to comply with the IRA may be subject to various penalties, including civil monetary penalties, which could be significant. The IRA has and will continue to meaningfully impact AbbVie’s business strategies and those of others in the pharmaceutical industry. The full impact of the IRA on AbbVie’s business and the pharmaceutical industry, including the implications to us of our or a competitor's product being selected for price setting, remains uncertain.
In addition to the pricing mechanisms established under the IRA, governments and other payers may pursue or implement additional approaches intended to reduce pharmaceutical costs, including arrangements or frameworks that reference international prices, most-favored-nation (MFN) concepts, or other comparative pricing methodologies. Such approaches may be implemented through legislation, regulation, administrative action, negotiated arrangements, or other means, and their scope, structure, and application may continue to evolve. In January 2026, AbbVie entered into a voluntary agreement with the United States government to provide certain pricing concessions and U.S.-based research and development and capital investments in exchange for exemptions from tariffs and future pricing mandates during the three-year agreement period. In addition, our pricing concessions and expansion of direct-to-patient offerings may subject AbbVie to new pricing or reimbursement policies that could affect our commercial performance.
Where pricing arrangements incorporate MFN, reference pricing, or similar concepts, AbbVie’s realized pricing, revenues, or commercial flexibility could be affected by factors outside of AbbVie’s control, including changes in applicable policies, methodologies, guidance, or related pricing regimes, as well as interactions with other governmental or private-sector pricing and reimbursement programs. Such arrangements could also influence pricing expectations or negotiations in other markets or with other payers.
AbbVie continues to evaluate the impact that pricing and cost-containment related policy developments may have on the company. The potential for continuing changes to the health care system in the United States and the increased purchasing power of entities that negotiate on behalf of Medicare, Medicaid and private sector beneficiaries, including pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and managed care organizations may result in additional pricing pressures and formulary restrictions that limit patient access to our products. For further discussion of PBM formulary practices and their impact on pricing and patient access, see "Pharmacy benefit managers and other supply chain intermediaries exert significant influence over pricing and patient access to our products" below.
In major markets worldwide, governments play a significant role in funding health care services and determining the pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceutical products. Consequently, in those markets, AbbVie is subject to government decision-making and budgetary actions with respect to its products. In particular, many European countries have ongoing government-mandated price reductions for many pharmaceutical products, and AbbVie anticipates continuing pricing pressures in Europe. Differences between countries' pricing regulations could lead to third-party cross-border trading in AbbVie's products that results in a reduction in revenues and operating earnings.
Rebates related to government programs, such as fee-for-service Medicaid or Medicaid managed care programs, arise from laws and regulations. AbbVie cannot predict with certainty whether additional government initiatives to contain health care costs or other factors could lead to new or modified regulatory or contractual requirements that include higher or incremental rebates, discounts or other price concessions. Other rebate and discount programs arise from contractual agreements with private payers , including PBMs and managed care organizations . Various factors, including market factors, consolidation among PBMs and the ability of private payers to control patient access to products, including through formulary management and utilization controls, may provide payers the leverage to negotiate higher or additional rebates or discounts that could have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's operations.
Pharmacy benefit managers and other supply chain intermediaries exert significant influence over pricing and patient access to our products, which could adversely affect our revenues and results of operations.
Consolidation and vertical integration among PBMs, managed care organizations and other supply chain intermediaries has increased their purchasing power and ability to influence formulary placement and reimbursement levels. A limited number of these entities negotiate pricing, rebates and patient access terms on behalf of health plans and government programs that cover a significant portion of insured patients in the United States.
| 2025 Form 10-K
These entities employ formulary management and utilization tools, including formulary exclusions, step therapy requirements, prior authorization protocols and tiered placement decisions, that could limit or delay patient access to our products, potentially increase patient cost-sharing and/or shift utilization to competing therapies. Unfavorable formulary decisions and increased utilization management restrictions could reduce prescription volumes and adversely affect our revenues. Further changes in formulary placement or access restrictions implemented by these intermediaries could occur with limited advance notice and may be difficult to predict or mitigate.
PBM business practices, rebate structures and pricing arrangements are also subject to change as a result of enforcement actions, regulatory settlements, legislation or other government actions. Government-mandated changes to PBM rebate methodologies, formulary design or pricing transparency practices could affect our contractual arrangements with PBMs, alter manufacturer-PBM economic relationships or shift costs to manufacturers. Additionally, these entities may negotiate higher or additional rebates, discounts, administrative fees or other price concessions that could adversely affect our revenues and results of operations.
A portion of AbbVie's near-term pharmaceutical pipeline relies on collaborations with third parties, which may adversely affect the development and sale of its products.
AbbVie depends on alliances and joint ventures with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for a portion of the products in its near-term pharmaceutical pipeline. Failures by these parties to meet their contractual, regulatory, or other obligations to AbbVie, or any disruption in the relationships between AbbVie and these third parties, could have an adverse effect on AbbVie's pharmaceutical pipeline and business. In addition, AbbVie's collaborative relationships for research and development extend for many years and may give rise to disputes regarding the relative rights, obligations and revenues of AbbVie and its collaboration partners, including the ownership of intellectual property and associated rights and obligations. Such disputes could result in AbbVie's loss of intellectual property rights or protection, delay the development and sale of potential pharmaceutical products, affect the effective sale and delivery of AbbVie's commercialized products and lead to lengthy and expensive litigation, administrative proceedings or arbitration.
Biologics carry unique risks and uncertainties, which could have a negative impact on AbbVie's business and results of operations.
The successful discovery, development, manufacturing and sale of biologics is a long, expensive and uncertain process. There are unique risks and uncertainties with biologics. For example, access to and supply of necessary biological materials, such as cell lines, may be limited and current governmental regulations restrict access to and regulate the transport and use of such materials. In addition, the development, manufacturing and sale of biologics is subject to regulations that are often more complex and extensive than the regulations applicable to other pharmaceutical products. As a result, manufacturing biologics, especially in large quantities, is often complex and may require the use of innovative technologies. Such manufacturing also requires facilities specifically designed and validated for this purpose and sophisticated quality assurance and quality control procedures. Biologics are also frequently costly to manufacture because production inputs are derived from living animal or plant material, and some biologics cannot be made synthetically. Failure to successfully discover, develop, manufacture and sell biologics—including Skyrizi, Botox, Humira and Creon —could have a negative impact on AbbVie's business and results of operations.
Trade restrictions, tariffs, and other changes in global trade policy could increase costs, disrupt supply chains, and adversely affect AbbVie’s business and results of operations.
AbbVie operates in a global environment and relies on complex international supply chains for the development, manufacture, and distribution of its products, including the sourcing of active pharmaceutical ingredients and key materials. Changes in global trade policy, including the potential imposition of import or export tariffs, trade restrictions, or other measures affecting pharmaceutical products or related inputs, could increase manufacturing and procurement costs, reduce margins or disrupt supply continuity. If AbbVie is unable to substantially mitigate or offset increased costs or disruptions resulting from such measures through pricing adjustments, operational changes, or alternative sourcing arrangements, it may have an adverse effect on AbbVie’s business and results of operations.
New products and technological advances by AbbVie's competitors may negatively affect AbbVie's results of operations.
AbbVie competes with other research-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that research, develop, manufacture, market and sell proprietary pharmaceutical products and biologics. All of these competitors may introduce new products or develop technological advances that compete with AbbVie’s products in therapeutic areas such as immunology, neuroscience, oncology and aesthetics. In addition, as AbbVie products loseexclusivity, competition surrounding such products will increase and generic and biosimilar products will increasingly penetrate the markets. Furthermore, consolidation
2025 Form 10-K |
among certain pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies can enhance such advantages. These advantages may make it difficult for us to compete with them successfully to discover, develop and market new products and for our current products to compete with new products or indications they may bring to market. AbbVie cannot predict with certainty the timing or impact of the introduction by competitors of new products or technological advances. Such competing products may be safer, more effective, more effectively marketed or sold, have lower prices or better insurance coverage or reimbursement levels, or have superior performance features than AbbVie’s products, and this may negatively impact AbbVie’s business and results of operations.
The manufacture of many of AbbVie's products is a highly exacting and complex process requiring critical environmental controls, and if AbbVie or one of its suppliers encounters problems manufacturing AbbVie's products, AbbVie's business could suffer.
The manufacture of many of AbbVie's products is a highly exacting and complex process, due in part to strict regulatory requirements. Problems may arise during manufacturing for a variety of reasons, including equipment malfunction, failure to follow specific protocols and procedures, problems with raw materials, delays related to the construction of new facilities or the expansion of existing facilities, including those intended to support future demand for AbbVie's products, changes in manufacturing production sites and limits to manufacturing capacity due to regulatory requirements, changes in the types of products produced, physical limitations that could inhibit continuous supply, labor shortages, supply chain disruption, pandemics, man-made or natural disasters and environmental factors. If problems arise during the production of a batch of product, such batch of product may have to be discarded, and AbbVie may experience product shortages or incur added expenses. This could, among other things, lead to increased costs, lost revenue, damage to customer relations, time and expense spent investigating the cause and, depending on the cause, similar losses with respect to other batches or products. If problems are not discovered before the product is released to the market, recall and product liability costs may also be incurred.
AbbVie uses raw materials and components in its pharmaceutical and biologic manufacturing processes, including those sourced from single suppliers around the world, and an interruption in the supply of those raw materials and components could adversely affect AbbVie's business and results of operations.
AbbVie uses raw materials and components in its pharmaceutical and biologic manufacturing processes that may be sourced from single suppliers. The failure of AbbVie's suppliers, and particularly its single-source suppliers, to fulfill their contractual obligations in a timely manner or as a result of regulatory noncompliance or physical disruption at a manufacturing site may impair AbbVie's ability to deliver its products to customers on a timely and competitive basis, which could adversely affect AbbVie's business and results of operations. Increases in demand on any of AbbVie's suppliers could result in delays and disruptions in the manufacturing, distribution and sale of its products and/or product shortages, leading to lost revenue. Finding an alternative supplier could take a significant amount of time and involve significant expense due to the nature of the products and the need to obtain regulatory approvals. AbbVie cannot guarantee that it will be able to reach agreement with alternative providers or that regulatory authorities would approve AbbVie's use of such alternatives. Business interruption insurance may not provide adequate compensation in the case of a failure by a supplier.
Certain aspects of AbbVie’s operations are highly dependent upon third party service providers.
AbbVie relies on suppliers, vendors and other third party service providers to research, develop, manufacture, commercialize, promote and sell its products. In addition, AbbVie relies on third party service providers for support of its information technology services. Reliance on third party manufacturers reduces AbbVie’s oversight and control of the manufacturing process. Some of these third party providers are subject to legal and regulatory requirements, privacy and security risks and market risks of their own. The failure of a critical third party service provider to meet its obligations could have a material adverse impact on AbbVie’s operations and results. If any third party service providers have violated or are alleged to have violated any laws or regulations during the performance of their obligations to AbbVie, it is possible that AbbVie could suffer financial and reputational harm or other negative outcomes, including possible legal consequences.
Significant safety or efficacy issues could arise for AbbVie's products, which could have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's revenues and financial condition.
Pharmaceutical products receive regulatory approval based on data obtained in controlled clinical trials of limited duration. Following regulatory approval, these products will be used over longer periods of time in many patients. Additional, and perhaps more extensive, studies may also be conducted, which may be sponsored by AbbVie but could also be sponsored by competitors, insurance companies, government institutions, scientists, investigators or other interested parties. If new safety or efficacy issues are reported or if new scientific information becomes available (including results of post-marketing Phase 4 trials), or if governments change standards regarding safety, efficacy or labeling, AbbVie may be required to amend the conditions of use for a product. For example, AbbVie may voluntarily provide or be required to provide updated
| 2025 Form 10-K
information on a product's label or narrow its approved indication, either of which could reduce the product's market acceptance. If safety or efficacy issues with an AbbVie product arise, sales of the product could be halted by AbbVie or by regulatory authorities and regulatory action could be taken by such regulatory authorities. Safety or efficacy issues affecting suppliers' or competitors' products also may reduce the market acceptance of similar AbbVie products.
New data about AbbVie's products, or products similar to its products, could negatively impact demand for AbbVie's products due to actual or perceived safety issues or uncertainty regarding efficacy and, in some cases, could result in product withdrawal. Furthermore, new data and information, including information about product misuse, may lead government agencies, professional societies, practice management groups or organizations involved with various diseases to publish guidelines or recommendations related to the use of AbbVie's products or the use of related therapies or place restrictions on sales. Such guidelines or recommendations may lead to lower sales of AbbVie's products.
AbbVie is subject to product liability claims and other lawsuits that may adversely affect its business, results of operations and reputation.
In the ordinary course of business, AbbVie is the subject of product liability claims and lawsuits alleging that AbbVie's current or historical products or the products of other companies that it promotes have resulted or could result in an unsafe condition for or injury to patients. Product liability claims and lawsuits and safety alerts or product recalls, regardless of their ultimate outcome, may have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's business, results of operations and reputation and on its ability to attract and retain customers. Consequences may also include additional costs, a decrease in market share for the product in question, lower revenue and exposure to other claims. Additionally, some of these matters involve numerous plaintiffs and parties seeking large or indeterminate financial claims and may remain unresolved for several years. AbbVie evaluates its risks and has determined that the cost of obtaining product liability insurance outweighs the likely benefits of the coverage that is available and, as such, AbbVie's product liability losses are self-insured.
AbbVie is also the subject of other claims, legal proceedings and investigations in the ordinary course of business, which relate to intellectual property, commercial, securities and other matters. Adverse outcomes in such claims, legal proceedings and investigations may also adversely affect AbbVie’s business, results of operations and reputation. See Note 15, "Legal Proceedings and Contingencies" to the Consolidated Financial Statements included under Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data." AbbVie cannot predict with certainty the outcome of these proceedings.
AbbVie is subject to governmental regulations, and it can be costly to comply with these regulations and to develop compliant products and processes.
AbbVie's products are subject to rigorous regulation by numerous international, supranational, federal and state authorities, as described in Item 1, "Business—Regulation—Discovery and Clinical Development,” “Business—Regulation—Commercialization, Distribution and Manufacturing,” and “Business—Regulation—Medical Devices.” The process of obtaining regulatory approvals to market a pharmaceutical product can be costly and time consuming, and approvals may not be granted for future products, or additional indications or uses of existing products, on a timely basis, if at all. Delays in the receipt of, or failure to obtain approvals for, future products, or new indications and uses, could result in delayed realization of product revenues, reduction in revenues and substantial additional costs.
The U.S. healthcare industry, in particular, is highly regulated and subject to frequent and substantial regulatory changes. It is expected that the U.S. healthcare industry will continue to be subject to increasing regulation as well as political and legal action, as future proposals to reform the healthcare system are considered by federal, state and local governments. Changes in healthcare policy may introduce additional and significant changes to healthcare regulation and the healthcare industry. AbbVie cannot predict with certainty when additional changes in the healthcare industry in general, or the pharmaceutical industry in particular, will occur, or what the impact of such changes may be.
In addition, AbbVie cannot guarantee that it will remain compliant with applicable regulatory requirements once approval has been obtained for a product. These requirements include, among other things, regulations regarding manufacturing practices, product labeling and advertising and post-marketing reporting, including adverse event reports and field alerts due to manufacturing quality concerns. AbbVie must incur expense and spend time and effort to ensure compliance with these complex regulations.
Possible regulatory actions could result in substantial modifications to AbbVie's business practices and operations; refunds, recalls or seizures of AbbVie's products; a total or partial shutdown of production in one or more of AbbVie's or its suppliers' facilities while AbbVie or its supplier remedies the allegedviolation; the inability to obtain future approvals; and withdrawals or suspensions of current products from the market. Any of these events could disrupt AbbVie's business and have a material adverse effect on its business and results of operations.
2025 Form 10-K |
Laws and regulations affecting government benefit programs could impose new obligations on AbbVie, require it to change its business practices, and restrict its operations.
The health care industry is subject to federal, state and international laws and regulations pertaining to government benefit program reimbursements, rebates, price reporting and regulation and health care fraud and abuse. In the United States, these laws include anti-kickback and falseclaims laws, the Medicaid Rebate Statute, the Veterans Health Care Act, the U.S. Physician Payments Sunshine Act, the TRICARE program, the government pricing rules applicable to the Medicaid, Medicare Part B, 340B Drug Pricing Program and individual state laws relating to pricing and sales and marketing practices. The 340B Drug Pricing Program requires participating manufacturers to offer discounts to covered entities and growth in entities claiming entitlement to 340B pricing has increased the portion of our sales subject to such discounts. Manufacturer policies designed to improve program integrity have been subject to enforcement actions and legal challenges under federal and state laws. Adverse outcomes in 340B-related litigation or significant changes to our 340B approach could adversely affect our revenues and results of operations.
Violations of such laws and regulations may be punishable by criminal and/or civil sanctions, including, in some instances, substantial fines, imprisonment and exclusion from participation in federal and state health care programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans Administration health programs. Such violations may also lead to product recalls and seizures, interruption of production leading to product shortages, import bans or denials of import certifications, delays or denials in the approvals of new products or supplemental approvals of current products pending resolution of the issues, and reputational harm, any of which would adversely affect AbbVie's business. These laws and regulations are broad in scope and are subject to change and evolving interpretations, which could require AbbVie to incur substantial costs associated with compliance or to alter one or more of its sales or marketing practices. In addition, violations of these laws and regulations, or allegations of such violations, could impose new obligations on AbbVie, require it to change its business practices and restrict its operations.
The international nature of AbbVie's business subjects it to additional business risks that may cause its revenue and profitability to decline.
AbbVie's business is subject to risks associated with doing business internationally, including in emerging markets. Net revenues outside of the United States made up approximately 24% of AbbVie's total net revenues in 2025. The risks associated with AbbVie's operations outside the United States include:
• fluctuations in currency exchange rates;
• changes in medical reimbursement policies and programs and pricing restrictions;
• multiple legal and regulatory requirements that are subject to change and that could restrict AbbVie's ability to manufacture, market and sell its products;
• differing local product preferences and product requirements;
• import or export licensing requirements;
• international trade disruptions or disputes;
• difficulty in establishing, staffing and managing operations;
• differing labor regulations;
• potentially negative consequences from changes in or interpretations of tax laws;
• political and economic instability;
• conflicts or crises in individual countries or regions, including terrorist activities or wars;
• sovereign debt issues;
• price and currency exchange controls, limitations on participation in local enterprises, expropriation, nationalization and other governmental action and regulation;
• inflation, recession and fluctuations in interest rates;
• restrictions on transfers of funds;
• potential deterioration in the economic position and credit quality of certain non-U.S. countries; and
| 2025 Form 10-K
• potential penalties or other adverse consequences for violations of anti-corruption, anti-bribery and other similar laws and regulations, including the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the United Kingdom Bribery Act.
If AbbVie does not effectively and profitably commercialize its products, AbbVie's revenues and financial condition could be adversely affected.
AbbVie must effectively and profitably commercialize its principal products by creating and meeting continued market demand; achieving market acceptance and generating product sales; ensuring that the active pharmaceutical ingredient(s) for a product and the finished product are manufactured in sufficient quantities and in compliance with requirements of the FDA and similar foreign regulatory agencies and with acceptable quality and pricing to meet commercial demand; and ensuring that the entire supply chain efficiently and consistently delivers AbbVie's products to its customers. The commercialization of AbbVie products may not be successful due to, among other things, unexpectedchallenges from competitors, new safety issues or concerns being reported that may impact or narrow approved indications, the relative price of AbbVie's product as compared to alternative treatment options and changes to a product's label that further restrict its marketing. If the commercialization of AbbVie's principal products is unsuccessful, AbbVie's revenues and financial condition could be adversely affected.
AbbVie may acquire other businesses, license rights to technologies or products, form alliances, or dispose of assets, which could cause it to incur significant expenses and could negatively affect profitability.
AbbVie from time to time pursues acquisitions, technology licensing arrangements, joint ventures and strategic alliances, and/or disposes of some of its assets, as part of its business strategy. AbbVie may not complete these transactions in a timely manner, on a cost-effective basis, or at all, and may not realize the expected benefits. If AbbVie is successful in making an acquisition, the products and technologies that are acquired may not be successful or may require significantly greater resources and investments than originally anticipated. AbbVie may not be able to integrate acquisitions successfully into its existing business and could incur or assume significant debt and unknown or contingent liabilities. AbbVie could also experience negative effects on its reported results of operations from acquisition or disposition-related charges, amortization of expenses related to intangibles and charges for impairment of long-term assets. These effects could cause a deterioration of AbbVie's credit rating and result in increased borrowing costs and interest expense.
Additionally, changes in AbbVie's structure, operations, revenues, costs, or efficiency resulting from major transactions such as acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, alliances, joint ventures, restructurings or other strategic initiatives, may result in greater than expected costs, may take longer than expected to complete or encounter other difficulties, including the need for regulatory approval where appropriate.
AbbVie is dependent on wholesale distributors for distribution of its products in the United States and, accordingly, its business and results of operations could be adversely affected if they encounter financial or other difficulties.
In 2025, three wholesale distributors (McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc. and Cencora, Inc.) accounted for substantially all of AbbVie's pharmaceutical product sales in the United States. If one of its significant wholesale distributors encounters financial or other difficulties, such distributor may decrease the amount of business that it does with AbbVie, and AbbVie may be unable to collect all the amounts that the distributor owes it on a timely basis or at all, which could adversely affect AbbVie's business and results of operations.
AbbVie has debt obligations that could adversely affect its business and its ability to meet its obligations.
The amount of debt that AbbVie has incurred and intends to incur could have important consequences to AbbVie and its investors. These consequences include, among other things, requiring a portion of AbbVie's cash flow from operations to make interest payments on this debt and reducing the cash flow available to fund capital expenditures and other corporate purposes and to grow AbbVie's business. To the extent AbbVie incurs additional indebtedness or interest rates increase, these risks could increase further. In addition, AbbVie's cash flow from operations may not be sufficient to repay all of the outstanding debt as it becomes due, and AbbVie may not be able to borrow money, sell assets, or otherwise raise funds on acceptable terms, or at all, to refinance its debt.
AbbVie may need additional financing in the future to meet its capital needs or to make opportunistic acquisitions, and such financing may not be available on favorable terms, if at all.
AbbVie may need additional financing in the future to meet its capital needs or to make opportunistic acquisitions. For example, it may need to increase its investment in research and development activities. The capital and credit markets may experience extreme volatility and disruption, which may lead to uncertainty and liquidity issues for both borrowers and investors, and AbbVie may be unable to obtain any desired additional financing on terms favorable to it, if at all. If AbbVie
2025 Form 10-K |
loses its investment grade credit rating or adequate funds are not available on acceptable terms, AbbVie may be unable to fund its expansion, successfully develop or enhance products, or respond to competitive pressures, any of which could negatively affect AbbVie's business. If AbbVie raises additional funds by issuing debt or entering into credit facilities, it may be subject to limitations on its operations due to restrictive covenants. Failure to comply with these covenants could adversely affect AbbVie's business.
AbbVie depends on information technology and a failure of, or significant disruption to, those systems, or a failure to adequately adopt emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, could have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's business.
AbbVie relies on sophisticated software applications and complex information technology systems (including cloud services) to operate its business, which are inherently vulnerable to maliciousintrusion, random attack, loss of data privacy, disruption, degradation or breakdown. Certain of these applications and systems are managed, hosted, provided or used by third parties. Data privacy or security breaches of our internal systems or those of our information technology vendors may in the future result in the failure of critical business operations. Such breaches may cause sensitive data, including intellectual property, trade secrets or personal information belonging to AbbVie, its patients, customers, employees or business partners, to be exposed to unauthorized persons or to the public. The healthcare and biopharmaceutical industries remain targets of cybersecurity threats due to the value and sensitivity of the data they hold. Cybersecurity attacks and incidents are increasing in their frequency, sophistication and intensity and, due to the nature of some of these attacks, there is a risk that they may remain undetected for a period of time. AbbVie’s investments in the protection of its data and information technology and its efforts to monitor its systems on an ongoing basis may be insufficient to prevent compromises in AbbVie's information technology systems that could have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's business. Such adverse consequences could include loss of revenue or the loss of critical or sensitive information from AbbVie’s or third-party providers’ databases or information technology systems and could also result in legal, financial, reputational or business harm to AbbVie and potentially substantial remediation costs. In addition, AbbVie’s cyber insurance may not be sufficient to cover the financial, legal, business or reputational losses that may result from an interruption or breach of AbbVie systems or those of our third-party vendors.
Additionally, AbbVie utilizes AI and other emerging technologies in select applications to support its operations. These technologies may present opportunities for AbbVie's business but may also entail risks, including that AI-generated analyses utilized by AbbVie could be deficient or exacerbate regulatory, cybersecurity or other significant risks. Further, our failure to effectively implement these technologies could hinder our ability to compete, as competitors' advancements in AI may lead to more efficient operations.
AbbVie’s balances of intangible assets, including developed product rights and goodwill acquired, are subject to impairment testing and may result in impairment charges, which may adversely affect AbbVie’s results of operations and financial condition.
A significant amount of AbbVie’s total assets is related to acquired intangibles and goodwill. As of December 31, 2025, the carrying value of AbbVie’s developed product rights and other intangible assets was $52.6 billion and the carrying value of AbbVie’s goodwill was $35.6 billion.
AbbVie’s developed product rights are stated at cost, less accumulated amortization. AbbVie determines original fair value and amortization periods for developed product rights based on its assessment of various factors impacting estimated useful lives and cash flows of the acquired products. Significant adverse changes to any of these factors require AbbVie to perform an impairment test on the affected asset and, if evidence of impairment exists, require AbbVie to take an impairment charge with respect to the asset. For assets that are not impaired, AbbVie may adjust the remaining useful lives. Such a charge could adversely affect AbbVie’s results of operations and financial condition.
AbbVie’s other significant intangible assets include in-process research and development (IPR&D) intangible projects, acquired in recent business combinations, which are indefinite-lived intangible assets. For IPR&D assets, the risk of failure is significant, and there can be no certainty that these assets ultimately will yield successful products. AbbVie's ability to realize value on these significant investments is often contingent upon, among other things, regulatory approvals and market conditions. As such, IPR&D assets may become impaired and/or be written off at some point in the future if the associated research and development effort is abandoned or is curtailed.
Goodwill and AbbVie’s IPR&D intangible assets are tested for impairment annually, or when events occur, or circumstances change that could potentially reduce the fair value of the reporting unit or intangible asset. Impairment testing compares the fair value of the reporting unit or intangible asset to its carrying amount. A goodwill or IPR&D impairment, if any, would be recorded in operating income and could have a material adverse effect on AbbVie’s results of operations and financial condition.
| 2025 Form 10-K
Failure to attract, develop and retain highly qualified personnel could affect AbbVie’s ability to successfully develop and commercialize products.
AbbVie’s success is largely dependent on its continued ability to attract, develop and retain diverse, highly qualified scientific, technical and management personnel, as well as personnel with expertise in clinical research and development, governmental regulation and commercialization. Competition for qualified personnel in the biopharmaceutical field is intense and increasing. AbbVie cannot be sure that it will be able to attract and retain quality personnel or that the costs of doing so will not materially increase.
The illegal distribution and sale by third parties of counterfeit or unregistered versions of AbbVie products could have a material adverse impact on its reputation, business and results of operations.
Third parties may illegally obtain, distribute, and sell counterfeit or illegallydiverted from their intended market versions of AbbVie products. These versions of product would not meet AbbVie's rigorous manufacturing, testing, distribution and quality standards. A patient who receives a counterfeit, stolen, or diverted drug may be at risk for a number of dangerous health consequences. The prevalence of counterfeit/diverted medicines is an industry-wide issue due to a variety of factors, including the adoption of e-commerce, greatlyenhancing consumers' ability to obtain prescriptions and other medical treatments via the internet in lieu of traditional brick and mortar pharmacies. This can expose patients to greater risks as the internet is a preferred vehicle for dangerouscounterfeit/diverted product offers and scams because of the anonymity it affords. AbbVie's reputation and business could sufferharm as a result of counterfeit or diverted drugs sold under its brand name which may also result in reduced revenues that could negatively affect our results of operation.
Other factors can have a material adverse effect on AbbVie's profitability and financial condition.
Many other factors can affect AbbVie's results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, including:
• changes in or interpretations of laws and regulations, including changes in accounting standards, taxation requirements, product marketing application standards, data privacy laws, particularly in the European Union and the United States and environmental laws;
• differences between the fair value measurement of assets and liabilities and their actual value, particularly for pension and post-employment benefits, stock-based compensation, intangibles and goodwill; and for contingent liabilities such as litigation and contingent consideration, the absence of a recorded amount, or an amount recorded at the minimum, compared to the actual amount;
• changes in the rate of inflation (including the cost of raw materials, commodities and supplies), interest rates, market value of AbbVie's equity investments and the performance of investments held by it or its employee benefit trusts;
• changes in the creditworthiness of counterparties that transact business with or provide services to AbbVie or its employee benefit trusts;
• environmental liabilities in connection with AbbVie’s manufacturing processes and distribution logistics, including the handling of hazardous materials;
• changes in the ability of third parties that provide information technology, accounting, human resources, payroll and other outsourced services to AbbVie to meet their contractual obligations to AbbVie;
• the failure, perceived failure, or pursuit of achieving environmental, social and governance objectives;
• information loss or damage to AbbVie's reputation, brand, image or goodwill due to increased use of social media platforms;
• business interruptions stemming from natural disasters, such as climate change, earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, fires, or efforts taken by third parties to prevent or mitigate such disasters; and
• changes in business, economic and political conditions, including: war, political instability, terrorist attacks, the threat of future terrorist activity and related military action; natural disasters; pandemics and epidemics, the cost and availability of insurance due to any of the foregoing events; labor disputes, strikes, slow-downs, or other forms of labor or union activity; and pressure from third-party interest groups.
2025 Form 10-K |
Risks Related to AbbVie's Common Stock
AbbVie cannot guarantee the timing, amount, or payment of dividends on its common stock or the repurchase of its common stock.
Although AbbVie expects to pay regular cash dividends, the timing, declaration, amount and payment of future dividends to stockholders will fall within the discretion of AbbVie's board of directors. The board's decisions regarding the payment of dividends will depend on many factors, such as AbbVie's financial condition, earnings, capital requirements, debt service obligations, industry practice, legal requirements, regulatory constraints and other factors that the board deems relevant. For more information, see Item 5, "Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities." AbbVie's ability to pay dividends and repurchase shares under its stock repurchase program will depend on its ongoing ability to generate cash from operations and access capital markets. AbbVie cannot guarantee that it will continue to pay a dividend in the future.
An AbbVie stockholder's percentage of ownership in AbbVie may be diluted in the future.
In the future, a stockholder's percentage ownership in AbbVie may be diluted because of equity issuances for capital market transactions, equity awards that AbbVie will be granting to AbbVie's directors, officers and employees, acquisitions or other purposes. AbbVie anticipates its compensation committee will grant additional stock options or other stock-based awards to its employees. Such awards will have a dilutive effect on AbbVie's earnings per share, which could adversely affect the market price of AbbVie's common stock. From time to time, AbbVie will issue additional options or other stock-based awards to its employees under AbbVie's employee benefits plans.
In addition, AbbVie's amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes AbbVie to issue, without the approval of AbbVie's stockholders, one or more classes or series of preferred stock having such designation, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, including preferences over AbbVie's common stock respecting dividends and distributions, as AbbVie's board of directors generally may determine. The terms of one or more classes or series of preferred stock could dilute the voting power or reduce the value of AbbVie's common stock. For example, AbbVie could grant the holders of preferred stock the right to elect some number of AbbVie's directors in all events or on the happening of specified events or the right to veto specified transactions. Similarly, the repurchase or redemption rights or liquidation preferences AbbVie could assign to holders of preferred stock could affect the residual value of the common stock.
Certain provisions in AbbVie's amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws, and of Delaware law, may prevent or delay an acquisition of AbbVie, which could decrease the trading price of AbbVie's common stock.
AbbVie's amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws contain, and Delaware law contains, provisions that are intended to detercoercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids by encouraging prospective acquirors to negotiate with AbbVie's board of directors rather than to attempt a hostile takeover. These provisions include, among others:
• the inability of AbbVie's stockholders to call a special meeting;
• the division of AbbVie's board of directors into three classes of directors, with each class serving a staggered three-year term;
• a provision that stockholders may only remove directors for cause;
• the ability of AbbVie's directors, and not stockholders, to fill vacancies on AbbVie's board of directors; and
• the requirement that the affirmative vote of stockholders holding at least 80% of AbbVie's voting stock is required to amend certain provisions in AbbVie's amended and restated certificate of incorporation and AbbVie's amended and restated by-laws relating to the number, term and election of AbbVie's directors, the filling of board vacancies, the calling of special meetings of stockholders and director and officer indemnification provisions.
In addition, Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that, subject to limited exceptions, persons that acquire, or are affiliated with a person that acquires, more than 15% of the outstanding voting stock of a Delaware corporation shall not engage in any business combination with that corporation, including by merger, consolidation or acquisitions of additional shares, for a three-year period following the date on which that person or its affiliates becomes the holder of more than 15% of the corporation's outstanding voting stock.
| 2025 Form 10-K
AbbVie believes these provisions protect its stockholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics by requiring potential acquirors to negotiate with AbbVie's board of directors and by providing AbbVie's board of directors with more time to assess any acquisition proposal. These provisions are not intended to make the company immune from takeovers. However, these provisions apply even if the offer may be considered beneficial by some stockholders and could delay or prevent an acquisition that AbbVie's board of directors determines is not in the best interests of AbbVie and AbbVie's stockholders. These provisions may also prevent or discourage attempts to remove and replace incumbent directors.
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains certain forward-looking statements regarding business strategies, market potential, future financial performance and other matters. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions and uses of future or conditional verbs, generally identify "forward looking statements," which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The matters discussed in these forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. In particular, information included under Item 1, "Business," Item 1A, "Risk Factors," and Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contain forward looking statements. Where, in any forward looking statement, an expectation or belief as to future results or events is expressed or implied, such expectation or belief is based on the current plans and expectations of AbbVie management and expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that the expectation or belief will result or be achieved or accomplished. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to, the matters described under Item 1A, "Risk Factors" and Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations." AbbVie does not undertake, and specifically declines, any obligation to update the forward-looking statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, unless AbbVie is required by applicable securities law to do so.
succeed
effective
AbbVie's products are generally sold worldwide directly to wholesalers, distributors, government agencies, health care facilities, specialty pharmacies and independent retailers from AbbVie-owned distribution centers and public warehouses. Certain products (including aesthetic products and devices) are also sold directly to physicians and other licensed healthcare providers. In the United States, AbbVie distributes pharmaceutical products principally through independent wholesale distributors, with some sales directly to retailers, pharmacies, patients or other customers. Outside the United States, AbbVie sells products primarily to wholesalers or through distributors, and depending on the market, works through largely centralized national payers systems to agree on reimbursement terms. Certain products are co-marketed or co-promoted with other companies. AbbVie operates as a single global business segment.
2026 Strategic Objectives
AbbVie's mission is to discover and develop innovative medicines and products that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow while achieving top-tier financial performance through outstanding execution. AbbVie intends to execute its strategy and advance its mission in a number of ways, including: (i) maximizing the benefits of a diversified revenue base with multiple long-term growth drivers; (ii) leveraging AbbVie's commercial strength and international infrastructure across therapeutic areas, ensuring strong commercial execution of new product launches as well as continued investment in key on-market products; (iii) continuing to invest in and expand its pipeline in support of opportunities across our core areas of immunology, neuroscience, oncology and aesthetics as well as new sources of growth such as obesity; (iv) generating substantial operating cash flows to support investments in innovative research and development and returning cash to shareholders via a strong and growing dividend while maintaining a strong investment grade credit rating. In addition, AbbVie anticipates several regulatory submissions, approvals and data readouts from key clinical trials in the next 12 months.
AbbVie expects to achieve its strategic objectives through:
• Maximizing revenue growth of our key on-market products, including Skyrizi, Rinvoq, Vraylar, Botox Therapeutic, Ubrelvy, Qulipta, Vyalev, Venclexta, Elahere, Botox Cosmetic and Juvederm Collection.
• Advancing our research and development pipeline by delivering late-stage pipeline milestones, achieving key proof-of-concept objectives across therapeutic areas and continuing to invest in key on-market product indication expansion.
• Maximizing the value of key acquisitions as well as continuing to invest in external innovation.
• The favorable impact of pipeline products and indications recently approved or currently under regulatory review where approval is expected in 2026. These products are described in greater detail in the section labeled "Research and Development" included as part of this Item 7.
2025 Form 10-K |
2025 Financial Results
AbbVie's strategy has focused on delivering strong financial results, maximizing the benefits of a diversified revenue base, advancing and investing in its pipeline and returning value to shareholders while ensuring a strong, sustainable growth business over the long term. The company's financial performance in 2025 included delivering worldwide net revenues of $61.2 billion, operating earnings of $15.1 billion, diluted earnings per share of $2.36 and cash flows from operations of $19.0 billion. Worldwide net revenues increased by 9% on a reported and on a constant currency basis.
Financial results for 2025 also included the following costs: (i) $7.4 billion related to the amortization of intangible assets; (ii) $6.5 billion for the change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities; (iii) $847 million related to intangible asset impairment; and (iv) $276 million of acquisition and integration expenses. Additionally, financial results reflected continued funding to support all stages of AbbVie’s pipeline assets and continued investment in AbbVie’s on-market brands.
Recent Events
Regulatory Environment
Subsequent to December 31, 2025, AbbVie announced a voluntary agreement with the U.S. government to further advance access and affordability of AbbVie’s products in the U.S. while protecting and investing in U.S. pharmaceutical innovation. AbbVie will provide low prices in Medicaid and expand affordable, direct-to-patient offerings. Additionally, AbbVie pledged $100 billion in U.S.-based research and development and capital investments, including manufacturing, over the next decade. Under this voluntary agreement, the U.S. government has agreed to provide AbbVie a three-year exemption from tariffs and future price mandates.
On July 4, 2025, the United States government signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (2025 Act). Included within the 2025 Act are provisions that permanently extend certain expiring provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, modify the international tax framework to reduce the tax rate on certain foreign earned income, restore the tax treatment of expensing for domestic research and development costs and bonus depreciation, and allow for full expensing of qualified production property. In addition, the legislation contains multiple effective dates and transition elections, with certain provisions effective in 2025 and others implemented through 2027. The 2025 Act also includes certain new health care provisions related to the orphan drug exclusion of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and Medicaid, which have various effective dates. The new legislation had a favorable impact on cash tax payments in the current year.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has and will continue to have a significant impact on how drugs are covered and paid for under the Medicare program, including through the creation of financial penalties for drugs whose price increases outpace inflation, the redesign of Medicare Part D benefits to shift a greater portion of the costs to manufacturers, and through government price-setting for certain Medicare Part B and Part D drugs. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service, selected Imbruvica as one of 10 medicines subject to government-set prices in Medicare Part D beginning in 2026 and in 2025, selected Vraylar and Linzess as two of 15 medicines subject to government-set prices in Medicare Part D beginning in 2027. In January 2026, Botox was selected as one of 15 medicines subject to government-set prices in Medicare Parts B and D beginning in 2028. It is possible that more of our products, including products that generate substantial revenues, could be selected in future years, which could, among other things, accelerate revenue erosion prior to expiration of intellectual property protections. See Part I, Item 1 “Business – Regulation – Commercialization, Distribution and Manufacturing,” Part I, Item 1A “Risk Factors” and Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
U.S. Capital Investment
In 2025, AbbVie announced the start of construction of a new active pharmaceutical ingredient facility in Illinois and an expansion of biologics manufacturing and research and development capacity in Massachusetts. In January 2026, AbbVie announced that it entered into an agreement to acquire a device manufacturing facility in Arizona. These projects are part of AbbVie's plan to increase capital investment in the U.S. to broadly support innovation and expand critical manufacturing capabilities and capacity.
Intellectual Property Protection and Regulatory Exclusivity
In September 2025, AbbVie announced the settlement of litigation with all generic manufacturers that filed abbreviated new drug applications with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for generic versions of upadacitinib tablets, which AbbVie markets as Rinvoq. Given the settlement and license agreements, which are subject to standard acceleration provisions, assuming pediatric exclusivity is granted, no generic entry for any Rinvoq tablets is expected prior to April 2037 in the United States.
| 2025 Form 10-K
Research and Development
Research and innovation are the cornerstones of AbbVie’s business as a global biopharmaceutical company. AbbVie's long-term success depends to a great extent on its ability to continue to discover and develop innovative products and acquire or collaborate on compounds currently in development by other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies.
AbbVie’s pipeline currently includes approximately 90 compounds, devices or indications in development individually or under collaboration or license agreements. Of these programs, approximately 60 are in mid- and late-stage development. The company’s pipeline is focused on such important therapeutic areas as immunology, neuroscience, oncology and aesthetics and other specialties, including obesity.
The following sections summarize transitions of significant programs from mid-stage development to late-stage development as well as developments in significant late-stage and registrational programs. AbbVie expects multiple mid-stage programs to transition into late-stage programs in the next 12 months.
Significant Programs and Developments
Immunology
Rinvoq
• In April 2025, AbbVie announced that the European Commission (EC) granted marketing authorization to Rinvoq for the treatment of giant cell arteritis (GCA) in adult patients.
• In April 2025, AbbVie announced that the U.S. FDA approved Rinvoq for the treatment of GCA in adult patients.
• In July 2025, AbbVie announced positive topline results from Study 2 of its Phase 3 UP-AA trial for Rinvoq as a monotherapy in adults and adolescents with severe alopecia areata (AA).
• In August 2025, AbbVie announced positive topline results from Study 1 of its Phase 3 UP-AA trial for Rinvoq as a monotherapy in adult and adolescent patients with severe AA.
• In October 2025, AbbVie announced that the U.S. FDA approved a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) that updates the indication statement for Rinvoq for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis and moderately to severely active Crohn's disease. The updated indication allows the use of Rinvoq prior to the use of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocking agents in patients for whom use of these treatments is clinically inadvisable and who have received at least one approved systemic therapy.
• In October 2025, AbbVie announced positive topline results from the Phase 3b/4 head-to-head SELECT-SWITCH study evaluating the efficacy and safety of Rinvoq compared to Humira in adult patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), who had an inadequate response or intolerance to a single TNF inhibitor other than Humira. In the study, Rinvoq demonstrated superiority versus Humira in achieving low disease activity and remission.
• In October 2025, AbbVie announced positive topline results from two replicate Phase 3 studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of Rinvoq in adult and adolescent patients with non-segmental vitiligo.
• In November 2025, AbbVie submitted a marketing authorization application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for Rinvoq for the treatment of adults and adolescents 12 years and older with severe AA.
• In February 2026, AbbVie announced the submission of applications for a new indication to the U.S. FDA and EMA for Rinvoq for the treatment of adult and adolescent patients with non-segmental vitiligo.
Neuroscience
Qulipta
• In February 2025, AbbVie initiated a Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate Qulipta for the preventive treatment of menstrual migraine.
• In June 2025, AbbVie announced positive topline results from its Phase 3 TEMPLE head-to-head study evaluating the tolerability, safety and efficacy of Qulipta compared to the highesttolerated dose of topiramate in adult patients with a history of four or more migraine days per month.
2025 Form 10-K |
• In December 2025, AbbVie announced results from the Phase 3 ECLIPSE study, evaluating the safety, efficacy and tolerability of Aquipta versus placebo for the acute treatment of migraine in adults. The study met its primary and key secondary endpoints, with Aquipta demonstrating superiority for achieving pain freedom at two hours after treatment of the first migraine attack.
• In December 2025, AbbVie announced the submission of an application for a new indication to the EMA for Aquipta for the acute treatment of adult patients with migraine.
Tavapadon
• In September 2025, AbbVie announced the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. FDA for tavapadon, a novel selective dopamine D1/D5 receptor partial agonist, for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Oncology
Emrelis
• In May 2025, AbbVie announced that the U.S. FDA granted accelerated approval for Emrelis (telisotuzumab vedotin-tllv) for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer with high c-Met protein overexpression who have received a prior systemic therapy.
Venclexta
• In June 2025, AbbVie announced that the global Phase 3 VERONA trial evaluating Venclexta in combination with azacitidine in the treatment of newly diagnosed higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome did not meet the primary endpoint of overall survival. No new safety signals were observed.
• In July 2025, AbbVie announced the submission of a sNDA to the U.S. FDA for the fixed-duration, all oral combination regimen of Venclexta and acalabrutinib in previously untreated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The submission is supported by positive results from the Phase 3 AMPLIFY trial which demonstrated that the combination regimen improved progression-free survival compared to standard chemoimmunotherapy in previously untreated patients with CLL.
Epkinly
• In May 2025, Genmab A/S (Genmab) announced positive topline results from the Phase 3 trial evaluating Epkinly plus rituximab and lenalidomide versus rituximab and lenalidomide alone in adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma.
• In November 2025, AbbVie announced that the U.S. FDA approved Epkinly plus rituximab and lenalidomide for the treatment of adult patients with R/R follicular lymphoma.
• In January 2026, AbbVie announced topline results from the Phase 3 trial evaluating Epkinly compared to investigator's choice of chemoimmunotherapy in adult patients with R/R diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The study demonstrated an improvement in progression free survival (PFS) but did not demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in overall survival (OS).
PVEK
• In September 2025, AbbVie announced the submission of a BLA to the U.S. FDA for approval of pivekimab sunirine (PVEK), an investigational antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), for treatment of blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN).
Aesthetics
TrenibotE
• In April 2025, AbbVie announced the submission of a BLA to the U.S. FDA for approval of trenibotulinumtoxinE (TrenibotE) for the treatment of moderate to severe glabellar lines. TrenibotE is a first-in-class botulinum neurotoxin serotype E characterized by a rapid onset of action as early as 8 hours after administration and short duration of effect of 2-3 weeks. If approved, TrenibotE will be the first neurotoxin of its kind available to patients.
| 2025 Form 10-K
Juvederm Collection
• In June 2025, AbbVie announced that the U.S. FDA accepted for review the supplemental premarket approval application for Skinvive by Juvederm to reduce neck lines for the improvement of neck appearance.
Other
Emblaveo
• In February 2025, AbbVie announced that the U.S. FDA approved Emblaveo (aztreonam and avibactam), as the first fixed-dose, intravenous, monobactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination antibiotic to treat complicated intra-abdominal infections, including those caused by Gram-negative bacteria.
Mavyret
• In June 2025, AbbVie announced that the U.S. FDA approved a label expansion for Mavyret, an oral pangenotypic direct acting antiviral therapy. It is now approved for the treatment of adults and pediatric patients three years and older with acute or chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
2025 Form 10-K |
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Net Revenues
The comparisons presented at constant currency rates reflect comparative local currency net revenues at the prior year's foreign exchange rates. This measure provides information on the change in net revenues assuming that foreign currency exchange rates had not changed between the prior and current periods. AbbVie believes that the non-GAAP measure of change in net revenues at constant currency rates, when used in conjunction with the GAAP measure of change in net revenues at actual currency rates, may provide a more complete understanding of the company's operations and can facilitate analysis of the company's results of operations, particularly in evaluating performance from one period to another.
Percent change
At actual currency rates
At constant currency rates
years ended (dollars in millions)
United States
International
Net revenues
| 2025 Form 10-K
The following table details AbbVie's worldwide net revenues:
Percent change
At actual currency rates
At constant currency rates
years ended December 31 (dollars in millions)
Immunology
Skyrizi
United States
International
Total
Rinvoq
United States
International
Total
Humira
United States
International
Total
Neuroscience
Vraylar
United States
International
Total
Botox Therapeutic
United States
International
Total
Ubrelvy
United States
International
Total
Qulipta
United States
International
Total
Vyalev
United States
International
Total
Duodopa
United States
International
Total
Other Neuroscience
United States
International
Total
Oncology
Imbruvica
United States
Collaboration revenues
Total
Venclexta
United States
International
Total
Elahere
United States
International
Total
Epkinly
Collaboration revenues
International
Total
Other Oncology
United States
Aesthetics
Botox Cosmetic
United States
International
Total
Juvederm Collection
United States
International
Total
2025 Form 10-K |
Other Aesthetics
United States
International
Total
Eye Care
Ozurdex
United States
International
Total
Lumigan/Ganfort
United States
International
Total
Alphagan/Combigan
United States
International
Total
Other Eye Care
United States
International
Total
Other Key Products
Mavyret
United States
International
Total
Creon
United States
Linzess/Constella
United States
International
Total
All other
Total net revenues
n/m – Not meaningful
The following discussion and analysis of AbbVie's net revenues by product is presented on a constant currency basis.
Net revenues for Skyrizi increased 50% in 2025 primarily driven by continued strong market share uptake as well as market growth across all indications.
Net revenues for Rinvoq increased 39% in 2025 primarily driven by continued strong market share uptake as well as market growth across all indications.
Net revenues for Humira decreased 49% in 2025 primarily driven by continued impact of direct biosimilar competition following the loss of exclusivity.
Net revenues for Vraylar increased 11% in 2025 primarily driven by continued market share uptake as well as market growth.
Net revenues for Botox Therapeutic increased 15% in 2025 primarily driven by market growth as well as continued market share uptake.
Net revenues for Ubrelvy increased 27% in 2025 primarily driven by continued market share uptake as well as market growth.
Net revenues for Qulipta increased 57% in 2025 primarily driven by continued strong market share uptake as well as market growth.
Net revenues for Imbruvica represent product revenues in the United States and collaboration revenues outside of the United States related to AbbVie's 50% share of Imbruvica profit. AbbVie's global Imbruvica revenues decreased 14% in 2025 primarily driven by decreased demand and unfavorable pricing in the United States as well as decreased collaboration revenues.
Net revenues for Venclexta increased 8% in 2025 primarily driven by increased demand, partially offset by unfavorable pricing.
Net revenues for Elahere increased 43% in 2025 primarily drive by increased demand and the favorable impact of a full period of Elahere results in 2025 compared to the prior year.
| 2025 Form 10-K
Net revenues for Botox Cosmetic decreased 4% in 2025. In the United States, Botox Cosmetic net revenues decreased 11% primarily driven by unfavorable pricing due to customer loyalty program changes, lower market share and decreased consumer demand, partially offset by the timing of customer inventory destocking in the prior year. Internationally, Botox Cosmetic net revenues increased 6% primarily driven by increased consumer demand across certain international markets, partially offset by unfavorable pricing.
Net revenues for Juvederm Collection decreased 15% in 2025 primarily driven by decreased consumer demand, partially offset by the timing of customer inventory destocking in the prior year.
Gross Margin
Percent change
years ended December 31 (dollars in millions)
Gross margin
as a % of net revenues
Gross margin as a percentage of net revenues in 2025 was flat compared to 2024. Gross margin percentage for 2025 was favorably impacted by increased leverage from net revenues growth, lower amortization of intangible assets and lower acquisition and integration costs offset by the unfavorable impact of intangible asset impairment charges of $847 million.
Selling, General and Administrative
Percent change
years ended December 31 (dollars in millions)
Selling, general and administrative
as a % of net revenues
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses as a percentage of net revenues decreased in 2025 compared to 2024. SG&A expense percentage for 2025 was favorably impacted by net leverage from revenue growth, lower litigation reserve charges and lower acquisition and integration costs.
Research and Development
Percent change
years ended December 31 (dollars in millions)
Research and development
as a % of net revenues
Research and development (R&D) expenses as a percentage of net revenues decreased in 2025 compared to 2024. R&D expense percentage for 2025 was favorably impacted by lower intangible asset impairment charges. Intangible asset impairment charges were $4.5 billion in 2024. R&D expenses other than intangible asset impairment charges increased to support all stages of the company's pipeline assets.
Acquired IPR&D and Milestones
years ended December 31 (in millions)
Upfront charges
Development milestones
Acquired IPR&D and milestones
Acquired IPR&D and milestones expense in 2025 included upfront charges of $1.9 billion related to the acquisition of Capstan Therapeutics, Inc., $906 million related to the acquisition of Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals, Inc., $700 million related to a license agreement with Ichnos Glenmark Innovation, Inc., $350 million related to a license agreement with Gubra A/S and $335 million related to an option-to-license agreement with ADARx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Acquired IPR&D and milestones in 2024 included upfront charges of $1.4 billion related to the acquisition of Aliada Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. and $250 million related to the acquisition of Celsius Therapeutics, Inc. See Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
2025 Form 10-K |
Other Operating Income
Other operating income included a gain of $217 million in 2025 related to the termination of an R&D collaboration agreement with Calico Life Sciences LLC.
Other Non-Operating Expenses
years ended December 31 (in millions)
Interest expense
Interest income
Interest expense, net
Net foreign exchange loss
Other expense, net
Interest expense in 2025 increased compared to 2024 primarily due to the impact of higher effective interest rates.
Interest income in 2025 decreased compared to 2024 primarily due to a lower average cash and equivalents balance.
Other expense, net included charges related to changes in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities of $6.5 billion in 2025 and $3.8 billion in 2024. The fair value of contingent consideration liabilities is impacted by the passage of time and multiple other inputs, including discount rates, the estimated amount of future sales of the acquired products and other market-based factors. In 2025, the change in fair value reflected higher estimated Skyrizi sales, the passage of time, lower discount rates and a longer estimated royalty period. In 2024, the change in fair value reflected higher estimated Skyrizi sales and the passage of time, partially offset by higher discount rates.
Income Tax Expense
The effective income tax rate was 36% in 2025, (15)% in 2024 and 22% in 2023. The effective income tax rate fluctuates year to year due to the allocation of the company’s taxable earnings among jurisdictions, as well as certain discrete factors and events in each year, including changes in tax law and business development activities. The effective income tax rates in 2025, 2024 and 2023 differed from the statutory tax rate principally due to the impact of foreign operations with lower income tax rates in locations outside the United States, the U.S. global minimum tax, changes in fair value of contingent consideration, tax audits and settlements, tax credits and incentives in the United States, Puerto Rico and other foreign tax jurisdictions, and business development activities. The effective income tax rate in 2025 was higher than 2024 primarily due to a one-time tax benefit associated with the closing of a three-year U.S. IRS examination in 2024, partially offset by decreases in unrecognized tax benefits, a decrease in the impact of acquisition costs related to certain business development activities and a decrease related to the impact of changes in fair value of contingent consideration.
The company's net earnings and cash flows could be affected by future tax policy and law changes in the jurisdictions in which we operate, including changes in tax law related to the projects undertaken by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). These projects include a global minimum tax rate of 15%, referred to as "Pillar Two", and the creation of a new global system to tax income based on the location to which products are sold, referred to as "Pillar One." Numerous countries have agreed to a statement in support of the OECD model rules and European Union member states have agreed to implement Pillar Two. This implementation includes aspects of legislation that were effective starting in 2024.
In recent years, the OECD has issued Administrative Guidance, including the most recent side-by-side agreement released on January 5, 2026. The side-by-side agreement is intended to complement the OECD’s Pillar Two model rules with the addition of two new safe harbors that are aimed to provide clarity and reduce compliance complexity for eligible multinational companies. The Administrative Guidance generally requires further legislative action to be effective. These potential changes increase tax uncertainty and may impact income tax expense in future years. AbbVie will continue to monitor pending legislation and implementation by individual countries and evaluate the potential impact on the company's business in future periods.
| 2025 Form 10-K
FINANCIAL POSITION, LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
years ended December 31 (in millions)
Cash flows provided by (used in)
Operating activities
Investing activities
Financing activities
Operating cash flows in 2025 increased compared to the prior year primarily due to increased results from operations driven by higher net revenues, timing of working capital and lower acquisition-related cash expenses, partially offset by higher payments related to litigation matters and higher payments of contingent consideration liabilities. Operating cash flows also reflected AbbVie’s contributions to its defined benefit plans of $348 million in 2025 and $326 million in 2024.
Investing cash flows in 2025 included payments made for other acquisitions and investments, net of cash acquired of $5.2 billion and capital expenditures of $1.2 billion. Investing cash flows in 2024 included $18.5 billion cash consideration paid to acquire ImmunoGen, Inc. (ImmunoGen) and Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (Cerevel Therapeutics) offset by cash acquired of $952 million, net sales and maturities of investment securities of $482 million, payments made for other acquisitions and investments of $3.0 billion and capital expenditures of $974 million.
Financing cash flows in 2025 included the issuance of unsecured senior notes totaling $4.0 billion aggregate principal and $2.0 billion under the 364-day term loan credit agreement. Financing cash flows also included the repayment of $3.0 billion aggregate principal of 3.80% senior notes and $3.8 billion aggregate principal 3.60% senior notes.
Financing cash flows in 2024 included the issuance of unsecured senior notes totaling $15.0 billion aggregate principal which were used to finance the acquisitions of ImmunoGen and Cerevel Therapeutics. Additionally, financing cash flows included the issuance and repayment of $5.0 billion under the term loan credit agreement and repayments of $3.8 billion aggregate principal amount of 2.60% senior notes, €1.5 billion aggregate principal amount of 1.38% senior euro notes, €700 million aggregate principal amount of 1.25% senior euro notes, $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of 3.85% senior notes, $99 million of secured term notes assumed from ImmunoGen in conjunction with the acquisition and settlement of $400 million aggregate amount of 2.5% convertible senior notes assumed from Cerevel Therapeutics. Additionally, the company refinanced its $2.0 billion floating rate three-year term loan. As part of the refinancing, the company repaid the existing $2.0 billion term loan due May 2025 and borrowed $2.0 billion under a new term loan due April 2027.
Financing cash flows also included cash dividend payments of $11.7 billion in 2025 and $11.0 billion in 2024. The increase in cash dividend payments was primarily driven by an increase of the dividend rate.
The company's stock repurchase authorization permits purchases of AbbVie shares from time to time in open-market or private transactions at management’s discretion. The program has no time limit and can be discontinued at any time. AbbVie repurchased 3 million shares for $606 million in 2025 and 7 million shares for $1.3 billion in 2024. AbbVie's remaining stock repurchase authorization was $2.9 billion as of December 31, 2025. On February 16, 2023, AbbVie's board of directors authorized a $5.0 billion increase to the existing stock repurchase authorization.
During 2025 and 2024, the company issued and redeemed commercial paper. The balance of commercial paper borrowings outstanding was $499 million as of December 31, 2025. There were no commercial paper borrowings outstanding as of December 31, 2024. AbbVie may issue additional commercial paper or retire commercial paper to meet liquidity requirements as needed.
Credit Risk
AbbVie monitors economic conditions, the creditworthiness of customers and government regulations and funding, both domestically and abroad. AbbVie regularly communicates with its customers regarding the status of receivable balances, including their payment plans and obtains positive confirmation of the validity of the receivables. AbbVie establishes an allowance for credit losses equal to the estimate of future losses over the contractual life of outstanding accounts receivable. AbbVie may also utilize factoring arrangements to mitigate credit risk, although the receivables included in such arrangements have historically not been a significant amount of total outstanding receivables.
Credit Facilities, Access to Capital and Credit Ratings
Credit Facilities
In January 2025, AbbVie entered into a new $3.0 billion five-year revolving credit facility that matures in January 2030 which is in addition to the existing $5.0 billion five-year revolving credit facility that matures in March 2028. The revolving
2025 Form 10-K |
credit facilities are available to support AbbVie's commercial paper program and enable the company to borrow funds to meet liquidity requirements on an unsecured basis at variable interest rates and contain various covenants. At December 31, 2025, the company was in compliance with all covenants, and commitment fees under the revolving credit facilities were insignificant. No amounts were outstanding under the company's revolving credit facilities as of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.
In April 2025, the company entered into a $4.0 billion 364-day term loan credit agreement. In May 2025, the company borrowed $2.0 billion under this term loan credit agreement which was outstanding and included in short-term borrowings on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2025.
In December 2023, in connection with the acquisitions of ImmunoGen and Cerevel Therapeutics, AbbVie entered into a $9.0 billion 364-day bridge credit agreement and $5.0 billion 364-day term loan credit agreement. In February 2024, AbbVie borrowed and repaid $5.0 billion under the term loan credit agreement. Subsequent to the $15.0 billion issuance of senior notes in February 2024, AbbVie terminated both the bridge and term loan credit agreements in the first quarter of 2024.
Access to Capital
The company intends to fund short-term and long-term financial obligations as they mature through cash on hand, future cash flows from operations or has the ability to issue additional debt. The company's ability to generate cash flows from operations, issue debt or enter into financing arrangements on acceptable terms could be adversely affected if there is a material decline in the demand for the company's products or in the solvency of its customers or suppliers, deterioration in the company's key financial ratios or credit ratings, or other material unfavorable changes in business conditions. At the current time, the company believes it has sufficient financial flexibility to issue debt, enter into other financing arrangements and attract long-term capital on acceptable terms to support the company's growth objectives.
Credit Ratings
In February 2026, Moody’s Investors Service upgraded AbbVie’s senior unsecured long-term credit rating to A2 with a stable outlook from A3 with a positive outlook and upgraded AbbVie’s short-term credit rating to Prime-1 from Prime-2. There were no other changes in the company’s credit ratings during the year ended December 31, 2025. Unfavorable changes to the ratings may have an adverse impact on future financing arrangements; however, they would not affect the company’s ability to draw on its credit facilities and would not result in an acceleration of scheduled maturities of any of the company’s outstanding debt.
Future Cash Requirements
Contractual Obligations
The following table summarizes AbbVie's estimated material contractual obligations as of December 31, 2025:
(in millions)
Total
Current
Long-term
Long-term debt, including current portion
Interest on long-term debt (a)
Contingent consideration liabilities (b)
(a) Includes estimated future interest payments on long-term debt. Interest payments on debt are calculated for future periods using forecasted interest rates in effect at the end of 2025. Projected interest payments include the related effects of interest rate swap agreements. Certain of these projected interest payments may differ in the future based on changes in floating interest rates or other factors or events. The projected interest payments only pertain to obligations and agreements outstanding at December 31, 2025. See Note 10 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding the company's debt instruments and Note 11 for additional information on the interest rate swap agreements outstanding at December 31, 2025.
(b) Includes contingent consideration liabilities which are recorded at fair value on the consolidated balance sheet. Potential contingent consideration payments that exceed the fair value recorded on the consolidated balance sheet are not included in the table of contractual obligations. See Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding these liabilities.
AbbVie enters into certain unconditional purchase obligations and other commitments in the normal course of business. There have been no changes to these commitments that would have a material impact on the company’s ability to meet either short-term or long-term future cash requirements.
| 2025 Form 10-K
Income Taxes
Future income tax cash requirements include a one-time transition tax liability on a mandatory deemed repatriation of previously untaxed earnings of foreign subsidiaries resulting from U.S. tax reform enacted in 2017. The one-time transition tax liability was $1.1 billion, which is classified as a current liability as of December 31, 2025.
Liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits totaled $5.6 billion as of December 31, 2025. It is not possible to reliably estimate the timing of the future cash outflows related to these liabilities. See Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on these unrecognized tax benefits.
Short-term Borrowings
Short-term borrowings included $2.0 billion of a 364-day term loan and $499 million of commercial paper, which are classified as current liabilities as of December 31, 2025. See Note 10 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding the company's short-term borrowings.
Quarterly Cash Dividend
On October 31, 2025, AbbVie announced that its board of directors declared an increase in the company’s quarterly dividend from $1.64 per share to $1.73 per share beginning with the dividend payable on February 17, 2026 to stockholders of record as of January 16, 2026. This reflects an increase of approximately 5.5% over the previous quarterly rate. The timing, declaration, amount of and payment of any dividends by AbbVie in the future is within the discretion of its board of directors and will depend upon many factors, including AbbVie's financial condition, earnings, capital requirements of its operating subsidiaries, covenants associated with certain of AbbVie's debt service obligations, legal requirements, regulatory constraints, industry practice, ability to access capital markets and other factors deemed relevant by its board of directors.
Collaborations, Licensing and Other Arrangements
AbbVie enters into collaborative, licensing and other arrangements with third parties that may require future milestone payments to third parties contingent upon the achievement of certain development, regulatory or commercial milestones. Individually, these arrangements are insignificant in any one annual reporting period. However, if milestones for multiple products covered by these arrangements happen to be reached in the same reporting period, the aggregate charge to expense could be material to the results of operations in that period. From a business perspective, the payments are viewed as positive because they signify that the product is successfully moving through development and is now generating or is more likely to generate future cash flows from product sales. It is not possible to predict with reasonable certainty whether these milestones will be achieved or the timing for achievement. See Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on these collaboration arrangements.
U.S. Research and Development and Capital Investment
Subsequent to December 31, 2025, AbbVie announced a voluntary agreement with the U.S. government to further advance access and affordability of AbbVie's products in the U.S. while protecting and investing in U.S. pharmaceutical innovation. Under this voluntary agreement, AbbVie pledged $100 billion in U.S.-based research and development and capital investment, including manufacturing, over the next decade.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses. A summary of the company's significant accounting policies is included in Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Certain of these policies are considered critical as these most significantly impact the company's financial condition and results of operations and require the most difficult, subjective, or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. Actual results may vary from these estimates.
Revenue Recognition
AbbVie recognizes revenue when control of promised goods or services is transferred to the company’s customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration AbbVie expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Sales, value add and other taxes collected concurrent with revenue-producing activities are excluded from revenue. AbbVie generates revenue primarily from product sales. For the majority of sales, the company transfers control, invoices the customer and recognizes revenue upon shipment to the customer.
2025 Form 10-K |
Rebates
AbbVie provides rebates to pharmacy benefit managers, state government Medicaid programs, insurance companies that administer Medicare drug plans, wholesalers, group purchasing organizations and other government agencies and private entities.
Rebate and chargeback accruals are accounted for as variable consideration and are recorded as a reduction to revenue in the period the related product is sold. Provisions for rebates and chargebacks totaled $65.1 billion in 2025, $59.3 billion in 2024 and $56.8 billion in 2023. Rebate amounts are typically based upon the volume of purchases using contractual or statutory prices, which may vary by product and by payer. For each type of rebate, the factors used in the calculations of the accrual for that rebate include the identification of the products subject to the rebate, the applicable price terms and the estimated lag time between sale and payment of the rebate, which can be significant.
In order to establish its rebate and chargeback accruals, the company uses both internal and external data to estimate the level of inventory in the distribution channel and the rebate claims processing lag time for each type of rebate. To estimate the rebate percentage or net price, the company tracks sales by product and by customer or payer. The company evaluates inventory data reported by wholesalers, available prescription volume information, product pricing, historical experience and other factors in order to determine the adequacy of its reserves. AbbVie regularly monitors its reserves and records adjustments when rebate trends, rebate programs and contract terms, legislative changes, or other significant events indicate that a change in the reserve is appropriate. Historically, adjustments to rebate accruals have not been material to net earnings.
The following table is an analysis of the three largest accruals for rebates and chargebacks, which comprise approximately 94% of the total consolidated rebate and chargebacks recorded as reductions to revenues in 2025.
(in millions)
Medicaid
and
Medicare
Rebates
Managed
Care
Rebates
Wholesaler
Chargebacks
Balance as of December 31, 2022
Provisions
Payments
Balance as of December 31, 2023
Provisions
Payments
Balance as of December 31, 2024
Provisions
Payments
Balance as of December 31, 2025
Other Allowances
Other allowances include cash discounts, product returns, sales incentives and other adjustments, which are accounted for as variable consideration and are recorded as a reduction to revenue in the same period the related product is sold. Reserves for cash discounts and sales incentives are readily determinable because the company's experience of payment history is fairly consistent. Product returns can be reliably estimated based on the company's historical return experience. Cash discounts totaled $2.2 billion in 2025, $2.0 billion in 2024 and $2.0 billion in 2023.
Pension and Other Post-Employment Benefits
AbbVie engages outside actuaries to assist in the determination of the obligations and costs under the pension and other post-employment benefit plans that are direct obligations of AbbVie. The valuation of the funded status and the net periodic benefit cost for these plans are calculated using actuarial assumptions. The significant assumptions, which are reviewed annually, include the discount rate, the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets and the health care cost trend rates and are disclosed in Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
The discount rate is selected based on current market rates on high-quality, fixed-income investments at December 31 each year. AbbVie employs a yield-curve approach for countries where a robust bond market exists. The yield curve is developed using high-quality bonds. The yield-curve approach reflects the plans' specific cash flows (i.e., duration) in calculating the benefit obligations by applying the corresponding individual spot rates along the yield curve. AbbVie reflects
| 2025 Form 10-K
the plans' specific cash flows and applies them to the corresponding individual spot rates along the yield curve in calculating the service cost and interest cost portions of expense. For certain plans, AbbVie reviews various indices such as corporate bond and government bond benchmarks to estimate the discount rate.
AbbVie's assumed discount rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported for defined benefit pension and other post-employment plans as of December 31, 2025. A 50 basis point change in the assumed discount rate would have had the following effects on AbbVie's calculation of net periodic benefit costs in 2026 and projected benefit obligations as of December 31, 2025:
50 basis point
(in millions) (brackets denote a reduction)
Increase
Decrease
Defined benefit plans
Net periodic benefit cost
Projected benefit obligation
Other post-employment plans
Net periodic benefit cost
Projected benefit obligation
The expected long-term rate of return is based on the asset allocation, historical performance and the current view of expected future returns. AbbVie considers these inputs with a long-term focus to avoid short-term market influences. The current long-term rate of return on plan assets for each plan is supported by the historical performance of the trust's actual and target asset allocation. AbbVie's assumed expected long-term rate of return has a significant effect on the amounts reported for defined benefit pension plans as of December 31, 2025 and will be used in the calculation of net periodic benefit cost in 2026. A one percentage point change in assumed expected long-term rate of return on plan assets would increase or decrease the net period benefit cost of these plans in 2026 by $118 million.
The health care cost trend rate is selected by reviewing historical trends and current views on projected future health care cost increases. The current health care cost trend rate is supported by the historical trend experience of each plan. Assumed health care cost trend rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported for health care plans as of December 31, 2025 and will be used in the calculation of net periodic benefit cost in 2026.
Income Taxes
AbbVie accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method. Provisions for federal, state and foreign income taxes are calculated on reported pre-tax earnings based on current tax laws. Deferred taxes are provided using enacted tax rates on the future tax consequences of temporary differences, which are the differences between the financial statement carrying amount of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and the tax benefits of carryforwards. A valuation allowance is established or maintained when, based on currently available information, it is more likely than not that all or a portion of a deferred tax asset will not be realized.
Litigation
The company is subject to contingencies, such as various claims, legal proceedings and investigations regarding product liability, intellectual property, commercial, securities and other matters that arise in the normal course of business. See Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information. 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 within a probable range is recorded. Accordingly, AbbVie 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 known, either the minimum loss amount is increased, resulting in additional loss provisions, or a best estimate can be made, also resulting in additional loss provisions. Occasionally, a best estimate amount is changed to a lower amount when events result in an expectation of a more favorable outcome than previously expected.
Valuation of Goodwill and Intangible Assets
AbbVie has acquired and may continue to acquire significant intangible assets in connection with business combinations that AbbVie records at fair value. Transactions involving the purchase or sale of intangible assets occur between companies in the pharmaceuticals industry and valuations are usually based on a discounted cash flow analysis incorporating the stage of completion. The discounted cash flow model requires assumptions about the timing and amount of future net cash flows, risk, cost of capital, terminal values and market participants. Each of these factors can significantly affect the value of the intangible asset. In-process research and development (IPR&D) acquired in a business combination is capitalized as an
2025 Form 10-K |
indefinite-lived intangible asset until regulatory approval is obtained, at which time it is accounted for as a definite-lived asset and amortized over its estimated useful life, or discontinuation, at which point the intangible asset will be written off. IPR&D acquired in transactions that are not business combinations is expensed immediately, unless deemed to have an alternative future use. Milestone payments made to third parties subsequent to regulatory approval are capitalized and amortized over the remaining useful life.
AbbVie reviews the recoverability of definite-lived intangible assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are reviewed for impairment annually or when an event occurs that could result in an impairment. See Note 2 and Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Annually, the company tests its goodwill for impairment by first assessing qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value is less than its carrying amount. Some of the factors considered in the assessment include general macro-economic conditions, conditions specific to the industry and market, cost factors, the overall financial performance and whether there have been sustained declines in the company's share price. If the company concludes it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, a quantitative impairment test is performed. AbbVie tests indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment by first assessing qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value is less than its carrying amount. If the company concludes it is more likely than not that the fair value is less than its carrying amount, a quantitative impairment test is performed.
For its quantitative impairment tests, the company uses an estimated future cash flow approach that requires significant judgment with respect to future volume, revenue and expense growth rates, changes in working capital use, the selection of an appropriate discount rate, asset groupings and other assumptions and estimates. The estimates and assumptions used are consistent with the company's business plans and a market participant's views. The use of alternative estimates and assumptions could increase or decrease projected cash flows and the estimated fair value of the related intangible assets. Future changes to these estimates and assumptions could have a material impact on the company's results of operations. Actual results may differ from the company's estimates.
Contingent Consideration
The fair value measurements of contingent consideration liabilities are determined as of the acquisition date based on significant unobservable inputs, including the discount rate, estimated probabilities and timing of achieving specified development, regulatory and commercial milestones and the estimated amount of future sales of the acquired products. Contingent consideration liabilities are revalued to fair value at each subsequent reporting date until the related contingency is resolved. The potential contingent consideration payments are estimated by applying a probability-weighted expected payment model for contingent milestone payments and a Monte Carlo simulation model for contingent royalty payments, which are then discounted to present value. Changes to the fair value of the contingent consideration liabilities can result from changes to one or a number of inputs, including discount rates, the probabilities of achieving the milestones, the time required to achieve the milestones and estimated future sales. Significant judgment is employed in determining the appropriateness of certain of these inputs, which are disclosed in Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Changes to the inputs described above could have a material impact on the company's financial position and results of operations in any given period.
