Introduction

Boston Scientific Corporation is a global developer, manufacturer and marketer
of medical devices that are used in a broad range of interventional medical
specialties. Our mission is to transform lives through innovative medical
solutions that improve the health of patients around the world. As a medical
technology leader for more than 40 years, we have advanced the practice of
less-invasive medicine by helping physicians and other medical professionals
diagnose and treat a wide range of diseases and medical conditions and improve
patients' quality of life by providing alternatives to surgery and other medical
procedures that are typically traumatic to the body. Our net sales have
increased substantially since our formation, fueled in part by strategic
acquisitions designed to improve our ability to take advantage of growth
opportunities in the medical device industry and to build diversified portfolios
within our core businesses. We advance science for life by providing a broad
range of high performance solutions to address unmet patient needs and reduce
the cost of healthcare. When used in this report, the terms "we," "us," "our"
and "the Company" mean Boston Scientific Corporation and its divisions and
subsidiaries.

COVID-19 Pandemic



In December 2019, the novel strain of coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2), and its disease
commonly known as COVID-19 (COVID-19), was reported in China and has since
widely impacted the global public health and economic environment. In March
2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19, including all additional
variations and strains thereof, a global pandemic (COVID-19 pandemic). While the
majority of procedures using our products are deferrable, most of the conditions
that we treat are generally fairly acute and cannot be deferred for extended
periods.

Because the severity, magnitude, and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its
economic consequences continue to be uncertain, the pandemic's impact on our
operations and financial performance, as well as its impact on our ability to
execute our business strategies and initiatives successfully, remains uncertain
and difficult to predict. Procedural delays from the further resurgence of
COVID-19 infections and the emergence of new, more contagious variant strains of
COVID-19, as well as staffing shortages within healthcare facilities, have and
may continue to negatively impact demand for our products, net sales, gross
profit margin and operating expenses as a percentage of net sales. In addition,
conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic recovery that has
followed in many areas and other macroeconomic factors have led to a challenging
labor market in which we compete, which affects our ability to retain and
attract new talent as well as put inflationary pressure on certain operational
costs due to wage increases. Further, we face and expect to continue to face,
increases in the cost and limited availability of raw materials, components, and
other inputs necessary to manufacture and distribute our products due to
constraints within the global supply chain, as well as increases in the cost and
time to distribute our products.

We continue to focus our efforts on the health and safety of patients,
healthcare providers and employees, while executing our mission of transforming
lives through innovative medical solutions to improve the health of patients
around the world. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our management team
has focused on protecting our employees and customers, optimizing our operations
and securing our supply chain. We have successfully implemented business
continuity plans including establishing a medical advisory group for employees
and accelerating capabilities to provide remote physician support. In the first
quarter of 2022, we implemented return-to-office protocols across many of our
facilities as COVID-19 infection rates trend lower and vaccination rates are
higher, relative to earlier in the pandemic. We will continue to be guided by
our values and mission and monitor our return-to-office strategy based on
science and data for the health and safety of our employees. While we expect the
COVID-19 pandemic and related impacts will continue to negatively impact our
performance to an extent, particularly in China with the recent resurgence and
associated public health measures implemented, as well as supply chain
constraints, we continue to believe our long-term fundamentals remain strong and
we will manage through these challenges with strategic focus and the winning
spirit of our global team.

Corporate Sustainability

Our sustainable environmental, social and governance practices underpin all
aspects of our global business. Our approach is aligned with the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals and our material topics and practices are informed
by a broad range of internal and external stakeholders - locally, nationally and
globally. Our employees around the world work with suppliers and other
organizations that share our commitment to these practices that help address
issues related to health inequity, economic disparity, climate change and
environmental protection. These efforts are supported by our cross-functional
Corporate Social Responsibility Steering Committee, our Corporate Social
Responsibility Council, our Environmental Health and Safety teams and policies,
our Global Council for Inclusion, as well as our local, regional and national
employee and community engagement programs. In addition, our Executive Committee
performance is measured, among other things, against
                                                                            

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global gender and U.S. (inclusive of Puerto Rico) multicultural goals and
performance against annual renewable energy goals, and our 2021 annual bonus
plan included performance against environmental, engagement, and human capital
metrics targets. We were recently named to the Forbes 2022 list of America's
Best Employers for Diversity, as well as ranked number one among Health Care
Equipment companies on renewable energy use by JUST Capital. For additional
information on our sustainability efforts, as well as our Diversity, Equity an
Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives, refer to our most recent Annual Report on Form
10-K. For additional information on our annual bonus plan, refer to our Proxy
Statement for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

Financial Summary



Our net sales for the first quarter of 2022 were $3.026 billion, as compared to
$2.752 billion for the first quarter of 2021. This increase of $274 million, or
10.0 percent, included operational1 net sales growth of 12.6 percent and the
negative impact of 270 basis points from foreign currency fluctuations, and
includes net sales from our acquisition of Baylis Medical Company (Baylis
Medical) following the date of acquisition. The increase in our net sales was
primarily driven by the recovery of elective and semi-emergent procedure volumes
compared to the prior year when the COVID-19 pandemic had a more significant
negative impact on procedural volumes and, as a result, on our net sales. Refer
to Quarterly Results and Business Overview for a discussion of our net sales by
global business.

Our reported net income available to common stockholders for the first quarter
of 2022 was $97 million, or $0.07 per diluted share. Our reported results for
the first quarter of 2022 included certain charges and/or credits totaling $465
million (after-tax), or $0.32 per diluted share. Excluding these items, adjusted
net income available to common stockholders1 was $562 million, or $0.39 per
diluted share.

Our reported net income available to common stockholders for the first quarter
of 2021 was $327 million, or $0.23 per diluted share. Our reported results for
the first quarter of 2021 included certain charges and/or credits totaling $197
million (after-tax), or $0.14 per diluted share. Excluding these items, adjusted
net income available to common stockholders1 was $524 million, or $0.37 per
diluted share.




























1Operational net sales growth rates, which exclude the impact of foreign
currency fluctuations, and other adjusted measures, which exclude certain items
required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (U.S.
GAAP) are not prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and should not be considered
in isolation from, or as a replacement for, the most directly comparable GAAP
measure. Refer to Additional Information for a discussion of management's use of
these non-GAAP financial measures.
                                                                            

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The following is a reconciliation of our results of operations prepared in
accordance with U.S. GAAP to those adjusted results considered by management.
Refer to Quarterly Results and Business Overview and Additional Information for
a discussion of these reconciling items:
                                                                                                      Three Months Ended March 31, 2022
                                                                                                                                            Net Income
                                                                       Income (Loss)                                                     (Loss) Available
                                                                      

Before Income Income Tax Net Income Preferred Stock to Common Impact per (in millions, except per share data)

                                       Taxes       Expense (Benefit)     (Loss)        Dividends       Stockholders      Share(2)
Reported                                                             $          156    $           45    $       110    $         (14)   $          97    $      0.07
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Amortization expense                                                            198                28            170                -              170           0.12

Acquisition/divestiture-related net charges (credits)                            72                 -             72                -               72 

0.05


Restructuring and restructuring-related net charges (credits)                    29                 4             25                -               25 

0.02



Investment portfolio net losses (gains)                                           7                 2              5                -                5 

0.00

European Union (EU) Medical device regulation (MDR) implementation
costs                                                                            16                 2             14                -               14           0.01
Debt extinguishment charges                                                     194                45            149                -              149           0.10
Deferred tax expenses (benefits)                                                  -               (30)            30                -               30           0.02
Discrete tax items                                                                -                 -              -                -                -           0.00
Adjusted                                                             $          671    $           96    $       575    $         (14)   $         562    $      0.39


(2) For the first quarter of 2022, the effect of assuming the conversion of MCPS
into shares of common stock was anti-dilutive, and therefore excluded from the
calculation of EPS. Accordingly, GAAP Net income and Adjusted net income were
reduced by cumulative Preferred stock dividends, as presented within our
unaudited consolidated statements of operations, for purposes of calculating
GAAP Net income available to common stockholders.


                                                                                                  Three Months Ended March 31, 2021
                                                                       Income                                                         Net Income
                                                                       (Loss)                                                      (Loss) Available
                                                                       Before       Income Tax       Net Income   Preferred Stock     to Common       Impact per
(in millions, except per share data)                                Income Taxes Expense (Benefit)     (Loss)        Dividends       Stockholders      Share(3)
Reported                                                            $     325    $          (16)   $       341    $         (14)   $         327    $      0.23
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Amortization expense                                                      185                18            167                -              167           0.12

Acquisition/divestiture-related net charges (credits)                    (148)                6           (153)               -             (153)    

(0.11)


Restructuring and restructuring-related net charges (credits)              49                 6             44                -               44       

0.03


Litigation-related net charges (credits)                                    4                 -              4                -                4        

0.00


Investment portfolio net losses (gains)                                   146                34            112                -              112      

0.08

European Union (EU) Medical device regulation (MDR) implementation costs

                                                                      11                 1             10                -               10       

0.01


Deferred tax expenses (benefits)                                            -               (17)            17                -               17           0.01
Discrete tax items                                                          -                 3             (3)               -               (3)         (0.00)
Adjusted                                                            $     572    $           34    $       538    $         (14)   $         524    $      0.37


(3) For the first quarter of 2021, the effect of assuming the conversion of MCPS
into shares of common stock was anti-dilutive, and therefore excluded from the
calculation of EPS. Accordingly, GAAP Net income and Adjusted net income were
reduced by cumulative Preferred stock dividends, as presented within our
unaudited consolidated statements of operations, for purposes of calculating
GAAP Net income available to common stockholders.



                                                                            

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Quarterly Results and Business Overview



In the first quarter of 2022, we reorganized our operational structure and have
aggregated our core businesses, each of which generate revenues from the sale of
medical devices (Medical Devices), into two reportable segments: MedSurg and
Cardiovascular. Within the Cardiovascular segment, the newly formed Cardiology
division represents the combined former Rhythm Management and Interventional
Cardiology divisions. We have revised prior periods to conform to the current
year presentation. The following section describes our net sales and results of
operations by reportable segment and business unit. For additional information
on our businesses and product offerings, refer to Item 1. Business of our most
recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.
                                      Three Months Ended March 31,
(in millions)                               2022                   2021         Change
Endoscopy                      $          531                    $   499         6.4%
Urology and Pelvic Health                 413                        361        14.4%
Neuromodulation                           209                        198         5.8%
MedSurg                                 1,153                      1,058         9.1%

Cardiology                              1,407                      1,248        12.7%
Peripheral Interventions                  465                        433         7.5%
Cardiovascular                          1,873                      1,681        11.4%
Medical Devices                         3,026                      2,739        10.5%
Specialty Pharmaceuticals(4)                -                         13       (100.0)%
Net Sales                      $        3,026                    $ 2,752        10.0%

(4) On March 1, 2021, we completed the divestiture of the Specialty Pharmaceuticals business. Our consolidated net sales include Specialty Pharmaceuticals up to the date of the closing of the transaction.

MedSurg

Endoscopy



Our Endoscopy business develops and manufactures devices to diagnose and treat a
broad range of gastrointestinal (GI) and pulmonary conditions with innovative,
less-invasive technologies. Our net sales of Endoscopy products were $531
million for the first quarter of 2022 and represented 18 percent of our
consolidated net sales. Our Endoscopy net sales increased $32 million, or 6.4
percent, in the first quarter of 2022, compared to the prior year period. In the
first quarter of 2022, this increase included operational net sales growth of
8.8 percent and a negative impact of 240 basis points from foreign currency
fluctuations, compared to the prior year period. Operational net sales growth in
the first quarter of 2022 was primarily driven by our single-use imaging,
biliary and hemostasis franchises due to the recovery of elective and
semi-emergent procedure volumes compared to the prior year when the COVID-19
pandemic had a more significant negative impact on our net sales.

Urology and Pelvic Health



Our Urology and Pelvic Health business develops and manufactures devices to
treat various urological and pelvic conditions for both male and female
anatomies. Our net sales of Urology and Pelvic Health products were $413 million
for the first quarter of 2022, representing 14 percent of our consolidated net
sales. Our Urology and Pelvic Health net sales increased $52 million, or 14.4
percent, in the first quarter of 2022, compared to the prior year period. This
increase included operational net sales growth of 16.1 percent and a negative
impact of 160 basis points from foreign currency fluctuations, compared to the
prior year period.

Operational net sales growth included organic net sales growth of 6.9 percent in
the first quarter of 2022, and the positive impact of 910 basis points due to
our acquisition of the surgical business of Lumenis, LTD. (Lumenis) in the third
quarter of 2021. Organic net sales growth was primarily driven by our stone
management, prostate health and prosthetic urology franchises due in part to the
ongoing recovery of elective and semi-emergent procedure volumes compared to the
prior year when the COVID-19 pandemic had a more significant negative impact on
our net sales.

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Neuromodulation



Our Neuromodulation business develops and manufactures devices to treat various
neurological movement disorders and manage chronic pain. Our net sales of
Neuromodulation products were $209 million for the first quarter of 2022,
representing 7 percent of our consolidated net sales. Our Neuromodulation net
sales increased $12 million, or 5.8 percent in the first quarter of 2022,
compared to the prior year period. This increase included operational net sales
growth of 7.6 percent and a negative impact of 180 basis points from foreign
currency fluctuations, compared to the prior year period. Operational net sales
growth was primarily driven by our spinal cord stimulation (SCS) systems, led by
our next generation WaveWriter Alpha SCS System, due to the recovery of elective
procedure volumes compared to the prior year when the COVID-19 pandemic had a
more significant negative impact on our net sales.

Cardiovascular

Cardiology



Our Cardiology business develops and manufactures devices and medical
technologies for diagnosing and treating a variety of diseases and abnormalities
of the heart. Our net sales of Cardiology products were $1.407 billion for the
first quarter of 2022, representing 47 percent of our consolidated net sales.
Our Cardiology net sales increased $159 million, or 12.7 percent, in the first
quarter of 2022, compared to the prior year period. This increase included
operational net sales growth of 16.0 percent and a negative impact of 330 basis
points from foreign currency fluctuations, compared to the prior year period.
Operational net sales growth included organic net sales growth of 11.1 percent
in the first quarter of 2022, and the positive impact of 500 basis points due to
our acquisitions of Preventice Solutions, Inc. (Preventice), Farapulse, Inc. and
Baylis Medical in the first and third quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of
2022, respectively.

Organic net sales growth was primarily driven by continued market expansion of
Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) procedures with our WATCHMAN™ FLX LAAC
Device, our percutaneous coronary intervention guidance (PCIG) franchise and our
structural heart valves franchise, led by our ACURATE Neo2™ Aortic Valve System.
Organic net sales growth was also driven by our LUX-Dx™ insertable cardiac
monitor systems, pacemakers and our subcutaneous implantable cardiac
defibrillator (S-ICD) franchises, as well our POLARx™ Cryoablation business. The
growth in each of these franchises was primarily due to the recovery of elective
and semi-emergent procedure volumes compared to the prior year when the COVID-19
pandemic had a more significant negative impact on our net sales along with
geographical expansion, including the launch of POLARx Cryoablation System in
Japan in the third quarter of 2021.

Peripheral Interventions



Our Peripheral Interventions business develops and manufactures products to
diagnose and treat peripheral arterial and venous diseases, as well as products
to diagnose, treat and ease various forms of cancer. Our net sales of Peripheral
Interventions products were $465 million for the first quarter of 2022,
representing 15 percent of our consolidated net sales. Our Peripheral
Interventions net sales increased $33 million, or 7.5 percent, in the first
quarter of 2022, compared to the prior year period. This increase included
operational net sales growth of 10.1 percent and a negative impact of 260 basis
points from foreign currency fluctuations, compared to the prior year period.
Operational net sales growth was primarily driven by our interventional oncology
franchise, led by our TheraSphere™ Y-90 Radioactive Glass Microspheres, which
received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in the first quarter
of 2021 after 20 years as a humanitarian exemption (HDE) device, as well as our
drug eluting franchise within our arterial portfolio due to the recovery of
procedure volumes compared to the prior year when the COVID-19 pandemic had a
more significant negative impact on our net sales.

Specialty Pharmaceuticals



On March 1, 2021, we completed the divestiture of the Specialty Pharmaceuticals
business for a purchase price of approximately $800 million. Our consolidated
net sales include Specialty Pharmaceuticals up to the date of the closing of the
transaction.

Emerging Markets

As part of our strategic imperative to drive global expansion, we are seeking to
grow net sales and market share by expanding our global presence, including in
Emerging Markets. We define Emerging Markets as the 20 countries that we believe
have strong growth potential based on their economic conditions, healthcare
sectors and our global capabilities. Periodically, we assess our list of
Emerging Markets countries, which currently includes the following countries:
Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, India, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South
                                                                            

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Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. Our Emerging Markets
net sales represented 13 percent of our consolidated net sales in the first
quarter of 2022 and 12 percent in the first quarter of 2021. In the first
quarter of 2022, our Emerging Markets net sales grew 22.8 percent on a reported
basis, which included operational net sales growth of 28.7 percent and a
negative impact of 580 basis points from foreign currency fluctuations, compared
to the prior year period. The growth in the first quarter of 2022 compared to
the prior year period was driven primarily by our net sales in China, Brazil and
India due to the recovery of elective and semi-emergent procedure volumes
compared to the prior year when the COVID-19 pandemic had a more significant
negative impact on our net sales. However, due to the recent increase of
COVID-19 cases in China and associated public health measures implemented, we
expect a negative sequential impact on procedural volumes and net sales growth
in the second quarter of 2022.

Gross Profit



Our Gross profit was $2.071 billion for the first quarter of 2022 and $1.858
billion for the first quarter of 2021. As a percentage of net sales, our Gross
profit increased to 68.4 percent in the first quarter of 2022, as compared to
67.5 percent in the first quarter of 2021. The following is a reconciliation of
our gross profit margin and a description of the drivers of the changes from
period to period:

                                                       Percentage of Net Sales
                                                             Three Months
Gross profit margin - period ended March 31, 2021               67.5%

Sales pricing, volume and mix                                    0.5

Net impact of foreign currency fluctuations                      0.8

All other, including other period expenses                      (0.4)
Gross profit margin - period ended March 31, 2022               68.4%



The primary factors contributing to the increase in our gross profit margin in
the first quarter of 2022, as compared to the prior year period, were higher
sales volumes driven by the recovery of elective and semi-emergent procedure
volumes compared to the prior year when the COVID-19 pandemic had a more
significant negative impact on our net sales. We also experienced favorable
product mix associated with the resumption of procedures using higher-margin
products, as well as a positive impact from foreign currency fluctuations. These
improvements were partially offset by macro-economic factors that have
negatively impacted our gross profit margin, including increases in costs of
certain raw materials, direct labor and freight. We expect our gross margin to
continue to be negatively impacted throughout 2022 while these factors persist.

Operating Expenses

The following table provides a summary of certain of our operating expenses:



                                                                                   Three Months Ended March 31,
                                                                                2022                              2021
                                                                                      % of Net                       % of Net
(in millions)                                                             $             Sales               $          Sales
Selling, general and administrative expenses                       $       

1,060 35.0 % $ 1,019 37.0 % Research and development expenses


 319          10.5              276          10.0
Royalty expense                                                               12           0.4               12           0.4


Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A Expenses)



In the first quarter of 2022, our SG&A expenses increased $41 million, or 4
percent, as compared to the prior year period and were 200 basis points lower as
a percentage of net sales. The increase in SG&A expenses for the first quarter
of 2022, as compared to the prior year period, was primarily due to higher
selling costs driven by higher global net sales.

                                                                            

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Research and development expenses (R&D Expenses)



We remain committed to advancing medical technologies and investing in
meaningful R&D projects across our businesses. In the first quarter of 2022, our
R&D expenses increased $43 million, or 16 percent, as compared to the prior year
period and were 50 basis points higher as a percentage of net sales as a result
of investments across our businesses in order to maintain a pipeline of new
products that we believe will contribute to profitable sales growth.

Other Operating Expenses



The following table provides a summary of certain of our other operating
expenses, which are excluded by management for purposes of evaluating operating
performance. Refer to Additional Information for a further description of
certain operating expenses:

                                                             Three Months Ended
                                                                  March 31,
    (in millions)                                              2022             2021
    Amortization expense                               $      198              $ 185

    Contingent consideration net expense (benefit)             12                 (6)
    Restructuring charges (credits)                             4                  5
    Litigation-related net charges (credits)                    -                  4
    Gain on disposal of businesses and assets                   -                 (6)



Amortization Expense

In the first quarter of 2022, our Amortization expense increased $13 million, or
7 percent, compared to the prior year period. The increase in Amortization
expense was driven by the addition of amortizable intangible assets associated
with our recent acquisitions.

Contingent Consideration Net Expense (Benefit)



To recognize changes in the fair value of our contingent consideration
liability, we recorded net charges of $12 million in the first quarter of 2022
and a net benefit of $6 million in the first quarter of 2021. Refer to Note B -
Acquisitions, Divestitures and Strategic Investments to our unaudited
consolidated financial statements contained in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q for additional details related to our contingent consideration
arrangements.

Restructuring Charges (Credits)



In November 2018, our Board of Directors approved, and we committed to, a new
global restructuring program (the 2019 Restructuring Plan). In addition, on
February 22, 2022, our Board of Directors approved increased cost estimates to
complete additional activities identified under the program, which are expected
to result in total pre-tax charges of approximately $425 million to $525
million, and approximately $375 million to $475 million of these charges are
expected to result in cash outlays. We expect the majority of activity
associated with our 2019 Restructuring Plan to be substantially complete by the
end of 2022. A substantial portion of the savings are being reinvested in
strategic growth initiatives. Pursuant to this program, restructuring charges
were $4 million in the first quarter of 2022 and $3 million in the first quarter
of 2021. Restructuring-related charges were $25 million in the first quarter of
2022 and $29 million in the first quarter of 2021, and were recorded primarily
in Cost of products sold and SG&A expenses.

In addition, on November 17, 2020, we announced a global, voluntary recall of
all unused inventory of our LOTUS EdgeTM Aortic Valve System and our decision to
retire the entire LOTUSTM Valve platform. We recorded $2 million of
restructuring charges and $15 million of restructuring-related charges
associated with the product discontinuation in the first quarter of 2021. The
restructuring activities were completed in 2021 and resulted in total pre-tax
restructuring and restructuring-related net charges of approximately $80
million.

Refer to Note H - Restructuring-related Activities to our audited financial statements contained in Item 8 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.

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Litigation-related net charges (credits)



We did not record any litigation-related net charges during the first quarter of
2022 and recorded litigation-related net charges of $4 million during the first
quarter of 2021, primarily related to the finalization of a settlement with a
coalition of state attorneys general associated with claims regarding our
transvaginal mesh products. We record certain legal and product liability
charges, credits and costs of defense, which we consider to be unusual or
infrequent and significant as Litigation-related net charges (credits) within
our accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements. All other legal
and product liability charges, credits and costs are recorded within SG&A
expenses.

We continue to assess certain litigation and claims to determine the amounts, if
any, that management believes will be paid as a result of such claims and
litigation, and therefore, additional losses may be accrued and paid in the
future, which could materially adversely impact our operating results, cash
flows and/or our ability to comply with the financial covenant required by our
credit arrangements. Refer to Note H - Commitments and Contingencies to our
unaudited consolidated financial statements contained in Item 1 of this
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for discussion of our material legal proceedings.

Interest Expense



The following table provides a summary of our Interest expense and average
borrowing rate:

                                                Three Months Ended March 31,
                                              2022                             2021

      Interest expense (in millions)   $         (279)                     
$ (82)
      Average borrowing rate                     11.5    %                     3.5  %



Interest expense increased and our average borrowing rate increased in the first
quarter of 2022, as compared to the prior year period, due to $194 million of
charges associated with the early extinguishment of $3.275 billion of certain of
our senior notes, including payment of tender premiums and the acceleration of
unamortized debt issuance costs. As of March 31, 2022, the weighted average
borrowing rate associated with our outstanding senior notes was 2.6 percent.
Refer to Liquidity and Capital Resources and Note E - Contractual Obligations
and Commitments to our unaudited consolidated financial statements contained in
Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for information regarding our debt
obligations.

Other, net

The following are the components of Other, net:



                                              Three Months Ended March 31,
(in millions)                                        2022                      2021
Interest income                     $               4                         $  1
Net foreign currency gain (loss)                   (9)                      

(2)


Net gains (losses) on investments                 (20)                          37
Other income (expense), net                        (7)                           2
                                    $             (31)                        $ 37



In connection with the acquisition of Preventice in the first quarter of 2021,
we remeasured the fair value of our previously-held equity interest, which
resulted in a $195 million gain recognized within Other, net in the first
quarter of 2021. In the first quarter of 2021, we also recorded a $146 million
loss on our investment in Pulmonx Corporation presented in Other, net associated
with the partial disposition of our ownership and remeasurement of our remaining
investment to fair value based on observable market prices. The Preventice gain
is included within Acquisition/divestiture-related net charges (credits) and the
Pulmonx loss is included in Investment portfolio net losses (gains) presented in
the reconciliation of our results of operations prepared in accordance with U.S.
GAAP to those adjusted results considered by management. Refer to Financial
Summary for the reconciliation and Additional Information for a discussion of
management's use of non-GAAP financial measures.

                                                                            

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Tax Rate

Our effective tax rate from continuing operations is presented below:



                                                      Three Months Ended 

March 31,


                                                            2022            

2021


Effective tax rate from continuing operations                         29.1  

% (4.9) %





The change in our reported tax rate for the first quarter of 2022, as compared
to the same period in 2021, relates primarily to the impact of certain receipts
and charges that are taxed at different rates than our effective tax rate. These
receipts and charges include acquisition/divestiture-related net charges,
receipts on sales of investments, as well as certain discrete tax items
primarily related to unrecognized tax benefits and foreign return-to-provision
adjustments.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates



Our financial results are affected by the selection and application of
accounting policies and methods. In the first quarter of 2022, there were no
material changes to the application of critical accounting policies previously
disclosed in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Liquidity and Capital Resources



Based on our current business plan, we believe our existing balance of Cash and
cash equivalents, future cash generated from operations, access to capital
markets and existing credit facilities will be sufficient to fund our
operations, invest in our infrastructure, pay our legal-related liabilities, pay
taxes due, service and repay our existing debt and fund possible acquisitions
for the next 12 months and for the foreseeable future.

As of March 31, 2022, we had $325 million of unrestricted Cash and cash
equivalents on hand, comprised of $25 million invested in money market funds and
time deposits and $299 million in interest bearing and non-interest-bearing bank
accounts. We invest excess cash on hand in short-term financial instruments that
earn at market interest rates while mitigating principal risk through instrument
and counterparty diversification, as well as what we believe to be prudent
instrument selection. We limit our direct exposure to securities in any one
industry or issuer.

In 2021, we entered into a new $2.750 billion revolving credit facility (2021
Revolving Credit Facility) with a global syndicate of commercial banks and
terminated our previous facility (2018 Revolving Credit Facility). The 2021
Revolving Credit Facility will mature on May 10, 2026, with one-year extension
options, subject to certain conditions. This facility provides backing for our
commercial paper program, and outstanding commercial paper directly reduces
borrowing capacity under the 2021 Revolving Credit Facility. As of March 31,
2022, we had $223 million of commercial paper debt outstanding, resulting in an
additional $2.527 billion of available liquidity under the 2021 Revolving Credit
Facility.

For additional details related to our debt obligations, including our financial
covenant requirement, refer to Note E - Contractual Obligations and Commitments
to our unaudited consolidated financial statements contained in Item 1 of this
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

The following provides a summary and description of our net cash inflows
(outflows):

                                                               Three Months Ended March 31,
(in millions)                                                   2022                    2021
Cash provided by (used for) operating activities         $           (58)         $         284
Cash provided by (used for) investing activities                  (1,574)                    71
Cash provided by (used for) financing activities                      (6)                   (95)



Operating Activities

In the first quarter of 2022, cash used for operating activities decreased $342
million as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to changes in
working capital partially offset by comparatively higher net sales and operating
income.

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Investing Activities



In the first quarter of 2022, cash used for investing activities included a net
cash payment of $1.471 billion for the acquisition of Baylis Medical. In the
first quarter of 2021, cash provided by investing activities included proceeds
of $801 million from the divestiture of the Specialty Pharmaceuticals business,
partially offset by a net cash payment of $706 million for the acquisition of
Preventice. For more information, refer to Note B - Acquisitions, Divestitures
and Strategic Investments to our unaudited consolidated financial statements
contained in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. In addition, we made
purchases of property, plant and equipment and internal use software of $121
million in the first quarter of 2022 and $75 million in the first quarter of
2021.

Financing Activities

In the first quarter of 2022, we completed a public offering (the Offering) of
€3.000 billion in aggregate principal amount of euro-dominated senior notes. The
Offering resulted in cash proceeds of $3.271 billion, net of investor discounts
and issuance costs. We used the net proceeds from the Offering to fund the
tender offer and early redemption of combined aggregate principal amount of
$3.275 billion of certain of our outstanding senior notes, as well as to pay
accrued interest, tender premiums, fees and expenses. Cash used for financing
activities in the first quarter of 2022 also included the issuance of commercial
paper of $223 million for general corporate purposes. For more information,
refer to Note E - Contractual Obligations and Commitments to our unaudited
consolidated financial statements contained in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q. In the first quarter of 2022 and 2021, cash used for financing
activities also included cash payments associated with the settlement of
employee equity awards and payments for royalty rights associated with the
Zytiga™ Drug.

Financial Covenant

As of March 31, 2022, we were in compliance with the financial covenant required by the 2021 Revolving Credit Facility described below.



The 2021 Revolving Credit Facility includes the financial covenant requirement
for all of our credit arrangements that we maintain the maximum permitted
leverage ratio of 3.75 times through the remaining term. The agreement provides
for higher leverage ratios for the period following a qualified acquisition, at
our election, for which consideration exceeds $1.000 billion. In the event of
such an acquisition, for the four succeeding quarters immediately following,
including the quarter in which the acquisition occurs, the maximum permitted
leverage ratio is 4.75 times. The maximum permitted ratio steps down for the
fifth, sixth and seventh succeeding quarters to 4.50 times, 4.25 times and 4.00
times, respectively. Thereafter, a maximum leverage ratio of 3.75 times is
required through the remaining term of the 2021 Revolving Credit Facility. We
have not elected to increase the maximum permitted leverage ratio for the
recently completed qualified acquisitions due to the funding using cash on hand.
We believe that we have the ability to comply with the financial covenant for
the next 12 months.

The financial covenant requirement provides for an exclusion from the
calculation of consolidated EBITDA, as defined by the agreement, through
maturity, of any non-cash charges and up to $500 million in restructuring
charges and restructuring-related expenses related to our current or future
restructuring plans. As of March 31, 2022, we had $347 million of the
restructuring charge exclusion remaining. In addition, any cash litigation
payments (net of any cash litigation receipts), as defined by the agreements,
are excluded from the calculation of consolidated EBITDA, as defined by the
agreements, provided that the sum of any excluded net cash litigation payments
do not exceed $1.455 billion in the aggregate. As of March 31, 2022, we had
$1.108 billion of the litigation exclusion remaining.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments



Certain of our acquisitions involve the payment of contingent consideration.
Refer to Note B - Acquisitions, Divestitures and Strategic Investments to our
unaudited consolidated financial statements contained in Item 1 of this
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for further details regarding the estimated
potential amount of future contingent consideration we could be required to pay
associated with our acquisitions. There have been no other material changes to
our contractual obligations and commitments as of March 31, 2022.
                                                                            

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Equity

We received $52 million in the first quarter of 2022 and $18 million in the
first quarter of 2021 in proceeds from stock issuances related to our stock
option and employee stock purchase plans. Proceeds from the exercise of employee
stock options and employee stock purchases vary from period to period based
upon, among other factors, fluctuations in the trading price of our common stock
and in the exercise and stock purchase patterns of our employees.

We did not repurchase any shares of our common stock in the first quarter of
2022 or 2021. On December 14, 2020, our Board of Directors approved a new stock
repurchase program authorizing the repurchase of up to $1.000 billion of our
common stock. As of March 31, 2022, we had the full amount remaining available
under the authorization.

Legal Matters

For a discussion of our material legal proceedings refer to Note H - Commitments
and Contingencies to our unaudited consolidated financial statements contained
in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Note K - Commitments and
Contingencies to our audited financial statements contained in Item 8 of our
most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Information regarding new accounting pronouncements implemented since December 31, 2021 and new accounting pronouncements to be implemented is included in Note N - New Accounting Pronouncements to our unaudited consolidated financial statements contained in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.



Additional Information

Cybersecurity

We have established controls and procedures to escalate enterprise level issues,
including cybersecurity matters, to the appropriate management levels within our
organization and our Board of Directors, or members or committees thereof, as
appropriate. Under our framework, cybersecurity issues are analyzed by subject
matter experts and a crisis committee for potential financial, operational, and
reputational risks, based on, among other factors, the nature of the matter and
breadth of impact. Matters determined to present potential material impacts to
the Company's financial results, operations, and/or reputation are immediately
reported by management to the Board of Directors, or individual members or
committees thereof, as appropriate, in accordance with our escalation framework.
In addition, we have established procedures to ensure that management
responsible for overseeing the effectiveness of disclosure controls is informed
in a timely manner of known cybersecurity risks and incidents that may
materially impact our operations and that timely public disclosure is made or
updated, as appropriate.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine raises cybersecurity risks on a global
basis. While there is significant uncertainty around implications of
cybersecurity attacks resulting from the conflict, we have taken steps to better
understand our readiness, including the resilience of our critical business
functions, with the goal of reducing the impact if such an event were to occur.

Stock Trading Policy



Our directors and executive officers are subject to our Stock Trading Policy,
which is designed to facilitate compliance with insider trading laws and governs
transactions in our common stock and related derivative securities. Our policy
designates certain regular periods, dictated by release of financial results, in
which trading is restricted for individuals in information-sensitive positions,
including directors and executive officers. In addition, additional periods of
trading restriction may be imposed as determined by the President, General
Counsel, or Chief Financial Officer in light of material pending developments.
Further, during permitted windows, individuals in information-sensitive
positions are required to seek pre-clearance for trades from the General
Counsel, who assesses whether there are any important pending developments,
including cybersecurity matters, which need to be made public before the
individual may participate in the market.
                                                                            

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Periodically, certain of our executive officers adopt written stock trading
plans in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act and our own Stock
Trading Policy. A Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan is a written document that
pre-establishes the amount, prices and dates (or formulas for determining the
amounts, prices and dates) of future purchases or sales of our stock, including
shares issued upon exercise of stock options or vesting of deferred stock units.
These plans are entered into at a time when the person is not in possession of
material non-public information about the Company. We disclose details regarding
individual Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans on the Investor Relations section of our
website.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures



To supplement our unaudited consolidated financial statements presented on a
GAAP basis, we disclose certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted
net income (loss), adjusted net income (loss) available to common stockholders
and adjusted net income (loss) per share (EPS) that exclude certain amounts;
operational net sales, which exclude the impact of foreign currency
fluctuations; and organic net sales, which exclude the impact of foreign
currency fluctuations as well as the impact of certain acquisitions and
divestitures with less than a full period of comparable net sales. These
non-GAAP financial measures are not in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles in the United States and should not be considered in
isolation from or as a replacement for the most directly comparable GAAP
financial measures. Further, other companies may calculate these non-GAAP
financial measures differently than we do, which may limit the usefulness of
those measures for comparative purposes.

To calculate adjusted net income (loss), adjusted net income (loss) available to
common stockholders and adjusted net income (loss) per share we exclude certain
charges (credits) from GAAP net income (loss) and GAAP net income (loss)
available to common stockholders. Amounts are presented after-tax at our
effective tax rate, unless the amount is a significant unusual or infrequently
occurring item in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board
Accounting Standards Codification Topic 740-270-30, "General Methodology and Use
of Estimated Annual Effective Tax Rate." Please refer to Part II, Item 7.
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations in our most recent Annual Report filed on Form 10-K filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission for an explanation of each of these
adjustments and the reasons for excluding each item.

The GAAP financial measures most directly comparable to adjusted net income
(loss), adjusted net income (loss) available to common stockholders and adjusted
net income (loss) per share are GAAP net income (loss), GAAP net income (loss)
available to common stockholders and GAAP net income (loss) per common share -
assuming dilution, respectively.

To calculate operational net sales growth rates, which exclude the impact of
foreign currency fluctuations, we convert actual net sales from local currency
to U.S. dollars using constant foreign currency exchange rates in the current
and prior periods. To calculate organic net sales growth rates, we also remove
the impact of acquisitions and divestitures with less than a full period of
comparable net sales. The GAAP financial measure most directly comparable to
operational net sales and organic net sales is net sales on a GAAP basis.

Reconciliations of each of these non-GAAP financial measures to the corresponding GAAP financial measure are included in the relevant sections of this Quarterly Report.



Management uses these supplemental non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate
performance period over period, to analyze the underlying trends in our
business, to assess our performance relative to our competitors and to establish
operational goals and forecasts that are used in allocating resources. In
addition, management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to further its
understanding of the performance of our operating segments. The adjustments
excluded from our non-GAAP financial measures are consistent with those excluded
from our operating segments' measures of net sales and profit or loss. These
adjustments are excluded from the segment measures reported to our chief
operating decision maker that are used to make operating decisions and assess
performance.

We believe that presenting adjusted net income (loss), adjusted net income
(loss) available to common stockholders, adjusted net income (loss) per share,
operational net sales and organic net sales growth rates, in addition to the
corresponding GAAP financial measures, provides investors greater transparency
to the information used by management for its operational decision-making and
allows investors to see our results "through the eyes" of management. We further
believe that providing this information assists our investors in understanding
our operating performance and the methodology used by management to evaluate and
measure such performance.

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Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements



Certain statements that we may make from time to time, including statements
contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and information incorporated by
reference herein, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words like
"anticipate," "expect," "project," "believe," "plan," "may,", "estimate,"
"intend," "aim," "goal," "target," "continue," "hope" and similar words. These
forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and estimates
using information available to us at the time and are not intended to be
guarantees of future events or performance. If our underlying assumptions turn
out to be incorrect, or if certain risks or uncertainties materialize, actual
results could vary materially from the expectations and projections expressed or
implied by our forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are based
on certain risks and uncertainties, including the risk factors described in Part
I, Item 1A. Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and the
specific risk factors discussed herein and in connection with forward-looking
statements throughout this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which could cause
actual results to vary materially from the expectations and projections
expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. These risks and
uncertainties, in some cases, have affected and in the future could affect our
ability to implement our business strategy and may cause actual results to
differ materially from those contemplated by the statements expressed in this
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties
that may cause such differences include, among other things: the impact of the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on our operations and financial results; future U.S.
and global economic, political, competitive, reimbursement and regulatory
conditions, including as a result of the ongoing conflict between Russia and
Ukraine; manufacturing, distribution and supply chain disruptions and cost
increases; disruptions caused by cybersecurity events; disruptions caused by
extreme weather or other climate change-related events; labor shortages and
increases in labor costs; new product introductions and the market acceptance of
those products; markets for our products; expected pricing environment; expected
procedural volumes; the closing and integration of acquisitions; clinical trial
results; demographic trends; intellectual property rights; litigation; financial
market conditions; the execution and effect of our restructuring program; the
execution and effect of our business strategy, including our cost-savings and
growth initiatives; our ability to achieve environmental, social and governance
goals and commitments; and future business decisions made by us and our
competitors. New risks and uncertainties may arise from time to time and are
difficult to predict, including those that have emerged or have increased in
significance or likelihood as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. All of these
factors are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of them are
beyond our control. For a further list and description of these and other
important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations, refer
to Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K
filed with the SEC, which we may update in Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors in
subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that we will file hereafter, and Part
II, Item 1A. Risk Factors in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We disclaim any
intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statement to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions, or
circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that may affect the
likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the
forward-looking statements. This cautionary statement is applicable to all
forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report.

The following are some of the important risk factors that could cause our actual
results to differ materially from our expectations in any forward-looking
statements. For further discussion of these and other risk factors, refer to
Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and
Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Our Businesses
•The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the worldwide economy and financial
markets, and developments related to the disease, including the time it will
take for vaccines to be broadly distributed and administered worldwide, and the
effectiveness of such vaccines in slowing or stopping the spread of COVID-19 and
variants thereof and mitigating the economic effects of the pandemic,

•The economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including inflation, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions,

•The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon the scheduling of elective and semi-emergent procedures,

•The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our global manufacturing and distribution system, including the quality of our products and the availability and cost of raw materials and direct labor,

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•Our ability to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and increase net sales, expand the markets in which we participate, capture market share and adapt to market volatility,

•The impact of natural disasters, climate change, additional future public health crises and other catastrophic events on our ability to manufacture, distribute and sell our products,

•Competitive offerings and related declines in average selling prices for our products,

•The ongoing impact on our business of physician alignment to hospitals, governmental investigations and audits of hospitals and other market and economic conditions on the overall number of procedures performed,

•The performance of, and physician and patient confidence in, our products and technologies or those of our competitors,



•The impact and outcome of ongoing and future clinical trials and market studies
undertaken by us, our competitors or other third parties or perceived product
performance of our or our competitors' products,

•Variations in clinical results, reliability or product performance of our and our competitors' products,

•Our ability to acquire or develop, launch and supply new or next-generation products and technologies worldwide and in line with our commercialization strategies in a timely and successful manner and with respect to our recent acquisitions,

•The effect of consolidation and competition in the markets in which we do business or plan to do business,



•Disruption in the manufacture or supply of certain components, materials or
products, or the failure to secure in a timely manner alternative manufacturing
or additional or replacement components, materials or products,

•Our ability to achieve our projected level or mix of product sales, as some of our products are more profitable than others,



•Our ability to attract and retain talent, including key personnel associated
with recent acquisitions, and to maintain our robust corporate culture, and
continue to execute plans to return employees to offices in jurisdictions where
safe and feasible,

•The inability of certain of our employees to return to work full-time due to
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, or our inability to recruit personnel into
direct labor roles for the duration of the pandemic,

•The impact of enhanced requirements to obtain and maintain regulatory approval
in the U.S. and around the world, including EU MDR and the associated timing and
cost of product approval,

•The impact of increased pressure on the availability and rate of third-party
reimbursement for our products and procedures in the U.S. and around the world,
including with respect to the timing and costs of creating and expanding markets
for new products and technologies,

•The issuance of new or revised accounting standards by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or the Securities and Exchange Commission, and

•The impact of potential goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges on our results of operations.

Regulatory Compliance, Litigation and Data Protection



•The impact of healthcare policy changes and legislative or regulatory efforts
in the U.S., the EU and around the world to modify product approval or
reimbursement processes, including a trend toward demonstrating clinical
outcomes, comparative effectiveness and cost efficiency, as well as the impact
of other healthcare reform legislation,

•Risks associated with our regulatory compliance and quality systems and activities in the U.S., the EU and around the world, including meeting regulatory standards applicable to manufacturing and quality processes,

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•The effect of legal, regulatory or market responses to global climate change,

•Our ability to minimize or avoid future field actions or FDA warning letters relating to our products and processes and the ongoing inherent risk of potential physician advisories related to our or our competitors' products,

•The impact of increased scrutiny of and heightened global regulatory enforcement facing the medical device industry arising from political and regulatory changes, economic pressures or otherwise, including under U.S. Anti-Kickback Statute, U.S. False Claims Act and similar laws in other jurisdictions, U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and similar laws in other jurisdictions, and U.S. and foreign export control, trade embargo and customs laws,

•Costs and risks associated with current and future asserted litigation,

•The effect of our litigation and risk management practices, including self-insurance and compliance activities on our loss contingencies, legal provisions and cash flows,

•The impact of, diversion of management attention as a result of, and costs to cooperate with, litigate and/or resolve governmental investigations and our class action, product liability, contract and other legal proceedings,

•The possibility of failure to protect our intellectual property rights and the outcome of patent litigation,



•Our ability to operate properly our information systems that support our
business operations and protect our data integrity and products from a
cyber-attack or other breach that has a material adverse effect on our business,
reputation or results of operations including increased risks as an indirect
result of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and

•The potential impact to internal control over financial reporting relating to
potential restrictions to access to consigned inventory at customer locations
for our inventory count procedures.

Innovation and Certain Growth Initiatives



•The timing, size and nature of our strategic growth initiatives and market
opportunities, including with respect to our internal research and development
platforms and externally available research and development platforms and
technologies and the ultimate cost and success of those initiatives and
opportunities,

•Our ability to complete planned clinical trials successfully, obtain regulatory
approvals and launch new and next generation products in a timely manner
consistent with cost estimates, including the successful completion of projects
from in-process research and development,

•Our ability to identify and prioritize our internal research and development
project portfolio and our external investment portfolio on profitable net sales
growth opportunities as well as to maintain the estimated timing and costs of
such projects and expected revenue levels for the resulting products and
technologies,

•Our ability to develop, manufacture and market new products and technologies
successfully and in a timely manner and the ability of our competitors and other
third parties to develop products or technologies that render our products or
technologies noncompetitive or obsolete,

•Our ability to execute appropriate decisions to discontinue, write-down or
reduce the funding of any of our research and development projects, including
projects from in-process research and development from our acquisitions, in our
growth adjacencies or otherwise,

•Our dependence on acquisitions, alliances or investments to introduce new
products or technologies and to enter new or adjacent growth markets and our
ability to fund them or to fund contingent payments with respect to those
acquisitions, alliances and investments, and

•The potential failure to successfully integrate and realize the expected benefits, including cost synergies, from the strategic acquisitions, alliances and investments we have consummated or may consummate in the future.

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International Markets

•Our dependency on international net sales to achieve growth, including in emerging markets,

•The timing and collectability of customer payments, as well as our ability to continue factoring customer receivables where we have factoring arrangements,

•The impact on pricing due to national and regional tenders,

•Geopolitical and economic conditions, including civil unrest, terrorist activity, governmental changes, restrictions on the ability to transfer capital across borders, tariffs and other protectionist measures,

•The impact of the Russia/Ukraine conflict, and related, downstream effects thereof,

•The impact of the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union,

•Protection of our intellectual property,



•Our ability to comply with established and developing U.S. and foreign legal
and regulatory requirements, including FCPA, EU MDR and similar laws in other
jurisdictions,

•Our ability to comply with U.S. and foreign export control, trade embargo and customs laws,

•The impact of changes in reimbursement practices and policies,

•The impact of significant developments or uncertainties stemming from changes in the U.S. government following presidential and congressional elections, including changes in U.S. trade policies, tariffs and the reaction of other countries thereto, particularly China,



•Our ability to maintain or expand our worldwide market positions in the various
markets in which we compete or seek to compete, including through investments in
product diversification and emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and
China,

•Our ability to execute and realize anticipated benefits from our investments in emerging markets, and

•The potential effect of foreign currency fluctuations and interest rate fluctuations on our net sales, expenses and resulting margins.

Liquidity



•Our ability to generate sufficient cash flow to fund operations, capital
expenditures, global expansion initiatives, any litigation settlements and
judgments, share repurchases and strategic investments and acquisitions as well
as maintaining our investment grade ratings and managing our debt levels and
financial covenant compliance, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic
and lower demand for our products,

•Our ability to access the public and private capital markets when desired and to issue debt or equity securities on terms reasonably acceptable to us,

•The unfavorable resolution of open tax matters, exposure to additional tax liabilities and the impact of changes in U.S. and international tax laws,

•The unfavorable resolution of open litigation matters, exposure to additional loss contingencies and legal provisions,

•The impact of examinations and assessments by domestic and international taxing authorities on our tax provisions, financial condition or results of operations,

•The possibility of counterparty default on our derivative financial instruments, and

•Our ability to collect outstanding and future receivables and/or sell receivables under our factoring programs.

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Cost Reduction and Optimization Initiatives



•Risks associated with changes made or expected to be made to our organizational
and operational structure, pursuant to our restructuring plans as well as any
further restructuring or optimization plans we may undertake in the future and
our ability to recognize benefits and cost reductions from such programs and

•Business disruption and employee distraction as we execute our global compliance program, restructuring and optimization plans and divestitures of assets or businesses and implement our other strategic and cost reduction initiatives.

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