THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INC

Note 12. Commitments and Contingencies

Purchase Obligations

The company has entered into unconditional purchase obligations, in the ordinary course of business, that include agreements to purchase goods, services or fixed assets and to pay royalties that are enforceable and legally binding and that specify all significant terms including: fixed or minimum quantities to be purchased; fixed, minimum or variable price provisions; and the approximate timing of the transaction. Purchase obligations exclude agreements that are cancelable at any time without penalty. The aggregate amount of the company’s unconditional purchase obligations totaled $2.53 billion at December 31, 2023, the majority of which are expected to be settled during 2024.

Letters of Credit, Guarantees and Other Commitments

Outstanding letters of credit and bank guarantees totaled $315 million at December 31, 2023. Substantially all of these letters of credit and guarantees expire before 2040.

Outstanding surety bonds and other guarantees totaled $93 million at December 31, 2023. The expiration of these bonds and guarantees ranges through 2025.

The letters of credit, bank guarantees and surety bonds principally secure performance obligations, and allow the holder to draw funds up to the face amount of the letter of credit, bank guarantee or surety bond if the applicable business unit does not perform as contractually required.

The company has funding commitments totaling $164 million at December 31, 2023, related to investments.

The company is a guarantor of pension plan obligations of a divested business. The purchaser of the divested business has agreed to pay for the pension benefits, however the company was required to guarantee payment of these pension benefits should the purchaser fail to do so. The amount of the guarantee at December 31, 2023 was $24 million.

In connection with the sale of businesses of the company, the buyers have assumed certain contractual obligations of such businesses and have agreed to indemnify the company with respect to those assumed liabilities. In the event a third-party to a transferred contract does not recognize the transfer of obligations or a buyer defaults on its obligations under the transferred contract, the company could be liable to the third-party for such obligations. However, in such event, the company would be entitled to seek indemnification from the buyer.

Indemnifications

In conjunction with certain transactions, primarily divestitures, the company has agreed to indemnify the other parties with respect to certain liabilities related to the businesses that were sold or leased properties that were abandoned (e.g., retention of certain environmental, tax, employee and product liabilities). The scope and duration of such indemnity obligations vary from transaction to transaction. Where probable, an obligation for such indemnifications is recorded as a liability. Generally, a maximum obligation cannot be reasonably estimated. Other than obligations recorded as liabilities at the time of divestiture, historically the company has not made significant payments for these indemnifications.

In connection with the company’s efforts to reduce the number of facilities that it occupies, the company has vacated some of its leased facilities or sublet them to third parties. When the company sublets a facility to a third-party, it remains the primary obligor under the master lease agreement with the owner of the facility. As a result, if a third-party vacates the sublet facility, the company would be obligated to make lease or other payments under the master lease agreement. The company believes that the financial risk of default by sublessors is individually and in the aggregate not material to the company’s financial position or results of operations.

In connection with the sale of products in the ordinary course of business, the company often makes representations affirming, among other things, that its products do not infringe on the intellectual property rights of others and agrees to indemnify customers against third-party claims for such infringement. The company has not been required to make material payments under such provisions.

Environmental Matters

The company is currently involved in various stages of investigation and remediation related to environmental matters. The company cannot predict all potential costs related to environmental remediation matters and the possible impact on future operations given the uncertainties regarding the extent of the required cleanup, the complexity and interpretation of applicable laws and regulations, the varying costs of alternative cleanup methods and the extent of the company’s responsibility. Expenses for environmental remediation matters related to the costs of installing, operating and maintaining groundwater-treatment systems and other remedial activities related to historical environmental contamination at the company’s domestic and international facilities were not material in any period presented. The company records accruals for environmental remediation liabilities, based on current interpretations of environmental laws and regulations, when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of such liability can be reasonably estimated. The company calculates estimates based upon several factors, including input from environmental specialists and management’s knowledge of and experience with these environmental matters. The company includes in these estimates potential costs for investigation, remediation and operation and maintenance of cleanup sites. At December 31, 2023, the company’s total environmental liability was approximately $75 million. While management believes the accruals for environmental remediation are adequate based on current estimates of remediation costs, the company may be subject to additional remedial or compliance costs due to future events such as changes in existing laws and regulations, changes in agency direction or enforcement policies, developments in remediation technologies or changes in the conduct of the company’s operations, which could have a material adverse effect on the company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Litigation and Related Contingencies

The company is involved in various disputes, governmental and/or regulatory inspections, inquiries, investigations and proceedings, and litigation matters that arise from time to time in the ordinary course of business. The disputes and litigation matters include product liability, intellectual property, employment and commercial issues. The company determines the probability and range of possible loss based on the current status of each of these matters. A liability is recorded in the financial statements if it is believed to be probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. The company establishes a liability that is an estimate of amounts expected to be paid in the future for events that have already occurred. The company accrues the most likely amount or at least the minimum of the range of probable loss when a range of probable loss can be estimated. The accrued liabilities are based on management’s judgment as to the probability of losses for asserted and unasserted claims and, where applicable, actuarially determined estimates. Accrual estimates are adjusted as additional information becomes known or payments are made. The amount of ultimate loss may differ from these estimates. Due to the inherent uncertainties associated with pending litigation or claims, the company cannot predict the outcome, nor, with respect to certain pending litigation or claims where no liability has been accrued, make a meaningful estimate of the reasonably possible loss or range of loss that could result from an unfavorable outcome. The company has no material accruals for pending litigation or claims for which accrual amounts are not disclosed below, nor are material losses deemed probable for such matters. It is reasonably possible, however, that an unfavorable outcome that exceeds the company’s current accrual estimate, if any, for one or more of the matters described below could have a material adverse effect on the company’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

Product Liability, Workers Compensation and Other Personal Injury Matters

The company is involved in various proceedings and litigation that arise from time to time in connection with product liability, workers compensation and other personal injury matters. The range of probable loss for product liability, workers compensation and other personal injury matters of the company’s continuing operations at December 31, 2023, was approximately $222 million to $379 million. The company’s accrual for these matters totaled $224 million at December 31, 2023. The accrual includes estimated defense costs and is gross of estimated amounts due from insurers of $88 million at December 31, 2023 that are included in other assets in the accompanying balance sheet. In addition, as of December 31, 2023, the company had a product liability accrual of $20 million relating to divested businesses.

Although the company believes that the amounts accrued and estimated recoveries are probable and appropriate based on available information, including actuarial studies of loss estimates, the process of estimating losses and insurance recoveries involves a considerable degree of judgment by management and the ultimate amounts could vary, which could have a material adverse effect on the company’s results of operations, financial position, and cash flows. Insurance contracts do not relieve the company of its primary obligation with respect to any losses incurred. The collectability of amounts due from its insurers is subject to the solvency and willingness of the insurer to pay, as well as the legal sufficiency of the insurance claims. Management monitors the payment history as well as the financial condition and ratings of its insurers on an ongoing basis.

Note 13. Comprehensive Income/(Loss) and Shareholders' Equity

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Changes in each component of accumulated other comprehensive items, net of tax are as follows:

Shareholders’ Equity

At December 31, 2023, the company had reserved 39 million unissued shares of its common stock for possible issuance under stock-based compensation plans.

Early in the first quarter of 2024, the company repurchased $3.00 billion of the company's common stock (5.5 million shares).

Note 14. Fair Value Measurements and Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value Measurements

The company uses the market approach technique to value its financial instruments and there were no changes in valuation techniques during 2023. The company’s financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value are primarily comprised of investments in publicly traded securities, insurance contracts, investments in derivative contracts, mutual funds holding publicly traded securities and other investments in unit trusts held as assets to satisfy outstanding deferred compensation and retirement liabilities; and acquisition-related contingent consideration.

Assets and liabilities carried at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:

Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the company has the ability to access.

Level 2: Observable market based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data such as quoted prices, interest rates and yield curves.

Level 3: Inputs are unobservable data points that are not corroborated by market data.

The following tables present information about the company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

The company uses the Black-Scholes model to value its warrants. The company determines the fair value of its insurance contracts by obtaining the cash surrender value of the contracts from the issuer. The fair value of derivative contracts is the estimated amount that the company would receive/pay upon liquidation of the contracts, taking into account the change in interest rates and currency exchange rates. The company initially measures the fair value of acquisition-related contingent consideration based on amounts expected to be transferred (probability-weighted) discounted to present value. Changes to the fair value of contingent consideration are recorded in selling, general and administrative expense.

The following table provides a rollforward of the fair value, as determined by level 3 inputs (such as likelihood of achieving production or revenue milestones, as well as changes in the fair values of the investments underlying a recapitalization investment portfolio), of the contingent consideration.

Derivative Contracts

The following table provides the aggregate notional value of outstanding derivative contracts.

While certain derivatives are subject to netting arrangements with counterparties, the company does not offset derivative assets and liabilities within the balance sheet. The following tables present the fair value of derivative instruments in the accompanying balance sheets and statements of income.

(a)The fair value of the cross-currency interest rate swaps is included in the accompanying balance sheet under the caption other assets or other long-term liabilities.

(b)The fair value of the currency exchange contracts is included in the accompanying balance sheet under the captions other current assets or other accrued expenses.

Gains and losses recognized on currency exchange contracts and the interest rate swaps designated as fair value hedges are included in the accompanying statements of income together with the corresponding, offsetting losses and gains on the underlying hedged transactions.

The company uses foreign currency-denominated debt, certain foreign currency-denominated payables, and cross-currency interest rate swaps to partially hedge its net investments in foreign operations against adverse movements in exchange rates. A portion of the company’s euro-denominated senior notes, certain foreign currency-denominated payables, and its cross-currency interest rate swaps have been designated as, and are effective as, economic hedges of part of the net investment in a foreign operation. Accordingly, foreign currency transaction gains or losses due to spot rate fluctuations on the euro-denominated debt instruments and certain foreign currency-denominated payables, and contract fair value changes on the cross-currency interest rate swaps, excluding interest accruals, are included in currency translation adjustment within other comprehensive items and shareholders’ equity.

See Note 1 and Note 10 for additional information on the company’s risk management objectives and strategies.

Cash Flow Hedge Arrangements

During 2021, in connection with the extinguishment of debt (Note 10), the company reclassified $65 million from accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) to other income/(expense).

Fair Value of Other Financial Instruments

The carrying value and fair value of the company’s debt instruments are as follows:

The fair value of debt instruments, excluding private placement notes, was determined based on quoted market prices and on borrowing rates available to the company at the respective period ends, which represent level 2 measurements. The fair value of private placement notes was determined based on internally developed pricing models and unobservable inputs, which represent level 3 measurements.

Note 15. Supplemental Cash Flow Information

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash is included in the consolidated balance sheet as follows:

Amounts included in restricted cash primarily represent funds held as collateral for bank guarantees and incoming cash in China awaiting government administrative clearance.

Note 16. Restructuring and Other Costs

Restructuring and other costs in 2023 primarily included continuing charges for headcount reductions and facility consolidations in an effort to streamline operations, impairment of long-lived assets, and, to a lesser extent, net charges for pre-acquisition litigation and other matters. In 2023, severance actions associated with facility consolidations and cost reduction measures affected approximately 5% of the company’s workforce.

Restructuring and other costs in 2022 primarily included impairment of long-lived assets and continuing charges for headcount reductions and facility consolidations in an effort to streamline operations. In 2022, severance actions associated with facility consolidations and cost reduction measures affected less than 2% of the company’s workforce.

Restructuring and other costs in 2021 primarily included charges for impairments of an acquired technology asset and a tradename asset, and, to a lesser extent, compensation due to employees at acquired businesses on the date of acquisition. In 2021, severance actions associated with facility consolidations and cost reduction measures affected less than 1% of the company’s workforce.

As of February 22, 2024, the company has identified restructuring actions that will result in additional charges of approximately $70 million, primarily in 2024, and expects to identify additional actions in future periods which will be recorded when specified criteria are met, such as communication of benefit arrangements or when the costs have been incurred.

Restructuring and other costs by segment are as follows:

The following table summarizes the changes in the company’s accrued restructuring balance. Other amounts reported asrestructuring and other costs in the accompanying statement of income have been summarized in the notes to the table. Accrued restructuring costs are included in other accrued expenses in the accompanying balance sheet.

(a)The movements in the restructuring liability principally consist of severance and other costs associated with facility consolidations.

(b)Excludes $160 million of charges, principally $122 million for impairments of an acquired technology asset and a tradename asset in the Life Sciences Solutions and Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services segments, principally resulting from a reduction in expected cash flows, and $35 million of charges for compensation contractually due to employees of acquired businesses at the date of acquisition in the Life Sciences Solutions and Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services segments.

(c)Excludes $46 million of net charges, primarily charges for impairment of long-lived assets in the Specialty Diagnostic segment.

(d)Excludes $264 million of net charges, principally $126 million of charges for impairment of long-lived assets in the Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services and Life Sciences Solutions segments, $26 million of contract termination costs associated with facility closures in the Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services segment, and $19 million of net charges for pre-acquisition litigation and other matters in the Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services segment.

(e)Excludes $93 million of charges in the Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services segment for impairments of a disposal group that was held for sale beginning in the third quarter of 2023. The loss attributable to Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. was reduced by $46 million attributable to a noncontrolling interest.

The company expects to pay accrued restructuring costs primarily through 2024.