SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information. The financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments that the management of Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Gilead, we, our or us) believes are necessary for a fair presentation of the periods presented. These interim financial results are not necessarily indicative of results expected for the full fiscal year or for any subsequent interim period.

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Gilead, our wholly-owned subsidiaries and certain variable interest entities for which we are the primary beneficiary. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated. For consolidated entities where we own or are exposed to less than 100% of the economics, we record net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income equal to the percentage of the economic or ownership interest retained in such entities by the respective noncontrolling parties.

We assess whether we are the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity (VIE) at the inception of the arrangement and at each reporting date. This assessment is based on our power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and our obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. As of September 30, 2018, we did not have any material VIEs.

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and the related notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2017, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Significant Accounting Policies, Estimates and Judgments

The preparation of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosures. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our significant accounting policies and estimates. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various market-specific and other relevant assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Estimates are assessed each period and updated to reflect current information. Actual results may differ significantly from these estimates.

Concentrations of Risk

We are subject to credit risk from our portfolio of cash equivalents and marketable securities. Under our investment policy, we limit amounts invested in such securities by credit rating, maturity, industry group, investment type and issuer, except for securities issued by the U.S. government. We are not exposed to any significant concentrations of credit risk from these financial instruments. The goals of our investment policy, in order of priority, are as follows: safety and preservation of principal and diversification of risk; liquidity of investments sufficient to meet cash flow requirements; and a competitive after-tax rate of return.

We are also subject to credit risk from our accounts receivable related to our product sales. The majority of our trade accounts receivable arises from product sales in the United States and Europe. To date, we have not experienced significant losses with respect to the collection of our accounts receivable. We believe that our allowance for doubtful accounts was adequate as of September 30, 2018.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (Topic 606). Topic 606 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605 “Revenue Recognition” (Topic 605) and requires entities to recognize revenue in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled when promised goods or services are transferred to a customer. Entities adopting Topic 606 had the option of using either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach.

On January 1, 2018, we adopted Topic 606 using the modified retrospective method applied to those contracts which were not completed as of January 1, 2018. As such, results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018 are presented under Topic 606, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with our historical accounting under Topic 605.

As discussed further in Note 2, Revenues, our product sales are recognized when control of the product transfers, generally upon shipment or delivery to the customer. Certain product sales that were deferred under the sell-through or cash basis methods of accounting because fees were not fixed or determinable prior to the adoption of Topic 606 are now recognized upon transfer of control. Royalty revenue is recognized in the period in which the corresponding sales by our corporate partners occur. Prior to the adoption of Topic 606, royalty revenue was generally recognized in the quarter following the quarter in which the corresponding sales by our corporate partners occurred.

The cumulative effect of the changes made to our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of January 1, 2018 for the adoption of Topic 606 was as follows (in millions):



	December 31, 2017		Adjustments Due to Topic 606			January 1, 2018
Prepaid and other current assets	$	1,661	$	96		$	1,757
Other long-term assets	$	2,722	$	10		$	2,732
Other accrued liabilities	$	3,370	$	(115	)	$	3,255
Other long-term obligations	$	558	$	31		$	589
Retained earnings	$	19,012	$	190		$	19,202

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the impact to our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as a result of applying Topic 606 in place of Topic 605 was not material.

In January 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01 “Financial Instruments - Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (ASU 2016-01). ASU 2016-01 changes accounting for equity investments, financial liabilities under the fair value option and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. Additionally, ASU 2016-01 clarifies guidance related to the valuation allowance assessment when recognizing deferred tax assets resulting from unrealized losses on available-for-sale debt securities. On January 1, 2018, we adopted this standard using a modified retrospective approach. The standard requires that equity investments with readily determinable fair values be measured at fair value with any changes in fair value recognized in earnings. As a result of the adoption, we reclassified $293 million of unrealized net gain from accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) to retained earnings on January 1, 2018, which primarily consisted of $278 million unrealized gain from our equity investment in Galapagos NV.

In August 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2017-12 “Derivatives and Hedging: Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities” (ASU 2017-12). The amendments in ASU 2017-12 more closely align the results of hedge accounting with risk management activities. ASU 2017-12 also amends the presentation and disclosure requirements and eases documentation and effectiveness assessment requirements. Pursuant to the provisions of ASU 2017-12, we are no longer required to separately measure and recognize hedge ineffectiveness for highly effective hedges. On January 1, 2018, we early adopted this standard on a prospective basis. Upon adoption of ASU 2017-12, we no longer recognize hedge ineffectiveness in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income, but we instead recognize the entire change in the fair value of the hedge contract in AOCI. The adoption did not have a material impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. The primary impact of adoption was required disclosure changes. See Note 5, Derivative Financial Instruments, for additional information.

In March 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-05 “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118” (ASU 2018-05). ASU 2018-05 amends Topic 740 by incorporating the SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (SAB 118) issued on December 22, 2017. SAB 118 provides guidance on accounting for the effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Tax Reform) and allows a company to record provisional amounts during a measurement period not to extend beyond one year from the enactment date. See Note 14, Income Taxes, for additional information.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 “Leases” (Topic 842). Topic 842 amends a number of aspects of lease accounting, including requiring lessees to recognize leases with a term greater than one year as a right-of-use asset and corresponding liability, measured at the present value of the lease payments. In July 2018, the FASB issued supplemental adoption guidance and clarification to Topic 842 within ASU 2018-10 “Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases” and ASU 2018-11 “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements.” The guidance will become effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2019 and early adoption is permitted. We plan to adopt these standards on the effective date by recording a cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings on January 1, 2019.

As we continue to evaluate the impact of the adoption of these standards, we anticipate recognition of additional assets and corresponding liabilities related to leases on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets with no material impact to our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. We plan to elect the practical expedients upon transition that will retain the lease classification and initial direct costs for any leases that existed prior to the adoption of these standards. We will not reassess whether any contracts entered into prior to the adoption are leases. We are in the process of implementing a new lease accounting system and updating our controls and procedures for maintaining and accounting for our lease portfolio under the new guidance.

In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13 “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” (ASU 2016-13). ASU 2016-13 requires measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets. This guidance will become effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2020 and must be adopted using a modified retrospective approach, with certain exceptions. Early adoption is permitted beginning in the first quarter of 2019. We are evaluating the impact of the adoption of this standard on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.