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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of significant accounting policies | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Business Overview Biogen is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering therapies to people living with serious neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Our marketed products include TECFIDERA, AVONEX, PLEGRIDY, TYSABRI, ZINBRYTA and FAMPYRA for multiple sclerosis (MS), SPINRAZA for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and FUMADERM for the treatment of severe plaque psoriasis. We also have certain business and financial rights with respect to RITUXAN for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and other conditions, GAZYVA indicated for the treatment of CLL and follicular lymphoma, OCREVUS indicated for the treatment of primary progressive MS (PPMS) and relapsing MS (RMS), and other potential anti-CD20 therapies under a collaboration agreement with Genentech, Inc. (Genentech), a wholly-owned member of the Roche Group. We support our drug discovery and development efforts through the commitment of significant resources to discovery, research and development programs and business development opportunities, particularly within areas of our scientific, manufacturing and technical capabilities. Our research is currently focused on additional improvements in the treatment of MS, solving some of the most challenging and complex diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and employing innovative technologies to discover potential treatments for rare and genetic disorders, including new ways of treating diseases through gene therapy. Our innovative drug development and commercialization activities are complemented by our biosimilar therapies that expand access to medicines and reduce the cost burden for healthcare systems. We are leveraging our manufacturing capabilities and know-how to develop, manufacture and market biosimilars through Samsung Bioepis, our joint venture with Samsung BioLogics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Biologics). Under our commercial agreement, we market and sell BENEPALI, an etanercept biosimilar referencing ENBREL, and FLIXABI, an infliximab biosimilar referencing REMICADE, in the European Union (E.U.). Hemophilia Spin-Off On February 1, 2017, we completed the spin-off of our hemophilia business, Bioverativ Inc. (Bioverativ), as an independent, publicly traded company. Our consolidated results of operations and financial position included in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect the financial results of our hemophilia business for all periods through January 31, 2017. For additional information related to the spin-off of our hemophilia business, please read Note 2, Hemophilia Spin-Off, to these condensed consolidated financial statements. Basis of Presentation In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, necessary for a fair presentation of our financial statements for interim periods in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP). The information included in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 (2016 Form 10-K). Our accounting policies are described in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” in our 2016 Form 10-K and updated, as necessary, in this Form 10-Q. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data presented for comparative purposes was derived from our audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full year or for any other subsequent interim period. We operate as one operating segment, which is focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering therapies to people living with serious neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Consolidation Our condensed consolidated financial statements reflect our financial statements, those of our wholly-owned subsidiaries and those of certain variable interest entities where we are the primary beneficiary. For consolidated entities where we own or are exposed to less than 100% of the economics, we record net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests 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. Intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. In determining whether we are the primary beneficiary of an entity, we apply a qualitative approach that determines whether we have both (1) the power to direct the economically significant activities of the entity and (2) the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the entity that could potentially be significant to that entity. These considerations impact the way we account for our existing collaborative relationships and other arrangements. We continuously assess whether we are the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity as changes to existing relationships or future transactions may result in us consolidating or deconsolidating one or more of our collaborators or partners. Use of Estimates The preparation of our condensed consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates, judgments and assumptions that may affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, equity, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an ongoing basis we evaluate our estimates, judgments and methodologies. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities and equity and the amount of revenues and expenses. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. New Accounting Pronouncements From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) or other standard setting bodies that we adopt as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, we do not believe that the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations upon adoption. In May 2014 the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which supersedes all existing revenue recognition requirements, including most industry-specific guidance. The new standard requires a company to recognize revenue when it transfers goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that the company expects to receive for those goods or services. The FASB has subsequently issued amendments to ASU No. 2014-09 that have the same effective date and transition date of January 1, 2018. We expect to adopt these standards using the modified retrospective method and continue to evaluate the potential impact that this standard may have on our financial position, results of operations and disclosures. During 2016 the FASB issued the following new standards, which we adopted on January 1, 2017:
• | ASU No. 2016-06, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Contingent Put and Call Options in Debt Instruments.
• | ASU No. 2016-07, Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Simplifying the Transition to the Equity Method of Accounting.
• | ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.
The adoption of these standards did not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or statement of cash flows; however, the adoption of ASU No. 2016-09 resulted in the reclassification of certain prior year amounts in our condensed consolidated statements of cash flows to conform to our current year presentation. Specifically, amounts previously disclosed in net cash flows used in financing activities related to our excess tax benefit from share-based compensation have been reclassified to net cash flows provided by operating activities and amounts related to cash paid when withholding shares for tax withholding purposes, previously disclosed in net cash flows provided by operating activities, have been reclassified to net cash flows used in financing activities. For additional information related to these standards, please read Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: New Accounting Pronouncements, to our consolidated financial statements included in our 2016 Form 10-K. In January 2016 the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. The new standard amends certain aspects of accounting and disclosure requirements of financial instruments, including the requirement that equity investments with readily determinable fair values be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in a company's results of operations. The new standard does not apply to investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting or those that result in consolidation of the investee. Equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values may be measured at fair value or at cost minus impairment adjusted for changes in observable prices. A financial liability that is measured at fair value in accordance with the fair value option is required to be presented separately in other comprehensive income for the portion of the total change in the fair value resulting from change in the instrument-specific credit risk. In addition, a valuation allowance should be evaluated on deferred tax assets related to available-for-sale debt securities in combination with other deferred tax assets. The new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2018. Based on our current investment holdings, the adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations; however, it will result in the reclassification of certain investments. In February 2016 the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The new standard requires that all lessees recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases on their balance sheet and disclose qualitative and quantitative information about their leasing arrangements. The new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2019. We are currently evaluating the impact that this standard may have on our results of operations, financial position and disclosures. As of March 31, 2017, the adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on our net financial position, but may materially impact the reported amount of total assets and total liabilities. In June 2016 the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The new standard changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments. Under the new standard, entities holding financial assets and net investment in leases that are not accounted for at fair value through net income are to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. An allowance for credit losses will be a valuation account that will be deducted from the amortized cost basis of the financial asset to present the net carrying value at the amount expected to be collected on the financial asset. The new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2020. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations. In August 2016 the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. The new standard clarifies certain aspects of the statement of cash flows, including the classification of debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs, settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing, contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies, distributions received from equity method investees and beneficial interests in securitization transactions. The new standard also clarifies that an entity should determine each separately identifiable source or use within the cash receipts and cash payments on the basis of the nature of the underlying cash flows. In situations in which cash receipts and payments have aspects of more than one class of cash flows and cannot be separated by source or use, the appropriate classification should depend on the activity that is likely to be the predominant source or use of cash flows for the item. The new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2018. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on our statements of cash flows upon adoption. In October 2016 the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfer of Assets Other Than Inventory. This new standard eliminates the deferral of the tax effects of intra-entity transfers of an asset other than inventory. Under the new standard, entities should recognize the income tax consequences on an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. This new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2018 and will be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The adoption of this standard is expected to have a material impact on our net financial position; however, the final effect of the adoption of this standard will depend on the nature and amount of future transactions. In January 2017 the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business. This new standard clarifies the definition of a business and provides a screen to determine when an integrated set of assets and activities is not a business. The screen requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business. This new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2018; however, we have adopted this standard as of January 1, 2017, with prospective application to any business development transaction. In January 2017 the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test of Goodwill Impairment. This new standard simplifies how an entity is required to test goodwill for impairment by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Step 2 measures a goodwill impairment loss by comparing the implied fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. This new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2020; however, early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations. In March 2017 the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, Compensation - Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost. This new standard will require that an employer disaggregate the service cost component from the other components of net benefit cost. The amendments also provide explicit guidance on how to present the service cost component and the other components of net benefit cost in the income statement and allow only the service cost component of net benefit cost to be eligible for capitalization. The other components of the net periodic benefit cost must be presented separately from the line items that include service cost and outside of any subtotal of operating income on the condensed consolidated statements of income. The new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2018. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations. In March 2017 the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-08, Receivables - Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20): Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities. This new standard amends the amortization period for certain purchased callable debt securities held at a premium by shortening the amortization period for the premium to the earliest call date. The new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2019. We are currently evaluating the potential impact that this standard may have on our financial position and results of operations.

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