v3.25.4
INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of indefinite-lived intangible assets
The major components of intangible assets consist of:
 Weighted-Average Remaining Useful Lives (Years)December 31, 2025December 31, 2024
(in millions)
Gross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization and Impairments
Net
Carrying
Amount
Gross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization and Impairments
Net
Carrying
Amount
Finite-lived intangible assets:
      
Product brands7$4,441 $(3,064)$1,377 $4,373 $(2,799)$1,574 
Corporate brands9102 (26)76 102 (18)84 
Product rights/patents5999 (988)11 993 (970)23 
Other787 (68)19 79 (64)15 
Total finite-lived intangible assets5,629 (4,146)1,483 5,547 (3,851)1,696 
Acquired in-process research and development intangible assetN/A100 — 100 100 — 100 
B&L TrademarkN/A1,698 — 1,698 1,698 — 1,698 
$7,427 $(4,146)$3,281 $7,345 $(3,851)$3,494 
Schedule of finite-lived intangible assets
The major components of intangible assets consist of:
 Weighted-Average Remaining Useful Lives (Years)December 31, 2025December 31, 2024
(in millions)
Gross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization and Impairments
Net
Carrying
Amount
Gross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization and Impairments
Net
Carrying
Amount
Finite-lived intangible assets:
      
Product brands7$4,441 $(3,064)$1,377 $4,373 $(2,799)$1,574 
Corporate brands9102 (26)76 102 (18)84 
Product rights/patents5999 (988)11 993 (970)23 
Other787 (68)19 79 (64)15 
Total finite-lived intangible assets5,629 (4,146)1,483 5,547 (3,851)1,696 
Acquired in-process research and development intangible assetN/A100 — 100 100 — 100 
B&L TrademarkN/A1,698 — 1,698 1,698 — 1,698 
$7,427 $(4,146)$3,281 $7,345 $(3,851)$3,494 
Schedule of estimated aggregate amortization expense for each of the five succeeding years
Estimated amortization expense of finite-lived intangible assets for the five years ending December 31 and thereafter are as follows:
(in millions)20262027202820292030ThereafterTotal
Amortization$225 $221 $220 $219 $216 $382 $1,483 
Schedule of changes in the carrying amount of goodwill
The changes in the carrying amounts of goodwill during the years ended 2025, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:
(in millions)Vision CarePharmaceuticalsSurgicalTotal
Balance, January 1, 2023
$3,549 $645 $313 $4,507 
Acquisitions (Note 4)— 23 31 
Foreign exchange and other25 37 
Balance, December 31, 2023
3,556 693 326 4,575 
Acquisitions (Note 4)— — 29 29 
Foreign exchange and other(27)(49)(5)(81)
Balance, December 31, 2024
3,529 644 350 4,523 
Acquisitions (Note 4)— — 97 97 
Foreign exchange and other26 100 12 138 
Balance, December 31, 2025
$3,555 $744 $459 $4,758