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Earnings per share
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Earnings per share [abstract]  
Earnings per share
7. Earnings per share
2020
2019
2018
Net income attributable to shareholders of Novartis AG (USD millions)
- Continuing operations
8 072
7 142
12 797
- Discontinued operations
4 590
– 186
Total
8 072
11 732
12 611
Number of shares (in millions)
Weighted average number of shares outstanding used in basic earnings per share
2 277
2 291
2 319
Adjustment for vesting of restricted shares, restricted share units and dilutive shares from options
19
28
25
Weighted average number of shares in diluted earnings per share
2 296
2 319
2 344
Basic earnings per share (USD)
- Continuing operations
3.55
3.12
5.52
- Discontinued operations
2.00
– 0.08
Total
3.55
5.12
5.44
Diluted earnings per share (USD)
- Continuing operations
3.52
3.08
5.46
- Discontinued operations
1.98
– 0.08
Total
3.52
5.06
5.38
Basic earnings per share (EPS) is calculated by dividing net income attributable to shareholders of Novartis AG by the weighted average number of shares outstanding in a reporting period. This calculation excludes the average number of issued shares purchased by the Group and held as treasury shares.
For diluted EPS, the weighted average number of shares outstanding is adjusted to assume the vesting of all restricted shares, restricted share units, and the conversion of all potentially dilutive shares arising from options on Novartis shares that have been issued.
No options were excluded from the calculation of diluted EPS in 2020, 2019 or 2018, as all options were dilutive in all years.