AbbVie Reports Full-Year and Fourth-Quarter 2017 Financial Results Reports Full-Year Diluted EPS of $3.30 on a GAAP Basis; Adjusted Diluted EPS of $5.60 Reflects Growth of 16.2 Percent Delivers Full-Year Ne

AbbVie Reports Full-Year and Fourth-Quarter 2017 Financial Results

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., January 26, 2018 - AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) announced financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2017.

"2017 reflects another year of top-tier performance, demonstrating the strong momentum in our business," said Richard A. Gonzalez, chairman and chief executive officer, AbbVie. "Our guidance for 2018 underscores our confidence in our ability to continue to deliver industry-leading performance. This is an exciting time for AbbVie -- we are poised to launch a number of differentiated products over the next 12 to 18 months that will fuel significant growth in the coming years. We remain committed to delivering on our long-term strategic vision for AbbVie."

Fourth-Quarter Results

$4.5 billion for mandatory taxation on previously unrepatriated earnings, partially offset by the revaluation of tax-related balance sheet items. These amounts have been treated as specified and excluded from adjusted diluted EPS. On a GAAP basis, the tax rate in the quarter was 95.6 percent. The adjusted tax rate was 18.9 percent.

Key Events from the Fourth Quarter

Key Events from the Fourth Quarter (continued)

Key Events from the Fourth Quarter (continued)

Full-Year 2018 Outlook, Including Impact of U.S. Tax Reform

GAAP diluted EPS for the full-year 2018 is expected to be between $6.45 and $6.55.

AbbVie is raising its previously announced adjusted EPS guidance range for the full-year 2018 from $6.37 to $6.57 to $7.33 to $7.43 to reflect the impact of U.S. tax reform and stronger operating performance. The midpoint of this guidance reflects year-over-year growth of 32 percent, more than half of which is driven by growth in the underlying business. Relative to the previously issued 2018 guidance provided in October 2017, this guidance includes an increase of $0.08 as a result of stronger operating dynamics.

AbbVie's adjusted EPS guidance range reflects an effective tax rate of approximately 9 percent in 2018. In 2018, AbbVie will experience a one-time net tax benefit related to the timing of the phase in of provisions of the new legislation on certain subsidiaries. This benefit has been excluded from the adjusted EPS guidance, and included in the GAAP guidance range.

AbbVie anticipates the company's adjusted effective tax rate to increase to 13 percent over the next five years as a result of increased domestic income and investment.

Increased U.S. Investments

Over the next five years, AbbVie plans to invest approximately $2.5 billion in capital projects in the U.S. and the company is currently evaluating additional expansion of its U.S. facilities. Also, in 2018, the company plans to make a one-time charitable contribution of approximately $350 million to select not-for-profit organizations based in the United States. The company also plans to accelerate pension funding by $750 million, as well as enhance non-executive employee compensation.

Provisional Estimates of the Impact of U.S. Tax Reform

Financial results for 2017 reflect provisional amounts related to the December 2017 enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. These provisional estimates are based on AbbVie's initial analysis and current interpretation of the legislation. Given the complexity of the legislation, anticipated guidance from the U.S. Treasury, and the potential for additional guidance from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Financial Accounting Standards Board, these estimates may be adjusted during 2018.

AbbVie is a global, research-driven biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative advanced therapies for some of the world's most complex and critical conditions. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to markedly improve treatments across four primary therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, virology and neuroscience. In more than 75 countries, AbbVie employees are working every day to advance health solutions for people around the world. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

AbbVie will host an investor conference call today at 8:00 a.m. Central time to discuss our fourth-quarter performance. The call will be webcast through AbbVie's Investor Relations website at investors.abbvie.com. An archived edition of the call will be available after 11:00 a.m. Central time.

Non-GAAP Financial Results

Financial results for 2017 and 2016 are presented on both a reported and a non-GAAP basis. Reported results were prepared in accordance with GAAP and include all revenue and expenses recognized during the period. Non-GAAP results adjust for certain non-cash items and for factors that are unusual or unpredictable, and exclude those costs, expenses, and other specified items presented in the reconciliation tables later in this release. AbbVie's management believes non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors regarding AbbVie's results of operations and assist management, analysts, and investors in evaluating the performance of the business. Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. The company's 2018 financial guidance is also being provided on both a reported and a non-GAAP basis.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, challenges to intellectual property, competition from other products, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, and changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of AbbVie's 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the SEC. AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

Key Product Revenues

Quarter Ended December 31, 2017

Note: "Operational" growth reflects the percentage change over the prior year excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations.

n/a = not applicable

Key Product Revenues

Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2017

Note: "Operational" growth reflects the percentage change over the prior year excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations.

n/a = not applicable

Consolidated Statements of Earnings

Quarter and Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2017 and 2016

(Unaudited) (In millions, except per share data)

Reconciliation of GAAP Reported to Non-GAAP Adjusted Information

Quarter Ended December 31, 2017

(Unaudited) (In millions, except per share data)

1. Specified items impacted results as follows:

Milestones and other R&D expenses are associated with milestone payments for previously announced collaborations. Acquired IPR&D primarily reflects upfront payments related to R&D collaborations and licensing arrangements with third parties. Other primarily includes restructuring charges associated with streamlining global operations.

2. The impact of the specified items by line item was as follows:

3. The adjusted tax rate for the fourth quarter of 2017 was 18.9 percent, as detailed below:

Reconciliation of GAAP Reported to Non-GAAP Adjusted Information

Quarter Ended December 31, 2016

(Unaudited) (In millions, except per share data)

Milestones and other R&D expenses are associated with milestone payments for previously announced collaborations. Acquired IPR&D primarily reflects an R&D collaboration. Acquisition related costs primarily include the amortization of the acquisition date fair value step-up for inventory related to the acquisition of Pharmacyclics. Other primarily includes a debt extinguishment charge as a result of the redemption of the company's 1.75% senior notes, milestone revenue under a previously announced collaboration and restructuring charges associated with streamlining global operations.

Reconciliation of GAAP Reported to Non-GAAP Adjusted Information

Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2017

(Unaudited) (In millions, except per share data)

Milestones and other R&D expenses are associated with milestone payments for previously announced collaborations. Acquired IPR&D primarily reflects upfront payments related to R&D collaborations and licensing arrangements with third parties. Acquisition related costs primarily includes the amortization of the acquisition date fair value step-up for inventory related to the acquisition of Pharmacyclics. Other primarily includes restructuring charges associated with streamlining global operations.

Reconciliation of GAAP Reported to Non-GAAP Adjusted Information

Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2016

(Unaudited) (In millions, except per share data)

Milestones and other R&D expenses are associated with milestone payments for previously announced collaborations. Acquired IPR&D primarily reflects R&D collaborations as well as upfront payments related to licensing arrangements with third parties. Acquisition related costs primarily includes compensation expense, financing and other costs associated with the acquisitions of Stemcentrx and Boehringer Ingelheim compounds, as well as the amortization of the acquisition date fair value step-up for inventory related to the acquisition of Pharmacyclics. Other includes a debt extinguishment charge as a result of the redemption of the company's 1.75% senior notes, a charge for the impairment of an intangible asset, restructuring charges associated with streamlining global operations, a charge to increase tax reserves, milestone revenue under previously announced collaborations and prior period royalty revenue related to a patent lawsuit settlement.