AbbVie 2014 Annual Report Download - page 18

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currency exchange rates, limitations on participation in local enterprises, expropriation, nationalization, and
other governmental action.
Employees
AbbVie employed approximately 26,000 persons as of January 31, 2015. Outside the United States,
some of AbbVie’s employees are represented by unions or works councils. AbbVie believes that it has good
relations with its employees.
Internet Information
Copies of AbbVie’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on
Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are available free of charge through AbbVie’s investor relations website
(www.abbvieinvestor.com) as soon as reasonably practicable after AbbVie electronically files the material
with, or furnishes it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission.
AbbVie’s corporate governance guidelines, outline of directorship qualifications, code of business
conduct and the charters of AbbVie’s audit committee, compensation committee, nominations and
governance committee, and public policy committee are all available on AbbVie’s investor relations website
(www.abbvieinvestor.com).
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
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You should carefully consider the following risks and other information in this Form 10-K in evaluating
AbbVie and AbbVie’s common stock. Any of the following risks could materially and adversely affect
AbbVie’s results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. The risk factors generally have been
separated into three groups: risks related to AbbVie’s business, risks related to AbbVie’s separation from
Abbott and risks related to AbbVie’s common stock. Based on the information currently known to it, AbbVie
believes that the following information identifies the most significant risk factors affecting it in each of
these categories of risks. However, the risks and uncertainties AbbVie faces are not limited to those set forth
in the risk factors described below and may not be in order of importance or probability of occurrence.
Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to AbbVie or that AbbVie currently believes to be
immaterial may also adversely affect its business. In addition, past financial performance may not be a
reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or
trends in future periods.
If any of the following risks and uncertainties develops into actual events, these events could have a
material adverse effect on AbbVie’s business, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. In such
case, the trading price of AbbVie’s common stock could decline.
Risks Related to AbbVie’s Business
The expiration or loss of patent protection and licenses may adversely affect AbbVie’s future
revenues and operating earnings.
AbbVie relies on patent, trademark and other intellectual property protection in the discovery,
development, manufacturing, and sale of its products. In particular, patent protection is, in the aggregate,
important in AbbVie’s marketing of pharmaceutical products in the United States and most major markets
outside of the United States. Patents covering AbbVie products normally provide market exclusivity, which is
important for the profitability of many of AbbVie’s products.
As patents for certain of its products expire, AbbVie will or could face competition from lower priced
generic products. The expiration or loss of patent protection for a product typically is followed promptly by
substitutes that may significantly reduce sales for that product in a short amount of time. If AbbVie’s
12 2014 Form 10-K