Novartis AG – Financial report – 31 December 2022
Industry – pharmaceuticals
Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects (extract 1)
Non-IFRS measures as defined by Novartis
Novartis uses certain non-IFRS metrics when measuring performance, especially when measuring current-year results against prior periods, including core results, constant currencies and free cash flow.
Despite the use of these measures by management in setting goals and measuring the Group’s performance, these are non-IFRS measures that have no standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. As a result, such measures have limits in their usefulness to investors.
Because of their non-standardized definitions, the non-IFRS measures (unlike IFRS measures) may not be comparable to the calculation of similar measures of other companies. These non-IFRS measures are presented solely to permit investors to more fully understand how the Group’s management assesses underlying performance. These non-IFRS measures are not, and should not be viewed as, a substitute for IFRS measures, and should be viewed in conjunction with IFRS financials.
As an internal measure of Group performance, these non-IFRS measures have limitations, and the Group’s performance management process is not solely restricted to these metrics.
Core results
The Group’s core results – including core operating income, core net income and core earnings per share – exclude fully the amortization and impairment charges of intangible assets, excluding software, net gains and losses on fund investments and equity securities valued at fair value through profit and loss, and certain acquisition-and divestment-related items. The following items that exceed a threshold of USD 25 million are also excluded: integration- and divestment-related income and expenses; divestment gains and losses; restructuring charges/releases and related items; legal-related items; impairments of property, plant and equipment, software, and financial assets, and income and expense items that management deems exceptional and that are or are expected to accumulate within the year to be over a USD 25 million threshold.
Novartis believes that investor understanding of the Group’s performance is enhanced by disclosing core measures of performance, since core measures exclude items that can vary significantly from year to year, they enable better comparison of business performance across years. For this same reason, Novartis uses these core measures in addition to IFRS and other measures as important factors in assessing the Group’s performance.
The following are examples of how these core measures are utilized:
- In addition to monthly reports containing financial information prepared under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), senior management receives a monthly analysis incorporating these core measures.
- Annual budgets are prepared for both IFRS and core measures.
As an internal measure of Group performance, the core results measures have limitations, and the Group’s performance management process is not solely restricted to these metrics. A limitation of the core results measures is that they provide a view of the Group’s operations without including all events during a period, such as the effects of an acquisition, divestment, or amortization/impairments of purchased intangible assets, impairments to property, plant and equipment and restructurings and related items.
Constant currencies
Changes in the relative values of non-US currencies to the US dollar can affect the Group’s financial results and financial position. To provide additional information that may be useful to investors, including changes in sales volume, we present information about our net sales and various values relating to operating and net income that are adjusted for such foreign currency effects.
Constant currency calculations have the goal of eliminating two exchange rate effects so that an estimate can be made of underlying changes in the consolidated income statement excluding the impact of fluctuations in exchanges rates:
- The impact of translating the income statements of consolidated entities from their non-USD functional currencies to USD
- The impact of exchange rate movements on the major transactions of consolidated entities performed in currencies other than their functional currency.
We calculate constant currency measures by translating the current year’s foreign currency values for sales and other income statement items into USD (excluding the IAS 29 “Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies” adjustments to the local currency income statements of subsidiaries operating in hyperinflationary economies), using the average exchange rates from the prior year and comparing them to the prior year values in USD.
We use these constant currency measures in evaluating the Group’s performance, since they may assist us in evaluating our ongoing performance from year to year. However, in performing our evaluation, we also consider equivalent measures of performance that are not affected by changes in the relative value of currencies.
Growth rate calculation
For ease of understanding, Novartis uses a sign convention for its growth rates such that a reduction in operating expenses or losses compared with the prior year is shown as a positive growth.
Free cash flow
Novartis defines free cash flow as net cash flows from operating activities and cash flows from investing activities associated with purchases and sales of property, plant and equipment, of intangible assets, of financial assets and of other non-current assets. Excluded from free cash flow are cash flows from investing activities associated with acquisitions and divestments of businesses and of interests in associated companies, purchases and sales of marketable securities, commodities, time deposits and net cash flows from financing activities.
Free cash flow is a non-IFRS measure and is not intended to be a substitute measure for net cash flows
from operating activities as determined under IFRS. Free cash flow is presented as additional information because management believes it is a useful supplemental indicator of the Group’s ability to operate without reliance on additional borrowing or use of existing cash. Free cash flow is a measure of the net cash generated that is available for investment in strategic opportunities, returning to shareholders and for debt repayment. Free cash flow is a non-IFRS measure, which means it should not be interpreted as a measure determined under IFRS.
Additional information
NET DEBT
Novartis calculates net debt as current financial debts and derivative financial instruments plus non-current financial debt less cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities, commodities, time deposits and derivative financial instruments.
Net debt is presented as additional information because it sets forth how management monitors net debt or liquidity and management believes it is a useful supplemental indicator of the Group’s ability to pay dividends, to meet financial commitments, and to invest in new strategic opportunities, including strengthening its balance sheet.
For the table that shows the Group’s net debt, see “— Item 5.B Liquidity and capital resources — Group liquidity, financial debts and net debt.”
EBITDA
Novartis defines earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) as operating income, excluding depreciation of property, plant and equipment, depreciation of right-of-use assets, amortization of intangible assets, and impairments of property, plant and equipment, right-of-use assets and of intangible assets.
ENTERPRISE VALUE
Enterprise value represents the total amount that shareholders and debt holders have invested in Novartis, less the Group’s liquidity.
Reconciliation from IFRS results to core results
The following tables provide an overview of the reconciliation from IFRS results to core results:
2022 and 2021 reconciliation from IFRS results to core results
1 Earnings per share (EPS) is calculated on the amount of net income attributable to shareholders of Novartis AG.
2022 and 2021 reconciliation from IFRS results to core results – Group
1 Amortization of intangible assets: cost of goods sold includes the amortization of acquired rights to currently marketed products and other production-related intangible assets; research and development includes the amortization of acquired rights for technologies
2 Impairments: cost of goods sold, research and development and other expense include impairment charges related to intangible assets; other income and other expense include net impairment charges related to property, plant and equipment
3 Acquisition or divestment of businesses and related items, including restructuring and integration charges: other income and other expense include transitional service fee income and charges related to divestments; other income also includes adjustments to provisions; other expense includes stamp duties related to an acquisition
4 Other items: other revenues includes a net income from an outlicensing agreement; cost of goods sold, selling, general and administration, research and development, other income and other expense include restructuring income and charges related to the restructuring initiative to implement a new streamlined organizational model, the Sandoz strategic review, the Group-wide rationalization of manufacturing sites and other net restructuring charges and related items; cost of goods sold, selling, general and administration, research and development and other expense include adjustments to provisions and related items; cost of goods sold and research and development also include contingent consideration adjustments; other income and other expense include fair value adjustments and divestment gains and losses on financial assets and legal-related items; other income also includes gains from the divestment of products and property, curtailment gains and an adjustment to an environmental provision; other expense includes a reversal of an accrual and other costs and items; other financial income and expense includes the monetary loss on the restatement of non-monetary items for subsidiaries in hyperinflationary economies and a revaluation impact of a financial liability incurred through the Alcon distribution
5 Taxes on the adjustments between IFRS and core results take into account, for each individual item included in the adjustment, the tax rate that will finally be applicable to the item based on the jurisdiction where the adjustment will finally have a tax impact. Generally, this results in amortization and impairment of intangible assets and acquisition-related restructuring and integration items having a full tax impact. There is usually a tax impact on other items, although this is not always the case for items arising from legal settlements in certain jurisdictions. Adjustments related to income from associated companies are recorded net of any related tax effect. Due to these factors and the differing effective tax rates in the various jurisdictions, the tax on the total adjustments of USD 7.6 billion to arrive at the core results before tax amounts to USD 1.2 billion. The average tax rate on the adjustments is 15.7% since the full year core tax charge of 16.3% has been applied to the pre-tax income of the period.
6 Earnings per share (EPS) is calculated on the amount of net income attributable to shareholders of Novartis AG.
1 Amortization of intangible assets: cost of goods sold includes the amortization of acquired rights to currently marketed products and other production-related intangible assets; research and development includes the amortization of acquired rights for technologies; income from associated companies includes USD 210 million for the Novartis share of the estimated Roche core items
2 Impairments: cost of goods sold and research and development include impairment charges related to intangible assets; other income and other expense include reversals of impairment charges and impairment charges related to property, plant and equipment
3 Acquisition or divestment of businesses and related items, including restructuring and integration charges: other income includes adjustments to portfolio transformation and Alcon spin-off accruals; other income and other expense include transitional service-fee income and expenses related to the Alcon distribution; other expense also includes adjustments to provisions; income from associated companies includes the gain related to the divestment of our investment in Roche; other financial income and expense includes other financial gains related to the divestment of our investment in Roche
4 Other items: cost of goods sold, research and development, other income and other expense include net restructuring and other charges related to the Group-wide rationalization of manufacturing sites; cost of goods sold, selling, general and administration, other income and other expense include other restructuring income and charges and related items; cost of goods sold, research and development, other income and other expense also include adjustments to contingent consideration; selling, general and administration, research and development, other income and other expense include adjustments to provisions; other income and other expense also include gains and losses from the divestment of
products and financial assets and fair value adjustments on financial assets, adjustments to environmental provisions and legal-related items; other financial income and expense includes a charge related to the monetary loss due to hyperinflation in Argentina and Venezuela and a revaluation impact of a financial liability incurred through the Alcon distribution
5 Taxes on the adjustments between IFRS and core results take into account, for each individual item included in the adjustment, the tax rate that will finally be applicable to the item based on the jurisdiction where the adjustment will finally have a tax impact. Generally, this results in amortization and impairment of intangible assets and acquisition-related restructuring and integration items having a full tax impact. There is usually a tax impact on other items, although this is not always the case for items arising from legal settlements in certain jurisdictions. Adjustments related to income from associated companies are recorded net of any related tax effect. Due to these factors and the differing effective tax rates in the various jurisdictions, the tax on the total adjustments of USD 9.4 billion to arrive at the core results before tax amounts to USD 516 million. Excluding the gain on the divestment of our investment in Roche, the tax on the total adjustments of USD 5.2 billion to arrive at the core results before tax amounts to USD 516 million and the average tax rate on the adjustments was 10.0%.
6 Earnings per share (EPS) is calculated on the amount of net income attributable to shareholders of Novartis AG.
Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects (extract 2)
Free cash flow
Free cash flow is a non-IFRS measure, see “—Item 5.A Operating results—Non-IFRS measures as defined by Novartis—Free cash flow” for further information.
The following table is a reconciliation of the three major categories of the IFRS consolidated statements of cash flows to free cash flow:
1 Excluded from the free cash flow are cash flows from investing activities associated with acquisitions and divestments of businesses and of interest in associated companies, purchases and sales of marketable securities, commodities and time deposits.
2 Net cash flows used in financing activities are excluded from the free cash flow.
The following table is a summary of the free cash flow:
Financial year 2022 compared with 2021
Free cash flow amounted to USD 11.9 billion (–10% USD), compared with USD 13.3 billion in 2021, mainly due to a decrease in net cash flows from operating activities and lower divestment proceeds, partly offset by lower purchases of property, plant and equipment.
Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects (extract 3)
Group liquidity, financial debts and net debt (extract)
The following table shows Group liquidity, financial debts and net debt:
1 For further information about the net debt measure, which is a non-IFRS measure, see “—Item 5.A Operating results—Non-IFRS measures as defined by Novartis—Net debt.”
Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects (extract 4)
Effects of currency fluctuations (extract)
The following table provides a summary of the currency impact on key Group figures due to their conversion into US dollars, the Group’s reporting currency. For additional information on the constant currency calculation (“cc”), see “—Item 5.A Operating results—Non-IFRS measures as defined by Novartis—Constant currencies”.
Currency impact on key figures
For additional information on the effects of currency fluctuations, see “Item 18. Financial Statements—Note 29. Financial instruments – additional disclosures.”
Accounts examples 