Risk Factors Dashboard

Once a year, publicly traded companies issue a comprehensive report of their business, called a 10-K. A component mandated in the 10-K is the ‘Risk Factors’ section, where companies disclose any major potential risks that they may face. This dashboard highlights all major changes and additions in new 10K reports, allowing investors to quickly identify new potential risks and opportunities.

Risk Factors - BMY

-New additions in green
-Changes in blue
-Hover to see similar sentence in last filing

Item 1A. Risk Factors—Product, Industry and Operational Risks—Increased pricing pressure and other restrictions in the U.S. and abroad continue to negatively affect our revenues and profit margins.”

The growth and consolidation of MCOs and PBMs in the U.S. has also been a major factor in the healthcare marketplace. As MCOs and PBMs have been consolidating into fewer, larger entities, they have also been enhancing their purchasing strength and share of voice within the market. To successfully compete for formulary position with MCOs and PBMs, we must often demonstrate that our products offer not only medical benefits but also cost advantages as compared with other forms of care.To successfully compete for formulary position with MCOs and PBMs, we must often demonstrate that our products offer not only medical benefits but also cost advantages as compared with other forms of care. Exclusion of a product from a formulary can lead to its sharply reduced usage in patient populations due to higher out-of-pocket costs to patients. Consequently, pharmaceutical companies compete aggressively to have their products included on these formularies. Where possible, companies compete for inclusion based upon unique features of their products, such as greater efficacy, better patient ease of use or fewer side effects. A lower overall cost of therapy, usually provided as a rebate to the PBM, is also an important factor. We have been generally, although not universally, successful in having our major products included on MCO and PBM formularies.

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In many markets outside the U.S., we operate in an environment of government-mandated, cost-containment programs. In these markets, a significant portion of funding for healthcare services and the determination of pricing and reimbursement for pharmaceutical products are subject to either direct government control at the point of care or governments serving as the primary payer. As a result, our products may face restricted access and pricing pressures by both public and private payers and may be subject to assessments of comparative value and effectiveness against existing standards of care. Several governments have placed restrictions on physician prescription levels and patient reimbursements, emphasized greater use of generic drugs and/or enacted mandated price cuts or rebate schemes as methods of cost control. In most EU countries, for example, the government regulates pricing of a new product at launch often through direct price controls, international price comparisons, and/or reference pricing to the current standard of care. Prices are often reevaluated and further restricted throughout the life of the medicine. In other EU markets, such as Germany, the government does not set pricing restrictions at launch, but pricing freedom is subsequently limited. Companies may also face significant delays in market access for new products and more than a year can elapse before new medicines become available to patients in the market. Additionally, countries outside of the U.S. have regularly imposed new or additional cost containment measures for pharmaceuticals such as volume discounts, cost caps, cost sharing for increases in excess of prior year costs for individual products or aggregated market level spending and clawbacks. These trends have been accelerating in recent years. For example, the UK recently established a new scheme which sets an overall cap on the total annual growth in National Health Services (NHS) spending on branded medicines. Sales that exceed this cap are returned to the government as a rebate from the pharmaceutical companies in the scheme. Additionally, the Japanese government continues to impose price cuts outside the normal repricing cycles, and in the last several years introduced a new value assessment requirement on some medicines to further cut prices. The Japanese government continues to impose price cuts outside the normal repricing cycles, and in the last several years introduced a new value assessment requirement on some medicines to further cut prices. The existence of price differentials between markets, particularly among neighboring countries, due to the different national pricing and reimbursement conditions leads to potential parallel trade flows.

Government Regulation

The pharmaceutical industry is subject to extensive global regulations by regional, country, state and local agencies. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, other Federal statutes and regulations, various state statutes and regulations (including newly enacted state laws regulating drug price transparency, rebates and drug spending), and laws and regulations of foreign governments govern to varying degrees the testing, approval, production, labeling, distribution, post-market surveillance, advertising, dissemination of information and promotion of our products. The lengthy process of laboratory and clinical testing, data analysis, manufacturing, development and regulatory review necessary for required governmental approvals is extremely costly and can significantly delay product introductions in a given market. Promotion, marketing, manufacturing and distribution of pharmaceutical products are extensively regulated in all major world markets. In addition, our operations are subject to complex Federal, state, local and foreign environmental and occupational safety laws and regulations. We anticipate that the laws and regulations affecting the manufacture and sale of current products and the introduction of new products will continue to require substantial scientific and technical effort, time and expense as well as significant capital investments.

The FDA is of particular importance in the U.S. It has jurisdiction over virtually all of our activities and imposes requirements covering the testing, safety, effectiveness, manufacturing, labeling, marketing, advertising and post-marketing surveillance of our products. In many cases, FDA requirements have increased the amount of time and money necessary to develop new products and bring them to market in the U.S. The regulatory review process is a resource intensive undertaking for both the FDA and the pharmaceutical company. Improvements in the efficiency of this process can have significant impact on bringing new therapies to patients more quickly. The FDA can employ several tools to facilitate the development of certain drugs or expedite certain applications, including fast track designation, Breakthrough Therapy designation, priority review, accelerated approval, incentives for orphan drugs developed for rare diseases and others.

The FDA mandates that drugs be manufactured, packaged and labeled in conformity with cGMP established by the FDA. In complying with cGMP regulations, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money and effort in production, recordkeeping and quality control to ensure that products meet applicable specifications and other requirements to ensure product safety and efficacy. The FDA periodically inspects our drug manufacturing facilities to ensure compliance with applicable cGMP requirements. Failure to comply with the statutory and regulatory requirements subjects us to possible legal or regulatory action, such as suspension of manufacturing, seizure of product or voluntary recall of a product. Adverse events with the use of products must be reported to the FDA and could result in the imposition of market restrictions through labeling changes or product removal. Product approvals may be withdrawn if compliance with regulatory requirements is not maintained or if problems concerning safety or efficacy occur following approval.

The Federal government has extensive enforcement powers over the activities of pharmaceutical manufacturers, including authority to withdraw or delay product approvals, to commence actions to seize and prohibit the sale of unapproved or non-complying products, to halt manufacturing operations that are not in compliance with cGMPs, and to impose or seek injunctions, voluntary recalls, civil, monetary and criminal penalties. Such a restriction or prohibition on sales or withdrawal of approval of products marketed by us could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and cash flows.

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Marketing authorization for our products is subject to revocation by the applicable governmental agencies. In addition, modifications or enhancements of approved products or changes in manufacturing locations are in many circumstances subject to additional FDA approvals, which may or may not be received and may be subject to a lengthy application process.

The distribution of pharmaceutical products is subject to the PDMA as part of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which regulates such activities at both the Federal and state level. Under the PDMA and its implementing regulations, states are permitted to require registration of manufacturers and distributors that provide pharmaceuticals even if such manufacturers or distributors have no place of business within the state. States are also permitted to adopt regulations limiting the distribution of product samples to licensed practitioners. The PDMA also imposes extensive licensing, personnel recordkeeping, packaging, quantity, labeling, product handling and facility storage and security requirements intended to prevent the sale of pharmaceutical product samples or other product diversions.

The FDA Amendments Act of 2007 imposed additional obligations on pharmaceutical companies and delegated more enforcement authority to the FDA in the area of drug safety. Key elements of this legislation give the FDA authority to (i) require that companies conduct post-marketing safety studies of drugs, (ii) impose certain safety related drug labeling changes, (iii) mandate risk mitigation measures such as the education of healthcare providers and the restricted distribution of medicines, (iv) require companies to publicly disclose data from clinical studies and (v) pre-review television advertisements.

The marketing practices of all U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers are subject to Federal and state healthcare laws that are used to protect the integrity of government healthcare programs. The OIG oversees compliance with applicable Federal laws, in connection with the payment for products by government funded programs, primarily Medicaid and Medicare. These laws include the Federal anti-kickback statute, which criminalizes knowingly offering something of value to induce the recommendation, order or purchase of products or services reimbursed under a government healthcare program. Failure to comply with these healthcare laws could subject us to administrative and legal proceedings, including actions by Federal and state government agencies. Such actions could result in the imposition of civil and criminal sanctions, which may include fines, penalties and injunctive remedies; the impact of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and cash flows.

We are also subject to the jurisdiction of various other Federal and state regulatory and enforcement departments and agencies, such as the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the "HHS"). We are also licensed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to procure and produce controlled substances. We are, therefore, subject to possible administrative and legal proceedings and actions by these organizations. Such actions may result in the imposition of civil and criminal sanctions, which may include fines, penalties and injunctive or administrative remedies.

The U.S. healthcare industry is subject to various government-imposed laws and regulations authorizing prices or price controls that have and will continue to have an impact on our total revenues. We participate in state government Medicaid programs, as well as certain other qualifying Federal and state government programs whereby discounts and rebates are provided to participating state and local government entities. We participate in the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program ("MDRP"), under which we must pay rebates to state Medicaid programs for our covered outpatient drugs provided to Medicaid beneficiaries, with rebates based on pricing data we report regularly to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). We also participate in the Health Resources and Services Administration's 340B program, under which we must offer covered outpatient drugs to statutorily defined covered entities at no more than the 340B program “ceiling price”, with that price calculated based on MDRP-reported data. We also participate in federal government programs that specify discounts to certain federal government entities; the most significant of which are the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. These entities receive statutory discounts based off a defined “non-federal average manufacturer price” for purchases.
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As regulators continue to focus on prescription drugs, our products are facing increased pressures across the portfolio. These pressures stem from legislative and policy changes, including price controls, pharmaceutical market access, discounting, changes to tax and importation laws and other restrictions in the U.S., EU and other regions around the world. These pressures have resulted in lower prices, lower reimbursement rates and smaller populations for whom payers will reimburse, which have negatively impacted, and may continue to, negatively impact our results of operations (including intangible asset impairment charges), operating cash flow, liquidity and financial flexibility. The IRA directs (i) the federal government to “negotiate” prices for select high-cost Medicare Part D (beginning in 2026) and Part B (beginning in 2028) drugs that are more than nine years (for small-molecule drugs) or 13 years (for biologics) from their initial FDA approval, (ii) manufacturers to pay a rebate for Medicare Part B and Part D drugs when prices increase faster than inflation and (iii) the formation of the Part D Manufacturer Program which replaced the Part D CGDP and established a $2,000 cap for out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries as of January 2025, with manufacturers being responsible for 10% of costs up to the $2,000 cap and 20% after that cap is reached. For example, on August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the IRA into law which provides for (i) the federal government to “negotiate” prices for select high-cost Medicare Part D (beginning in 2026) and Part B (beginning in 2028) drugs that are more than nine years (for small-molecule drugs) or 13 years (for biological products) from their initial FDA approval, (ii) manufacturers to pay a rebate for Medicare Part B and Part D drugs when prices increase faster than inflation, and (iii) the formation of the Part D Manufacturer Program which replaced the Part D CGDP and established a $2,000 cap for out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries as of January 2025, with manufacturers being responsible for 10% of costs up to the $2,000 cap and 20% after that cap is reached. In August 2024, as part of the first round of government price setting pursuant to the IRA, the HHS announced the "maximum fair price" for a 30-day equivalent supply of Eliquis, which applies to the U.S. Medicare channel effective January 1, 2026. In November 2025, the HHS announced the "maximum fair price" for a 30-day supply of Pomalyst, which applies to the U.S. Medicare channel effective January 1, 2027. In January 2026, the HHS selected Orencia as a medicine subject to "negotiation" for government-set prices beginning in 2028. It is possible that more of our products could be selected in future years based upon the selection criteria currently utilized by the HHS or potentially expanded future criteria, or that the "maximum fair price" for our previously selected products could be renegotiated. This could, among other things, accelerate revenue erosion prior to expiry of intellectual property protections. We continue to evaluate the impact of the IRA on our results of operations, and it is possible that these changes may result in a material impact on our business and results of operations.

In May 2025, President Trump issued an executive order entitled, "Delivering Most-Favored Nation Prescription Drug Pricing to American Patients," which, among various proposals, directs the HHS to facilitate direct-to-consumer purchasing programs for pharmaceutical manufacturers that sell their products to American patients at the most-favored-nation price and to communicate most-favored-nation price targets to manufacturers and propose a rulemaking plan to impose most-favored-nation pricing if “significant progress” is not made towards achieving such pricing. In July 2025, the Trump administration sent letters to several pharmaceutical manufacturers, including BMS, which outlined steps that such manufacturers should take to advance certain objectives of the executive order.

In December 2025, we announced an agreement with the U.S. government (the "U.S. Government Agreement") pursuant to which we agreed to, among other things: (i) provide Eliquis for free to the Medicaid program effective January 1, 2026; (ii) donate more than seven tons of Eliquis API to fill the U.S. Strategic Active Ingredient Reserve; (iii) enable direct-to-patient access to Sotyktu, Zeposia, Reyataz, Baraclude and Orencia for cash-paying patients at discounts approximately 80% off current list prices; (iv) adopt a more balanced pricing approach for new launches across developed nations; and (v) continue to expand domestic production. This agreement, and any potential future agreements with government entities, by us or our competitors, could result in reduced prices and reimbursement for certain of our or competing products and may impact our cash flows and results of operations.

Further, the U.S. and other countries have recently imposed, and may continue to impose, new tariffs. While pharmaceuticals are largely exempt from the tariffs imposed in 2025, such exemptions may be terminated or may not apply to any future tariffs. In accordance with the U.S. Government Agreement, BMS will receive certain U.S. tariff relief until January 2029 and will not be subject to future pricing mandates in the U.S., however, such exemptions may be terminated or may not be extended. In addition, we remain subject to any current or future pricing mandates implemented outside of the U.S. It is possible that such regulations may result in a material impact on our business and results of operations.

In July 2025, the OBBBA was enacted which, among other things, aims to achieve efficiencies in U.S. federal government healthcare spending over the next decade, primarily within Medicaid. Additionally, this legislation makes permanent many provisions of the TCJA and modifies certain rules, including within the international tax framework, thereby offering increased certainty for future business planning. The OBBBA also permits businesses to immediately deduct up to 100% of their qualifying domestic R&D expenses in the year they are incurred for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, and allows businesses to accelerate deductions (over a one- or two-year period) of domestic R&D expenses that were deferred from 2022 to 2024.

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At the state level, multiple states have passed, are pursuing or are considering government action via legislation or regulations to change drug pricing and reimbursement (e.g., establishing prescription drug affordability boards, implementing manufacturer mandates tied to the Federal Public Health Service Act drug pricing program, etc.). Some of these state-level actions may also influence federal and other state policies and legislation. Given the current uncertainty surrounding the adoption, timing and implementation of many of these measures, as well as pending litigation challenging such laws, we are unable to predict their full impact on our business. However, such measures could modify or decrease access, coverage, or reimbursement of our products, or result in significant changes to our sales or pricing practices, which could have a material impact on our revenues and results of operations. With respect to the Federal Public Health Service Act drug pricing program, certain states have enacted laws regulating manufacturer pricing obligations under the program to date. Several additional states are considering similar potential legislation or other government actions, and we expect other states may do the same in the future.

Our activities outside the U.S. are also subject to regulatory requirements governing the testing, approval, safety, effectiveness, manufacturing, labeling and marketing of our products. These regulatory requirements vary from country to country. Whether or not FDA or EC approval has been obtained for a product, approval of the product by comparable regulatory authorities of countries outside of the U.S. or the EU, as the case may be, must be obtained prior to marketing the product in those countries. The approval process may be more or less rigorous from country to country and the time required for approval may be longer or shorter than that required in the U.S. Approval in one country does not assure that a product will be approved in another country.

For further discussion of these rebates, programs and regulations, refer to “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—GTN Adjustments”, "—Income Taxes", and “—Critical Accounting Policies.For further discussion of these rebates and programs, refer to “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—GTN Adjustments” and “—Critical Accounting Policies.

Sources and Availability of Raw Materials

In general, we purchase our raw materials, components and supplies required for the manufacturing of our products in the open market. For some products, we purchase our raw materials, components and supplies from one source (the only source available to us) or a single source (the only approved source among many available to us), thereby requiring us to obtain such raw materials and supplies from that particular source. We attempt, if possible, to mitigate our potential risk associated with our raw materials, components and supplies through inventory management and alternative sourcing strategies. For further discussion of sourcing, refer to “—Manufacturing and Quality Assurance” below and discussions of particular products.

Manufacturing and Quality Assurance

We operate and manage a manufacturing network, consisting of internal and external resources, in a manner that permits us to improve efficiency while maintaining flexibility to reallocate manufacturing capacity. Pharmaceutical manufacturing processes are complex, highly regulated and vary widely from product to product. Given that shifting or adding manufacturing capacity can be a lengthy process requiring significant capital and other expenditures as well as regulatory approvals, we manage and operate a flexible manufacturing network that minimizes unnecessary product transfers and inefficient uses of manufacturing capacity. For further discussion of the regulatory impact on our manufacturing, refer to “—Government Regulation” above.

Our significant biologics, cell therapy and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities are located in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, Ireland and Switzerland and require significant ongoing capital investment for both maintenance and compliance with increasing regulatory requirements. For example, the FDA approved our Devens, Massachusetts commercial facility for CAR-T cell therapy manufacturing in June 2023. We continue to make capital investments in our Devens, Massachusetts and our other global manufacturing facilities. For our cell therapy product candidates and marketed products, including Breyanzi and Abecma, we have invested in our own manufacturing network, including facilities in Bothell, Washington; Summit, New Jersey; Devens, Massachusetts; and Leiden, the Netherlands; as well as the use of third-party manufacturers. During 2025, we completed the construction of a new state-of-the-art cell therapy manufacturing facility in Leiden, Netherlands. Additionally, we opened a new radiopharmaceutical facility in Indianapolis, Indiana during 2025. We expect to continue modification of our existing manufacturing network to meet complex processing standards that are required for our growing portfolio, particularly biologics and cell therapy. Biologics manufacturing involves more complex processes than those of traditional pharmaceutical operations. Beyond regulatory requirements, many of our products involve technically sophisticated manufacturing processes or require specialized raw materials. For example, we manufacture for clinical and commercial use several sterile products, biologics and CAR-T cell therapy products, all of which are particularly complex and involve highly specialized manufacturing technologies. For example, we manufacture for clinical and commercial use several sterile products, biologic products and CAR-T cell therapy products, all of which are particularly complex and involve highly specialized manufacturing technologies. As a result, even slight deviations at any point in their production process may lead to production failures or recalls. In order to support supply continuity, we continue to partner with third party manufacturers to expand supply of vector and are investing in new facilities for drug product manufacturing. Longer-term, we are accelerating our plans to transition to new vector technologies with a dual sourcing strategy.

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In addition to our own manufacturing sites, we rely on third parties to manufacture or supply us with all or a portion of the active product ingredient or drug substance necessary for us to manufacture various products, including Eliquis, Opdivo, Pomalyst/Imnovid, Yervoy, Sprycel, Abraxane, Zeposia, Camzyos, Sotyktu, Krazati and Cobenfy. We are also expanding our use of third-party manufacturers for drug product and finished goods manufacturing and we continue to shift towards using third-party manufacturers for supply of our mature and other brands. To maintain a stable supply of these products, we take a variety of actions including inventory management and maintenance of additional quantities of materials, when possible, that are designed to provide for a reasonable level of these ingredients to be held by the third-party supplier, us or both, to reduce the risk of interruption of our manufacturing operations. Certain supply arrangements extend over multiple years with committed amounts using expected near or long-term demand requirements that are subject to change. As an additional protection, in some cases, we take steps to maintain an approved back-up source where available and when needed. For example, we have the capability to manufacture Opdivo substance and drug product internally and also have arrangements with third-party manufacturers to meet demand of Opdivo drug substance and drug product.

In connection with acquisitions, divestitures, licensing and collaboration arrangements or distribution agreements for certain of our products, or in certain other circumstances, we have entered into agreements under which we have agreed to supply our products to third parties and intend to continue to enter into such arrangements or agreements in the future. In addition to liabilities that could arise from our failure to supply such products under the agreements, these arrangements or agreements could require us to invest in facilities for the manufacturing of non-strategic products, in the case of a divestiture or distribution arrangement, resulting in additional regulatory filings and obligations or causing an interruption in the manufacturing of our own strategic products.

Our success depends in great measure upon customer confidence in the quality of our products and in the integrity of the data that support their safety and effectiveness. Product quality arises from a total commitment to quality in all parts of our operations, including research and development, purchasing, facilities maintenance and planning, manufacturing, warehousing, logistics and distribution. We maintain records to demonstrate the quality and integrity of data, technical information and production processes.

Control of production processes involves established specifications and standards for raw materials, components, ingredients, equipment and facilities, manufacturing methods and operations, packaging materials and labeling. We perform tests at various stages of production processes, on the raw materials, drug substance and the final product and on product samples held on stability to ensure that the product meets regulatory requirements and conforms to our standards. These tests may involve chemical and physical analyses, microbiological testing or a combination of these along with other analyses. Quality control testing is provided by business unit/site and third-party laboratories. Quality assurance groups routinely monitor manufacturing procedures and systems used by us, our subsidiaries and third-party suppliers to help ensure quality and compliance requirements are met.

Environmental Regulation

Our facilities and operations are subject to extensive U.S. and foreign laws and regulations relating to environmental protection and human health and safety, including those governing discharges of pollutants into the air and water; the use, management and disposal of hazardous, radioactive and biological materials and wastes; and the cleanup of contamination. Pollution controls and permits are required for many of our operations, and these permits are subject to modification, renewal or revocation by the issuing authorities.

Our environment, occupational health, safety and sustainability group monitors our operations around the world, providing us with an overview of regulatory requirements and overseeing the implementation of our standards for compliance. We also incur operating and capital costs for such matters on an ongoing basis, which were not material for 2025, 2024 and 2023. In addition, we invested in projects that reduce resource use of energy and water. Although we believe that we are in substantial compliance with applicable environmental, health and safety requirements and the permits required for our operations, we nevertheless could incur additional costs, including civil or criminal fines or penalties, clean-up costs or third-party claims for property damage or personal injury, for violations or liabilities under these laws.

Many of our current and former facilities have been in operation for many years, and over time, we and other operators of those facilities have generated, used, stored or disposed of substances or wastes that are considered hazardous under Federal, state and/or foreign environmental laws, including CERCLA. As a result, the soil and groundwater at or under certain of these facilities is or may be contaminated, and we may be required to make significant expenditures to investigate, control and remediate such contamination, and in some cases to provide compensation and/or restoration for damages to natural resources. Currently, we are involved in investigation and remediation at 15 current or former facilities. We have also been identified as a PRP under applicable laws for environmental conditions at approximately 21 former waste disposal or reprocessing facilities operated by third parties at which investigation and/or remediation activities are ongoing.

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We may face liability under CERCLA and other Federal, state and foreign laws for the entire cost of investigation or remediation of contaminated sites, or for natural resource damages, regardless of fault or ownership at the time of the disposal or release. In addition, at certain sites we bear remediation responsibility pursuant to contractual obligations. Generally, at third-party operator sites involving multiple PRPs, liability has been or is expected to be apportioned based on the nature and amount of hazardous substances disposed of by each party at the site and the number of financially viable PRPs. For additional information about these matters, refer to “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Note 20. Legal Proceedings and Contingencies.”

Human Capital Management and Resources

We believe that our employees around the world are compassionate, purpose-driven professionals who embody our mission of discovering and delivering innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. Together, their unyielding focus on patients defines our culture.

Demographics: As of December 31, 2025, we had approximately 32,500 employees in 43 countries. Approximately 54% of our employees are located in the U.S. (excluding Puerto Rico) and 46% are located outside of the U.S. We supplement our workforce with contingent and temporary workers, including certain independent contractors who provide certain specialized and skilled services.

People Strategy and Culture: Our People Strategy is designed to empower employees to shape the future, own impact, and thrive together as one, forming the foundation of a workplace culture that drives innovation, collaboration, and belonging. We seek to foster an inclusive and dynamic workplace that accelerates personal and business growth and creates an engaging experience that attracts, develops, and retains top talent reflective of the cultures, backgrounds, and experiences of our patients and communities around the world. People Strategy and Culture: Our People Strategy is designed to foster an inclusive and engaging work experience to attract, develop, and retain the most talented workforce that reflects the diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experiences of our patients and communities around the world. This is core to how we operate, guiding decisions and strengthening our ability to deliver on our mission, execute our strategy, and create long-term value. We are an equal opportunity employer. We prioritize investment in enterprise-wide programs and policies that accelerate development and collaboration, creating a competitive advantage in recruiting, developing, and retaining our future workforce. We prioritize investment in enterprise-wide, comprehensive and cohesive programs and policies that accelerate development and collaboration, which creates a competitive advantage in recruiting, developing and retaining our future workforce.

Career Growth and Development: BMS is committed to empowering every employee with the skills and capabilities needed to drive growth and transform patient lives through science. We are investing in next-generation platforms that enable employees to own their careers, including tools that promote internal mobility and the democratization of just-in-time learning resources. These investments reflect our shift toward a dynamic, forward-thinking framework for talent development that seeks to cultivate agility and unlock potential. Recognizing the transformative role of AI across industries, we are investing in upskilling our workforce to build confidence in the proper use and innovative application of these next-generation tools. Our vision of acknowledging everyone in the organization as a leader is addressed via a full suite of leadership development resources. Through these initiatives, we seek to build capabilities for delivering long-term value for patients and shareholders while providing employees with the resources and opportunities they need to own their impact.

Employee Engagement: Our workforce is focused on our vision of transforming patients’ lives through science. We are guided by our core values: Integrity, Passion, Inclusion, Innovation, Accountability, and Urgency. By encouraging employees around the world to think boldly, bring their authentic selves to work, ask challenging questions, and voice concerns, we create an energized environment of collaboration and co-design where innovative ideas and solutions can drive improved patient outcomes. By encouraging employees around the world to be their authentic selves at work, to ask questions, voice concerns, and think boldly, we create an energized environment of co-collaboration and co-design where bold ideas and solutions can lead to improved patient outcomes. We conduct confidential surveys that measure employee sentiment and actively seek feedback on topics such as culture and values, execution of our strategy, engagement, and individual development, among others. We include assessments of manager capabilities within these surveys to strengthen leadership effectiveness and team engagement.

Compensation and Well-being: We strive to create a unique experience for our people so they can thrive inside and outside of work.

Compensation: Includes market competitive base salaries, annual incentives that recognize and reward company performance as well as individual results, and long-term equity incentives that focus employees on long-term value creation. We also offer sales-based incentives, special allowances, and peer-to-peer individual recognition.

Well-being: We are committed to prioritizing the well-being of our workforce by providing holistic and inclusive benefits and well-being resources that help our people do their best work. We use data and insights to make choices that are highly valued by employees and support the resilience of our people and business.

Employee Health & Safety: We are committed to protecting our workforce, communities, and patients, thereby ensuring the continued supply of life-saving medicines. We have comprehensive policies that ensure all employees, contractors, and visitors to our sites, can work or conduct their visit safely. We provide a comprehensive in-house occupational health service to ensure any work-related illness or disease is identified early so that worker health can be protected.

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Foreign Operations

We have significant operations outside the U.S. They are conducted through our subsidiaries, distributors and alliances.

International operations are subject to certain risks, which are inherent in conducting business abroad, including, but not limited to, currency fluctuations, possible nationalization or expropriation, price and exchange controls, counterfeit products, limitations on foreign participation in local enterprises and other restrictive governmental actions. Our international businesses are also subject to government-imposed constraints, including laws on pricing or reimbursement for use of products.

Bristol Myers Squibb Website

Our internet website address is www.bms.com. On our website, we make available, free of charge, our annual, quarterly and current reports, including amendments to such reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish such material to, the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These documents are also available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

Information relating to corporate governance at Bristol Myers Squibb, including our Principles of Integrity, Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Directors (collectively, the “Codes”), Corporate Governance Guidelines, and information concerning our Executive Committee, Board of Directors (the "Board"), including Board Committees and Committee charters, and transactions in Bristol Myers Squibb securities by directors and executive officers, is available on our website under the “About Us—Our Company,” “—Leadership” and “Investors” captions and in print to any stockholder upon request. Any waivers to the Codes by directors or executive officers and any material amendment to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Directors and Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers will be posted promptly on our website. Information relating to stockholder services, including our Dividend Reinvestment Plan and direct deposit of dividends, is available on our website under the “Investors—Shareholder Services” caption. In addition, information about our sustainability programs is available on our website under the “About Us—Sustainability” caption. The foregoing information regarding our website and its content is for your convenience only. The information contained in or connected to our website is not deemed to be incorporated by reference in this 2025 Form 10-K or filed with the SEC.

We incorporate by reference certain information from parts of our definitive proxy statement for our 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (“2026 Proxy Statement”). The SEC allows us to disclose important information by referring to it in that manner. Please refer to such information. Our 2026 Proxy Statement will be available on our website under the “Investors—Financial Reporting—SEC Filings” caption within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year.
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Item 1A.RISK FACTORS.

Any of the risks and uncertainties described below could significantly and negatively affect our business operations, financial condition, operating results (including components of our financial results), cash flows, prospects, reputation or credit ratings now and in the future, which could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline significantly. Additional risks and uncertainties that are not presently known to us, or risks that we currently consider immaterial, could also impair our business operations, financial condition, operating results or cash flows. The following discussion of risk factors contains “forward-looking” statements, as discussed in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Product, Industry and Operational Risks

Increased pricing pressure and other restrictions in the U.S. and abroad continue to negatively affect our revenues and profit margins.
Our products continue to be subject to increasing pressures across the portfolio from pharmaceutical market access and pricing controls, required rebates and other discounts, in the U.S., the EU and other regions around the world that result in lower prices, lower reimbursement rates and smaller populations for whom payers will reimburse. We expect that these market access constraints, pricing controls and discounting and other restrictions will become more acute as public and private payers continue to take aggressive steps to control their expenditures. Our future revenues and profit margins could be negatively affected, including as a result of (i) changes in laws, agreements and regulations relating to the pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceutical products (including potential penalties for increasing prices over the rate of inflation and government negotiations/price controls that may change the determination of the "best price" and establish a maximum allowed price/reimbursement rate), as well as other changes relating to federal healthcare programs, such as modifying the federal Anti-Kickback statute discount safe harbor, OBBBA and the IRA, which includes a number of provisions intended to lower the costs of some drugs covered under Medicare Part D and Medicare Part B and to limit Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket spending under the Medicare Part D benefit, (ii) expanded utilization and pharmaceutical company restrictions under the 340B Drug Pricing Program ("340B program"), (iii) cost-cutting measures by federal healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, MCOs and other institutional and governmental purchasers, (iv) the grant of additional authority to governmental agencies to manage drug utilization and negotiate drug prices (including the implementation of the 2020 regulation issued by the U.S. federal government authorizing states and private parties to develop and implement programs to import certain prescription drugs from Canada and sell them in the U.S., and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which eliminated the Medicaid Prescription Drug Rebate cap as of January 1, 2024), (v) competition related to placements on applicable commercial and Medicare Part D formularies; (vi) changes to U.S. federal pharmaceutical coverage and reimbursement policies and practices, (vii) the increased purchasing power of entities that negotiate on behalf of Medicare, Medicaid and private sector beneficiaries, (viii) the increased scrutiny of drug manufacturers (including any additional review of the Company by the United States Congress), (ix) reimbursement delays, (x) government price erosion mechanisms across Europe, Japan and in other countries resulting in deflation for pharmaceutical product pricing, (xi) collection delays or failures to pay in government-funded public hospitals outside the U.S., (xii) developments in technology and/or industry practices that could impact the reimbursement policies and practices of third-party payers, and (xiii) inhibited market access due to real or perceived differences in value propositions for our products compared to competing products.

In particular, the IRA has and will continue to have the effect of reducing prices and reimbursements for certain of our products, which could significantly impact our business. Under the IRA, the HHS can effectively set prices for units of certain single-source drugs and biologics reimbursed under Medicare Part B, Medicare Advantage and Part D. Generally, these government prices apply nine years (for small molecule drugs) or 13 years (for biologics) following FDA approval and will be capped at a statutory ceiling price that is likely to represent a significant discount from average prices to wholesalers and direct purchasers. Generally, these government prices apply nine years (for small molecule drugs) or 13 years (for biological products) following FDA approval and will be capped at a statutory ceiling price that is likely to represent a significant discount from average prices to wholesalers and direct purchasers. In August 2024, as part of the first round of government price setting pursuant to the IRA, the HHS announced the "maximum fair price" for a 30-day equivalent supply of Eliquis, which applies to the U.S. Medicare channel effective January 1, 2026. In November 2025, the HHS announced the "maximum fair price" for a 30-day supply of Pomalyst, which applies to the U.S. Medicare channel effective January 1, 2027. In January 2026, the HHS selected Orencia as a medicine subject to "negotiation" for government-set prices beginning in 2028. It is possible that more of our products could be selected in future years based upon the selection criteria currently utilized by the HHS or potentially expanded future criteria, or that the "maximum fair price" for our previously selected products could be renegotiated, each of which could, among other things, accelerate revenue erosion prior to expiry of intellectual property protections. Failure to comply with requirements under the price setting process is subject to an excise tax and/or a civil monetary penalty. The IRA also generally requires drug manufacturers to provide rebates for Medicare Part B and Part D medicines if the price of a Part B or Part D drug increases faster than the rate of inflation. As of January 2025, under the IRA, the Part D benefit redesign replaced the 70 percent CGDP discount with a 10 percent manufacturer discount for all Medicare Part D beneficiaries that have met their deductible and incurred out of pocket drug costs below a $2,000 threshold and a 20 percent discount for beneficiaries that have incurred out of pocket drug costs above the $2,000 threshold under the new Part D benefit redesign. The effectuation of a "maximum fair price" pursuant to the IRA is a technically complex process that relies on newly developed systems that may experience
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unforeseen disruptions. Manufacturers that fail to comply with the IRA may be subject to various penalties, including civil monetary penalties, which could be significant. The IRA has and will continue to meaningfully impact our business strategies and those of others in the pharmaceutical industry. We continue to evaluate the impact of the IRA on our results of operations, and it is possible that these changes may result in a material impact on our business and results of operations.

In December 2025, we announced the U.S. Government Agreement pursuant to which we agreed to, among other things: (i) provide Eliquis for free to the Medicaid program effective January 1, 2026; (ii) donate more than seven tons of Eliquis API to fill the U.S. Strategic Active Ingredient Reserve; (iii) enable direct-to-patient access to Sotyktu, Zeposia, Reyataz, Baraclude and Orencia for cash-paying patients at discounts approximately 80% off current list prices; (iv) adopt a more balanced pricing approach for new launches across developed nations; and (v) continue to expand domestic production. In accordance with the U.S. Government Agreement, BMS will receive certain U.S. tariff relief until January 2029 and will not be subject to future pricing mandates in the United States, however, such exemptions may be terminated or may not be extended. We remain subject to any current or future pricing mandates implemented outside of the United States, and it is possible that current or future pricing regulations may result in a material impact on our business and results of operations. This agreement, and any potential future agreements with government entities, by us or our competitors, could result in reduced prices and reimbursement for certain of our or competing products and may impact our cash flows and results of operations.

In July 2025, the OBBBA was enacted which, among other things, aims to achieve efficiencies in U.S. federal government healthcare spending over the next decade, primarily within Medicaid. We are continuing to assess the full scope of this legislation and its potential commercial implications, and it is possible that these changes may impact our cash flows and results of operations.

We participate in the 340B program, under which we must offer covered outpatient drugs to statutorily defined covered entities at no more than the 340B program “ceiling price”. The expanded utilization of the 340B program in recent years has negatively affected our revenues and profit margins. Additionally, manufacturers who are found to have knowingly and intentionally overcharged 340B program covered entities could be subject to significant monetary penalties.Additionally, manufacturers who are found to have knowingly and intentionally overcharged 340B program covered entities could be subject to significant monetary penalties. In the past, Celgene had received inquiries from the Health Resources and Services Administration regarding the limited distribution networks for Revlimid, Pomalyst, and Thalomid and compliance with the 340B program. Over the course of the past few years, Celgene had received inquiries from the Health Resources and Services Administration regarding the limited distribution networks for Revlimid, Pomalyst, and Thalomid and compliance with the 340B program. As part of our broader integration strategy and alignment of our distribution model (post our acquisition of Celgene) we had announced that beginning March 1, 2022, we would generally recognize up to two designated 340B program contract pharmacy locations per 340B program hospital that lacks an entity-owned pharmacy. We then updated this policy effective July 1, 2024, to generally recognize up to four contract pharmacy locations per 340B program hospital that lacks an entity-owned pharmacy. Multiple states have enacted laws generally prohibiting manufacturer policies restricting recognition of contract pharmacy arrangements and provide for certain penalties for violations. Such laws have been subject to legal challenges. Whether or how such laws may impact our business remains uncertain. Although we believe that we have complied with, and continue to comply with, all applicable legal requirements, additional legal or legislative changes with respect to the 340B program may cause us to update our approach. Significant changes to our sales or pricing practices with regard to the distribution of drugs under the 340B program, an inability to procure data sufficient to identify duplicate claims associated with the increasing volume of 340B program utilization or any material changes in our U.S. payer channel mix, including the commercialization of future products that may be highly utilized within the 340B program, could have additional adverse effects on our revenues and profitability. In addition, if we are required to pay penalties under the applicable regulations, there would be an adverse effect on our revenues and profitability. For additional information on pricing pressures and other constraints, refer to “Item 1. Business—Pricing, Price Constraints and Market Access.”

At the state level, multiple states have passed, are pursuing or are considering government action via legislation or regulations to change drug pricing and reimbursement (e.g., establishing prescription drug affordability boards, implementing manufacturer mandates tied to the Federal Public Health Service Act drug pricing program, etc.). Some of these state-level actions may also influence federal and other state policies and legislation. Given the current uncertainty surrounding the adoption, timing and implementation of many of these measures, as well as pending litigation challenging such laws, we are unable to predict their full impact on our business. However, such measures could modify or decrease access, coverage, or reimbursement of our products, or result in significant changes to our sales or pricing practices, which could have a material impact on our revenues and results of operations. With respect to the Federal Public Health Service Act drug pricing program, certain states have enacted laws regulating manufacturer pricing obligations under the program to date. Several additional states are considering similar potential legislation or other government actions, and we expect other states may do the same in the future. Further, commercial payers often consider Medicare coverage policy and payment limitations when setting their own payment rates. Any reduction in cost or other containment measures may similarly be adopted by commercial plans. Coverage policies and reimbursement rates for commercial plans may change at any time.

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We may experience difficulties or delays in the development and commercialization of new products. Our ability to replace revenue from products that lose patent protection is directly dependent on our ability to successfully develop and commercialize new products in a timely manner.
As is common in the pharmaceutical industry, BMS expects that sales of its branded products like Orencia, Eliquis and Opdivo will decline after the loss of market exclusivity for such products. Consequently, our future success is highly dependent on our pipeline of new products. There is a high rate of failure inherent in the research and development process for new drugs. As a result, there is a high risk that our investments in research programs will not generate financial returns. Compounds or products may appear promising in development but fail to reach market within the expected timeframe, or at all. We have experienced setbacks and may continue to do so.

In addition, product extensions or additional indications may not be approved. Furthermore, products or indications approved under the U.S. FDA’s Accelerated Approval Program may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory studies and such studies may not be successful. For additional information, refer to "Item 1. Business—Products, Intellectual Property and Product Exclusivity".

Developing and commercializing new compounds and products involves inherent risks and uncertainties, including (i) efficacy and safety concerns or findings of superior safety or efficacy of competing products; (ii) delayed or denied regulatory approvals, including as a result of difficulties in enrolling patients and completing clinical trials in a timely manner; (iii) delays or challenges with producing products on a commercial scale or excessive costs to manufacture products; (iv) failure to enter into or implement optimal alliances for the development and/or commercialization of new products; (v) changes in regulatory approval processes and policies which may cause delays or denials of new product approvals; (vi) preclusion from commercialization due to intellectual property issues or disputes with third parties; (vii) failure in certain markets to obtain reimbursement commensurate with the level of innovation and clinical benefit presented by the product; and (viii) changing clinical preferences, changing industry standards, laws and regulations, or competitors’ innovations, each of which may render new products or enhancements to existing products obsolete.

We are also unable to predict if and when any changes to laws or regulatory policies will occur and how they will affect our business and particularly our pipeline of new products.

Commercialization launch delays are especially common when a product is expected to have a REMS program, as required by the FDA to address significant risk/benefit issues. Certain of our future key products may be required to be distributed in the U.S. through a REMS program, as described in "Item 1. Business—Marketing, Distribution and Customers". The inability to bring a product to market or a significant delay in the expected regulatory approval and related launch date of a new product could negatively impact our revenues and earnings. In addition, if certain acquired pipeline programs are canceled or we believe their commercial prospects have been reduced, we may recognize material non-cash impairment charges for those programs as we have done in the past. Finally, losing key molecules and intermediaries or our compound library through a natural or man-made disaster or act of sabotage could negatively impact the product development cycle.

We can provide no assurance when or whether any of our products under development will be approved or launched or whether any products, once launched, will be commercially successful. The public announcement of data from our clinical studies, or those of our competitors, or news of any developments related to our, or our competitors’, products or late-stage compounds may cause significant volatility in our stock price and depending on the data, may result in an adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations. If the development of any of our key late-stage product candidates is delayed or discontinued or a clinical study does not meet one or more of its primary endpoints, our stock price could decline significantly and there may be an adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations. As a result, we may experience difficulties in forecasting our future performance and effectively communicating our strategy to investors.

We must maintain a continuous flow of successful new products and successful new indications for existing products sufficient both to cover our substantial research and development costs and to replace sales that are lost as profitable products lose market exclusivity or are displaced by competing products or therapies. We must maintain a continuous flow of successful new products and successful new indications for existing products sufficient both to cover our substantial research and development costs and to replace sales that are lost as profitable products lose market exclusivity or are displaced by competing products or therapies. Failure to do so in the short-term or long-term can have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flow, financial condition and prospects. We may also choose to no longer pursue certain programs from time to time as we periodically review our research and development programs and seek to prioritize our pipeline investments. This may result in further uncertainty as to when potential new products will be approved and commercialized. There can be no assurance that our key product candidates would prove to be safe and effective or as safe and effective as other competing products, or that, even if approved, any such products will become commercially successful for all approved indications.

We could lose market exclusivity of a product earlier than expected.
In the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, the majority of an innovative product’s commercial value is realized during its market exclusivity period. In the U.S. and in some other countries, when market exclusivity expires and generic versions are approved and marketed or when biosimilars are introduced (even if only for a competing product), there are usually very substantial and rapid declines in a product’s revenues.
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Market exclusivity for our products is based upon patent rights and certain regulatory forms of exclusivity. The scope of our patent rights, if any, varies from country to country and may also be dependent on the availability of meaningful legal remedies in a country. The failure to obtain or maintain patent and other intellectual property rights, or limitations on the use or loss of such rights, could result in a rapid loss of sales for any affected products which could be material to us. In some countries, including certain EU member states, basic patent protections for our products may not exist because certain countries did not historically offer the right to obtain specific types of patents, and/or we (or our licensors) did not file in those countries. In addition, the patent environment can be unpredictable, and the validity and enforceability of patents cannot be predicted with certainty. For example, for Eliquis, generics have challenged the composition of matter patents and related SPCs in various jurisdictions, and trials have taken place, or are scheduled to take place, in certain European countries. While these legal proceedings are pending, generic manufacturers have begun marketing generic versions of Eliquis in certain EU countries and may seek to market generic versions of Eliquis in other EU countries prior to the expiration date of applicable patents and related SPCs. Furthermore, manufacturers of innovative drugs as well as generic drug manufacturers may be able to design their products around our owned or licensed patents and compete with us using the resulting alternative technology. Absent relevant patent protection for a product, once the regulatory exclusivity period expires, generic or alternative versions can be approved and marketed. Absent relevant patent protection for a product, once the data exclusivity period expires, generic or alternative versions can be approved and marketed.

Generic and biosimilar product manufacturers as well as other groups seeking financial gain are also increasingly seeking to challenge patents before they expire, and we have faced and may continue to face earlier-than-expected competition for any products at any time. Patents covering our key products have been, and are likely to continue to be, subject to validity, enforceability and infringement challenges in patent litigations and post-grant review patent office proceedings. Although we are confident in the strength of our intellectual property rights, it may be possible for generic drug companies to challenge our rights and launch their generic versions of our drugs "at risk" prior to the expiration of our intellectual property rights. Although we are confident in the strength of our intellectual property rights, it may be possible for generic drug companies to successfully challenge our rights and launch their generic versions of our drugs prior to the expiration of our intellectual property rights. For example, following certain adverse judicial decisions in the UK and Finland, generic manufacturers have begun marketing generic versions of Eliquis in these countries, and may seek to market generic versions of Eliquis in additional countries in Europe, prior to the expiration of our patents, which may lead to additional infringement and invalidity patent actions in Europe. For example, following certain adverse judicial decisions in the UK, Finland and Slovakia, generic manufacturers have begun marketing generic versions of Eliquis in these countries, and may seek to market generic versions of Eliquis in additional countries in Europe, prior to the expiration of our patents, which may lead to additional infringement and invalidity actions involving Eliquis patents being filed in various countries in Europe. In addition, in order to avoid the uncertainty and expense of litigation, among other reasons, we may decide to enter into settlements with generic manufacturers that permit generic market entry prior to the expiration of our intellectual property rights. For example, as a result of patent settlements, generic entry for Revlimid in the UK began on January 18, 2022, and in various other European countries on February 18, 2022. Similarly, in the U.S., following patent settlements, certain companies have begun marketing generic lenalidomide pursuant to licenses, which as of January 31, 2026, are no longer volume-limited.

In some cases, manufacturers may seek regulatory approval by submitting their own clinical study data to obtain marketing approval or choose to launch a generic product “at risk” before the expiration of the applicable patent(s) and/or before the final resolution of related patent litigation. In addition, some countries are allowing manufacturers to manufacture and sell generic products, which negatively impacts the protections afforded the Company. Lower-priced generics or biosimilars for BMS biologics or competing biologics could negatively impact our volumes and prices. Lower-priced generics or biosimilars for BMS biologic products or competing biologics could negatively impact our volumes and prices.

In addition, both the U.S. Congress and the FDA have taken steps to promote the development and approval of generic drugs and biosimilar biologics, including by providing generic and biosimilar developers a private right of action to obtain sufficient quantities of drug samples from the reference product’s manufacturer in order to conduct testing necessary to obtain approval for generic or biosimilar products. Additionally, in October 2025, the FDA issued new draft guidance to streamline the process of, and accelerate the timeline for, biosimilar development, including by minimizing the requirement for comparative clinical efficacy studies.

There is no assurance that a particular product will enjoy market exclusivity for the full time period that appears in the estimates disclosed in this 2025 Form 10-K or that we assume when we provide our financial guidance.

We face intense competition from other biopharmaceutical companies and manufacturers and expect to see increasing market penetration of lower-priced generic products.
The future growth of BMS is dependent on the market access, uptake and expansion for marketed brands, new product introductions, new indications, new formulations and co-promotional activities with alliance partners. Competition is keen, and as we lose exclusivity for some of our marketed brands, lower-priced generic products will increasingly penetrate our markets. Generic or biosimilar challenges to our products can also arise at any time, and our patents may not prevent the emergence of generic or biosimilar competition for our products. In some countries, patent protection is significantly weaker than in the U.S. or in the EU; political and social pressure has also pushed legislation and other measures that promote the use of generic and biosimilar products. For additional information, see “—We could lose market exclusivity of a product earlier than expected.”

In addition, we face competition from new products entering the market. New products may have (i) lower prices, (ii) superior efficacy (benefit) or safety (risk) profiles (whether actual or perceived), (iii) technological advantages that may make such products more convenient to use, (iv) better insurance coverage or reimbursement levels, (v) more effective marketing programs and/or other differentiating factors that make it harder for our products to compete. We cannot predict with accuracy the timing or impact of the
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introduction of competitive products that treat diseases and conditions like those treated by our products and product candidates. Business combinations among our competitors and major third-party payers may also increase competition for our products. If we are unable to compete successfully against our competitors’ products in the marketplace, this could have a material negative impact on our revenues and earnings.

We could experience difficulties, delays and disruptions in our supply chain as well as in the manufacturing, distribution and sale of our products.
Our product supply and related patient access has been, and could in the future be, negatively impacted by difficulties, delays and disruptions in the manufacturing, distribution and sale of our products. Some of the difficulties, delays and disruptions include: (i) product seizures or recalls or forced closings of manufacturing plants; (ii) our failure, or the failure of any of our vendors or suppliers, to comply with cGMP and other applicable regulations or quality assurance guidelines that could lead to manufacturing shutdowns, product shortages or delays in product manufacturing; (iii) manufacturing, quality assurance/quality control, supply problems or governmental approval delays; (iv) geopolitical factors in a specific country or region, including any new, or changes in or interpretations of existing, trade regulations, including for example, any new tariffs imposed in the jurisdictions in which we operate, or compliance requirements of other legislation; (v) the failure of a supplier, including sole source or single source suppliers, to provide us with the necessary raw materials, supplies or finished goods within a reasonable timeframe and with required quality; (vi) the failure of a third-party manufacturer to supply us with bulk active or finished product on time; (vii) construction or regulatory approval delays for new facilities or the expansion of existing facilities, including those intended to support future demand for our biologics products; (viii) the failure to meet new and emerging regulations requiring products to be tracked throughout the distribution channels using unique identifiers to verify their authenticity in the supply chain; (ix) other manufacturing or distribution issues, including limits to manufacturing capacity and changes in the types of products produced, such as biologics, physical limitations, labor disputes or shortages, or other business interruptions; and (x) disruptions in supply chain continuity, including from market forces, natural disasters, global disease outbreaks or pandemics, acts of war or terrorism or other unforeseeable or unavoidable events that materially impact one or more of our facilities or a critical supplier. Some of the difficulties, delays and disruptions include: (i) product seizures or recalls or forced closings of manufacturing plants; (ii) our failure, or the failure of any of our vendors or suppliers, to comply with cGMP and other applicable regulations or quality assurance guidelines that could lead to manufacturing shutdowns, product shortages or delays in product manufacturing; (iii) manufacturing, quality assurance/quality control, supply problems or governmental approval delays; (iv) the failure of a supplier, including sole source or single source suppliers, to provide us with the necessary raw materials, supplies or finished goods within a reasonable timeframe and with required quality; (v) the failure of a third-party manufacturer to supply us with bulk active or finished product on time; (vi) construction or regulatory approval delays for new facilities or the expansion of existing facilities, including those intended to support future demand for our biologics products; (vii) the failure to meet new and emerging regulations requiring products to be tracked throughout the distribution channels using unique identifiers to verify their authenticity in the supply chain; (viii) other manufacturing or distribution issues, including limits to manufacturing capacity and changes in the types of products produced, such as biologics, physical limitations, labor disputes or shortages, or other business interruptions; (ix) geopolitical factors in a specific country or region, including any new, or changes in or interpretations of existing, trade regulations, including for example, any new tariffs imposed in the jurisdictions in which we operate, or compliance requirements of other legislation; and (x) disruptions in supply chain continuity, including from market forces, natural disasters, global disease outbreaks or pandemics (including COVID-19), acts of war or terrorism or other unforeseeable or unavoidable events that materially impact one or more of our facilities or a critical supplier.

The U.S. and other countries have recently imposed, and may continue to impose, new tariffs. While pharmaceuticals are largely exempt from the tariffs imposed in 2025, such exemptions may be terminated or may not apply to any future tariffs. In accordance with the U.S. Government Agreement, BMS will receive certain U.S. tariff relief until January 2029. We continue to evaluate the impacts of tariffs on our business and results of operations, and it is possible that such tariffs, or future tariffs, may result in a material impact on our business and results of operations.

In addition, manufacturing processes for novel cell-based therapies, such as CAR-T cell therapies, and radiopharmaceutical therapeutics in development are still evolving, and our processes may be more complicated or more expensive than the approaches taken by our current and future competitors. Our ability to source raw materials and supplies used to manufacture our CAR-T cell therapies and to develop consistent and reliable manufacturing processes and distribution networks with an attractive cost of goods could impact future anticipated revenue and gross profit for our CAR-T cell therapies. For our radiopharmaceutical therapeutics, we utilize third-party suppliers that may still be developing appropriate processes, controls, technologies and facilities, particularly for large-scale production. Furthermore, we may face challenges with sourcing raw materials and supplies for clinical and, if approved, commercial manufacturing. Logistical and shipment delays and other factors not in our control could prevent or delay the delivery of our product candidates and marketed products to patients, including for our radiopharmaceutical therapeutics, which have time-limited stability once manufactured. Logistical and shipment delays and other factors not in our control could prevent or delay the delivery of our product candidates and marketed products to patients. Additionally, we are required to maintain a complex chain of identity and custody with respect to patient material as such material enters into and moves through the manufacturing process. As a result, even slight deviations at any point in the production process for our CAR-T cell therapies or in material used in our CAR-T cell therapies could result in loss of product or regulatory remedial action, which could adversely affect our future anticipated revenues and/or profitability related to our CAR-T cell therapies.

Regulatory, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Tax and Legal Compliance Risks

Litigation claiming infringement of intellectual property may adversely affect our future revenues and operating earnings.
We and certain of our subsidiaries are, and in the future may be, involved in various legal proceedings, including patent litigation, such as claims that our patents are invalid, unenforceable and/or do not cover the product of the generic drug manufacturer or where third parties seek damages and/or injunctive relief to compensate for alleged infringement of their patents by our commercial or other activities. Resolving an intellectual property infringement or other claim can be costly and time consuming and may require us to enter into license agreements, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms. A successful claim of patent or other intellectual property infringement could subject us to significant damages and/or an injunction preventing the manufacture, sale, or use of the affected product or products. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our profitability and financial condition.

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Legal matters could negatively affect our business.
Current or future lawsuits, claims, proceedings and government investigations could preclude or delay the commercialization of our products or could adversely affect our operations, profitability, liquidity or financial condition, after any possible insurance recoveries where available. Such legal matters include (i) intellectual property disputes; (ii) adverse decisions in litigation, including product safety and liability, consumer protection and commercial cases; (iii) matters related to anti-corruption or anti-bribery regulations, such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or the UK Bribery Act, including compliance with ongoing reporting obligations to the government resulting from any settlements; (iv) recalls or withdrawals of pharmaceutical products or forced closings of manufacturing plants; (v) the alleged failure to fulfill obligations under supply contracts with the government and other customers or under other agreements relating to our business; (vi) product pricing and promotional matters; (vii) lawsuits and claims asserting, or investigations into, violations of securities, antitrust, Federal and state pricing, consumer protection, data privacy and other laws and regulations; (viii) environmental, health, safety and sustainability matters, including regulatory actions in response to climate change; and (ix) tax liabilities resulting from assessments from tax authorities.

We are subject to a variety of U.S. and international laws and regulations.
We are currently subject to a number of government laws and regulations and, in the future, could become subject to new government laws and regulations. The costs of compliance with such laws and regulations, or the negative results of non-compliance, could adversely affect our business, our operating results and our financial condition. These laws and regulations control and regulate key aspects of our business, including, but not limited to: (i) market access, pricing controls and discounting; (ii) tax liabilities, returns and payments; (iii) imports and other trade restrictions; (iv) intellectual property protection and enforcement; (v) good practice guidelines and regulations; (vi) accounting standards; (vii) cybersecurity and data protection, storage and privacy, particularly in the EU and the U.S.; (viii) artificial intelligence, machine learning, automated decision-making, data governance, and related technologies; (ix) requirements for reporting payments and other value transfers to healthcare professionals (such as those provided under the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute); and (x) compliance with anti-bribery and anti-corruption practices of the U.S. and other countries.

In addition, the U.S. healthcare industry is highly regulated and subject to frequent and substantial changes, including as a result of new judicial or governmental decisions. For example, Congress passed the Food and Drug Omnibus Reform Act in December 2022, which gave the FDA additional authority to require confirmatory trials to be underway at the time of approval and offered an additional enforcement mechanism if sponsors do not complete such studies with due diligence. Additionally, pharmacy benefit manager practices have come under increased scrutiny from U.S. policymakers at the federal and state level, who have proposed legislation intended to address concerns regarding the impact that these intermediaries have on drug pricing and patients’ out of pocket costs. If promulgated, such legislation could have resultant implications, costs or consequences for our business and how we interact with these entities. We cannot predict how other future federal or state legislative or administrative changes relating to healthcare reform will affect our business. For additional information, refer to “Item 1. Business—Government Regulation,” “Item 1. Business—Pricing, Price Constraints and Market Access” and “—Legal matters could negatively affect our business.” Similarly, the legislative and regulatory environment regarding cybersecurity, data protection, storage and privacy is continuously evolving and the subject of significant attention by regulators and private parties globally. Regulators are imposing new cybersecurity and data protection, storage and privacy requirements, including new and greater monetary fines or penalties for privacy violations, and jurisdictions where we operate have passed, or continue to propose, data privacy legislation and or regulations. Failure to comply with these laws could result in significant penalties, including potential exclusion from federal healthcare programs, and reputational harm and could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Expectations relating to environmental, social and governance considerations and related reporting obligations expose the Company to potential liabilities, increased costs, reputational harm, and other adverse effects on the Company’s business.
There is an increased focus by foreign, federal, state, and local regulatory and legislative bodies, investors and other stakeholders regarding environmental sustainability and social impact policies relating to climate change, regulating greenhouse gas emissions, carbon taxes, emissions trading schemes, sustainability, human rights, inclusion and other policy matters, and disclosure regarding the foregoing, many of which may be ambiguous, inconsistent, dynamic or conflicting.There is an increased focus by foreign, federal, state, and local regulatory and legislative bodies investors and other stakeholders regarding environmental policies relating to climate change, regulating greenhouse gas emissions, carbon taxes, emissions trading schemes, sustainability, human rights, inclusion and diversity matters, and disclosure regarding the foregoing, many of which may be ambiguous, inconsistent, dynamic or conflicting. We expect to experience or be subject to increased restrictions, compliance and assurance costs, recurring investments in data gathering and reporting systems, and legal expenses related to such new or changing legal or regulatory requirements, which could increase our operating costs. In addition, we may still be subject to penalties or potential litigation if such laws and regulations are interpreted or applied in a manner inconsistent with our practices.

Moreover, from time to time we establish and publicly announce environmental, social and governance aspirational goals and commitments. Implementation of our environmental, social and governance aspirational goals and initiatives involves risks and uncertainties, requires investments, and depends in part on third-party performance or data that is outside of our control. In addition, some stakeholders may disagree with the Company’s environmental, social and governance aspirational goals, targets or objectives. If we do not meet, are perceived not to meet, or if stakeholders disagree with, our environmental, social and governance aspirational goals, targets or objectives, we risk negative stakeholder reaction, including from proxy advisory services, as well as damage to our
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brand and reputation, reduced demand for our products, inability to attract and retain employee talent or other negative impacts on our business and operations.

Changes to tax regulations could negatively impact our earnings.
We are subject to income taxes in the U.S. and various other countries globally. Changes in tax laws and regulations can and do occur. Significant judgment is required for determining the Company’s tax liabilities, and the Company’s tax returns are periodically examined by various tax authorities. We have faced, and may continue to face, audit challenges on how we apply a tax law or regulation. The ultimate resolution of any tax matter may result in payments greater or less than amounts accrued, which could have a negative impact on our provision for income taxes. In addition, our future earnings could be negatively impacted if our tax strategies are ineffective or by further changes in tax legislation, including changes in tax rates and tax base such as limiting, phasing-out or eliminating deductions or tax credits, increase taxing of certain excess income from intellectual property, revising tax law interpretations in domestic or foreign jurisdictions, changes in rules for earnings repatriations and changes in other tax laws in the U.S. or other countries. This includes Pillar Two legislation that has been enacted pursuant to the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework in various jurisdictions in which we operate. These rules and associated legislative changes may significantly impact our tax provision and results of operations.

The failure of third parties to meet their contractual, regulatory and other obligations could adversely affect our business.
We rely on suppliers, vendors, outsourcing partners, alliance partners and other third parties to research, develop, manufacture, commercialize, co-promote and sell our products, manage certain marketing, human resource, finance, IT, data and other business unit and functional services and meet their contractual, regulatory and other obligations. Using these third parties poses a number of risks, such as: (i) they may not perform to our standards or legal requirements, for example, in relation to the outsourcing of significant clinical development activities for innovative medicines to some contract research organizations; (ii) they may not produce reliable results; (iii) they may not perform in a timely manner; (iv) they may not maintain confidentiality of our proprietary information; (v) they may experience a cyber attack or business disruption; (vi) they may be subject to government orders or mandates that require them to give priority to the government and set aside pre-existing commercial orders; (vii) disputes may arise with respect to ownership of rights to technology developed with our partners; and (viii) disagreements could cause delays in, or termination of, the research, development or commercialization of the product or result in litigation or arbitration. Moreover, some third parties are located in markets subject to political and social risks, corruption, infrastructure problems and natural disasters, in addition to country specific privacy and data security risks given current legal and regulatory environments. The failure of any critical third party to satisfactorily meet its obligations, including for future royalty and milestone payments; to adequately deploy business continuity plans in the event of a crisis; and/or to satisfactorily resolve significant disagreements with us or address other factors, could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations. In addition, if these third parties violate, or are alleged to have violated, any laws or regulations, including the local pharmaceutical code, anti-corruption or anti-bribery regulations, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, securities laws, or other laws and regulations, during the performance of their obligations for us, we could suffer financial and reputational harm or other negative outcomes, including possible legal consequences.

Product labeling changes for our marketed products could result in a negative impact on revenues and profit margins.
Pharmaceutical products receive regulatory approval based on data obtained in controlled clinical trials of limited duration. Data generated after initial approval and regulatory changes to standards regarding safety, efficacy or labeling may result in product label changes or other measures that could reduce the product’s market acceptance and result in declining revenues. These include additional clinical trials, such as head-to-head studies against alternative or emerging standard of care, studies that generate data in specific populations or identify biomarkers (objective characteristics that can indicate a particular response to a product or therapy) as well as real-world data analyses and post-approval safety surveillance following the use of our products over longer periods of time. Sometimes additional information from new studies identifies a portion of the patient population that may be non-responsive to a medicine or would be at higher risk of adverse reactions and labeling changes based on such studies may limit the patient population. The studies providing such additional information may be sponsored by us, but they could also be sponsored by competitors, insurance companies, government institutions, MCOs, scientists, investigators or other interested parties. While additional safety and efficacy information from such studies assist us and healthcare providers in identifying the best patient population for each product, it can also negatively impact our operating results. New information added to a product’s label can affect its risk-benefit profile, leading to potential voluntary or mandatory recalls, withdrawals or declining revenue, as well as legal claims, including product liability, consumer fraud or other claims. For example, in November 2023, the FDA announced that it was investigating the risk of T-cell malignancies in patients who received treatment with CAR-T cell therapy, noting that the overall benefits of CAR-T cell therapy products continue to outweigh their potential risks for their approved uses. In January 2024, the FDA determined that safety labeling changes were needed for approved CAR-T cell therapies, including a “boxed warning” about the possible risk of T-cell malignancies in patients treated with CAR-T cell therapy. Additionally, certain study results, especially from head-to-head studies, could affect a product’s formulary listing, which could also adversely affect revenues.

In addition, if safety or efficacy concerns are raised about a third party's product in the same class as one of our products, those concerns could implicate the entire class and this, in turn, could have an adverse impact on the availability or commercial viability of our product(s) as well as other products in the class.
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The illegal distribution and sale by third parties of counterfeit or unregistered versions of our products or stolen products could have a negative impact on our revenues, earnings, reputation and business.
Third parties may illegally distribute and sell counterfeit versions of our products, which do not meet our rigorous manufacturing and testing standards and often do not contain the correct ingredients. A patient who receives a counterfeit drug or a product diverted from its authorized market may be at risk for a number of dangerous health consequences. Our reputation and business could suffer harm as a result of counterfeit drugs sold under our brand name or diverted products. The prevalence of counterfeit medicines is an industry-wide issue due to a variety of factors, including the adoption of e-commerce, greatly enhancing consumers’ ability to obtain prescriptions and other medical treatments via the internet in lieu of traditional brick and mortar pharmacies. The internet exposes patients to greater risk as it is a preferred vehicle for dangerous counterfeit offers and scams because of the anonymity it affords illegal traders and counterfeiters, and its use can result in the circumvention of controls designed to protect patients. The internet exposes patients to greater risk as it is a preferred vehicle for dangerous counterfeit offers and scams because of the anonymity it affords counterfeiters.

Thefts of inventory at warehouses, plants or while in-transit, which are then not properly stored and are later sold through unauthorized channels that do not adhere to customary supply chain standards, could adversely impact patient safety, our reputation and our business.Thefts of inventory at warehouses, plants or while in-transit, which are then not properly stored and are later sold through unauthorized channels, could adversely impact patient safety, our reputation and our business. In addition, diversion of products from their authorized market into other channels may result in reduced revenues and negatively affect our profitability.

Use of social media platforms can present risks and challenges.
We use social media to communicate Company news and events. The inappropriate and/or unauthorized use of social media could cause brand damage or information leakage and may give rise to liability, including from the improper promotion of a product or the improper collection and/or dissemination of personally identifiable information from employees, patients, healthcare professionals or other stakeholders. The inappropriate and/or unauthorized use of social media could cause brand damage or information leakage and may give rise to liability, including from the improper collection and/or dissemination of personally identifiable information from employees, patients, healthcare professionals or other stakeholders. In addition, negative or inaccurate posts or comments about us on any social networking website could damage our reputation, brand image and goodwill and may cause significant volatility in our stock price. Further, the disclosure of non-public Company-sensitive information by our workforce or others, whether intentional or unintentional, through social media and other messaging channels could lead to loss of trade secrets or other intellectual property, as well as the Company’s commercially sensitive information. Further, the disclosure of non-public Company-sensitive information by our workforce or others, whether intentional or unintentional, through social media channels could lead to loss of trade secrets or other intellectual property, as well as the Company’s commercially sensitive information.

Information Technology and Cybersecurity Risks

We are dependent on information technology systems, including artificial intelligence programs, and face risk of cybersecurity incidents that could disrupt our business and result in theft of proprietary, confidential and personal information.
We rely extensively on information technology systems, networks and services, including internet sites, data hosting and processing facilities and tools, physical security systems and other hardware, software and technical applications and platforms, some of which are managed, hosted, provided by and/or used for third parties or their vendors, to assist in conducting our business. We have faced, and will continue to face, risks of incidents, whether through cyber attacks or cyber intrusions through the Cloud, the Internet, phishing attempts, ransomware and other forms of malware, computer viruses, email attachments, extortion, exfiltration and other scams. Although we make efforts to maintain the security and integrity of our information technology systems and data, these systems and the proprietary, confidential and personal information that resides on or is transmitted through them, are subject to the risk of a cybersecurity incident or disruption, and there can be no assurance that our security efforts and measures, and those of our third-party vendors, will prevent breakdowns or incidents to our or our third-party vendors’ systems, which could adversely affect our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. Cybersecurity risks continue to develop, including as a result of threat actors increasingly targeting employees and supply chains and geopolitical tensions leading to an increase in sabotage, espionage and cyber attacks. As the cyber-threat landscape evolves, these attacks are growing in frequency, sophistication and intensity, and due to the nature of some of these attacks, there is also a risk that they may remain undetected for a period of time. A significant breakdown, invasion, corruption, destruction or interruption of critical information technology systems, including artificial intelligence programs that we utilize, or leak, theft or misuse of proprietary, confidential or personal information could negatively impact operations. A significant breakdown, invasion, corruption, destruction or interruption of critical information technology systems or leak or theft of proprietary, confidential or personal information could negatively impact operations. There can be no assurance that our continuing efforts will prevent breakdowns or incidents to our or our third-party providers’ systems or databases that could adversely affect our business. Under certain circumstances, such incidents when detected could require disclosure to government authorities and/or regulators and could require notification to impacted individuals, and any such incident could result in material financial, legal, business and reputational harm to us. Further, although we maintain insurance coverage designed to transfer certain cybersecurity incident costs, there is a risk this insurance would be insufficient to cover the costs of the incident, including due to coverage limits or insurance exclusions.

In addition, we face certain risks as we seek to leverage artificial intelligence programs and machine learning (“AI”) to optimize productivity and efficiency in various aspects of the organization. For example, flawed algorithms and/or biased, incomplete or inaccurate data used in AI programs may result in deficient AI-generated content. Additionally malfunctions or outages of these systems, certain of which are managed, hosted or provided by third parties, may result in operational disruptions, data loss, or inaccurate content. The regulatory landscape related to AI remains uncertain, and we may be required to devote significant resources to comply with developing laws and address ethical concerns. Our competitors may also develop or adopt more effective AI technologies, resulting in more efficient operations and putting us at a competitive disadvantage. These risks may result in an adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
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Strategic, Business Development and Employee Attraction and Retention Risks

We depend on several key products for most of our revenues, cash flows and earnings.
We derive a majority of our revenue and earnings from several key products. We expect that Eliquis, Opdivo, Opdivo Qvantig, Orencia, Reblozyl and Yervoy will represent a significant percentage of our revenue, earnings and cash flows during the next few years. We expect that Eliquis, Opdivo, Orencia and Yervoy will represent a significant percentage of our revenue, earnings and cash flows during the next few years. A reduction in revenue from any of these products due to loss of market exclusivity or other factors could adversely impact our earnings and cash flows. For additional information, see “—We could lose market exclusivity of a product earlier than expected.”

Also, if one of our major products were to become subject to issues, such as loss of patent protection, significant changes in demand, formulary access changes, material product liability, unexpected side effects, regulatory proceedings, negative publicity, supply disruption from our manufacturing operations or third-party supplier or a significant advancement of competing products, we may incur an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations or the trading price of our stock.

In addition, in the U.S., most of our products are distributed through wholesalers, and if one of these wholesalers should encounter financial or other difficulties, we might be unable to timely collect the amounts that the wholesaler owes us, which could negatively impact our results of operations. We expect that consolidation and integration of pharmacy chains, wholesalers and pharmacy benefit managers will increase competitive and pricing pressures on pharmaceutical manufacturers, including us.

Third-party royalties represent a significant percentage of our pretax income and operating cash flow.
We have entered into several arrangements which entitle us to potential royalties from third parties for out-licensed intellectual property, commercialization rights and sales-based contingent proceeds related to the divestiture of businesses. In many of these arrangements we have minimal, if any, continuing involvement that contributes to the financial success of those activities. Royalties have continued to represent a significant percentage of our pretax income, including royalties related to out-licensed intellectual property and the Merck patent infringement settlement. Pretax income generated from royalties was approximately $2.7 billion in 2025. Our pretax income could be adversely affected as the royalty streams decline in future periods. For example, (i) royalties related to Keytruda* are expected to terminate on December 31, 2026, (ii) royalties related to Tecentriq* are expected to terminate on December 31, 2026, and (iii) royalties related to the divestiture of our diabetes business terminated on December 31, 2025.

Failure to execute our business strategy or to identify and effectively manage acquisitions, divestitures, alliances, joint ventures and other portfolio actions could adversely impact our growth and profitability and our future results. In addition, any businesses or assets that we acquire in the future may underperform, we may not be able to successfully integrate them into our existing business and the occurrence of a number of unexpected factors could prevent or substantially delay the consummation of an anticipated acquisition, divestiture or merger.
Our strategy is focused on delivering innovative, transformational medicines to patients in a focused set of disease areas. To support future revenue growth and maintain an adequate pipeline, we have acquired, or in-licensed, a number of assets, and we expect to continue to support our pipeline with compounds or products obtained through licensing and acquisitions. Competition among pharmaceutical companies for acquisition and product licensing opportunities is intense, and we may not be able to locate suitable acquisition targets or licensing partners at reasonable prices, or successfully execute such transactions. If we are unable to consistently maintain an adequate pipeline, whether through internal R&D programs or transactions with third parties or if we are unable to support and grow our marketed products, successfully execute the launches of newly approved products, advance our late-stage pipeline, manage change from our operating model evolution or manage our costs effectively, our operating results and financial condition could be negatively impacted.

Additionally, future revenues, profits and cash flows of an acquired company’s products, technologies and pipeline candidates may not materialize due to low product uptake, delayed or missed pipeline opportunities, the inability to capture expected synergies resulting from cost savings and avoidance, increased competition, safety concerns, regulatory issues, supply chain problems or other factors beyond our control. Substantial difficulties, costs and delays could result from integrating our acquisitions, including for: (i) R&D, manufacturing, distribution, sales, marketing, promotion and information technology activities; (ii) policies, procedures, processes, controls and compliance; and (iii) tax considerations.

Where we acquire debt or equity securities as all or part of the consideration for business development activities, such as in connection with a joint venture or acquisition, the value of those securities will fluctuate and may depreciate in value. We may not control the company in which we acquire securities, such as in connection with a collaborative arrangement, and as a result, we will have limited ability to determine its management, operational decisions, internal controls and compliance and other policies, which can result in additional financial and reputational risks.

We may not be successful in separating underperforming or non-strategic assets, and gains or losses on the divestiture of, or lost operating income from, such assets may affect our earnings. Our divestitures also may result in continued financial exposure to the divested businesses, such as through guarantees or other financial arrangements, continued supply and services arrangements, or potential litigation, following the transaction. Under these arrangements, nonperformance by us could result in obligations being
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imposed on us that could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, cash flows, results of operations, financial condition or reputation.

We might also incur asset impairment charges related to acquisitions or divestitures that reduce our earnings. The value allocated to certain of our assets could be substantially impaired due to a number of factors beyond our control. New or revised accounting standards, rules and interpretations could result in changes to the recognition of income and expense that may materially and adversely affect our financial results.

If the execution or implementation of acquisitions, divestitures, alliances, joint ventures and other portfolio actions is not successful, it could adversely impact our financial condition, cash flows and results of operations. Moreover, due to the substantial amount of debt that we incurred to finance the cash portion of certain of our acquisitions, including most recently the Mirati, Karuna and RayzeBio acquisitions, there can be no assurance of when we will be able to expand our business development capacity. Moreover, due to the substantial amount of debt that we incurred to finance the cash portion of the Celgene, MyoKardia, Mirati, Karuna and RayzeBio acquisitions, there can be no assurance of when we will be able to expand our business development capacity. Although we have recently taken measures to reduce our debt, pursuing strategic transaction opportunities in the future may require us to obtain additional equity or debt financing, and could result in increased leverage and/or a downgrade of our credit ratings. Although we are committed to reducing our debt, pursuing strategic transaction opportunities in the future may require us to obtain additional equity or debt financing, and could result in increased leverage and/or a downgrade of our credit ratings.

Failure to attract and retain a highly qualified workforce or to maintain our workplace culture could affect our ability to successfully develop and commercialize products.Failure to attract and retain a highly qualified workforce could affect our ability to successfully develop and commercialize products.
Our success and execution of our strategy is largely dependent on our continued ability to (i) attract and retain highly qualified scientific, technical and management workforce, including people with expertise in clinical R&D, governmental regulation and commercialization, and (ii) maintain our workplace culture and employee morale. We face competition for a limited pool of qualified individuals from numerous pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, universities, government entities, research institutions, companies seeking to enter the healthcare space, and companies in other industries. We are facing increasing competition for a limited pool of qualified individuals from numerous pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, universities, government entities, research institutions, companies seeking to enter the healthcare space, and companies in other industries. Additionally, we periodically adjust our personnel needs in response to changing macroeconomic conditions, market opportunities, management changes, acquisitions, cost levels and other internal and external considerations, which may adversely impact our workplace culture and ability to retain and incentivize employees. We cannot be sure that we will be able to attract and retain quality talent or that the costs of doing so will not materially increase.

Market, Liquidity and Credit Risks

We have significant indebtedness that could have negative consequences.
Certain of our acquisitions, including most recently the Mirati, Karuna and RayzeBio acquisitions, increased the amount of our debt resulting in additional interest expense, and we may incur more debt to finance future acquisitions.Our acquisitions of Celgene, MyoKardia, Mirati, Karuna and RayzeBio increased the amount of our debt resulting in additional interest expense, and we may incur more debt to finance future acquisitions. Although we have recently taken measures to reduce our debt, this could reduce our financial flexibility to continue capital investments, develop new products and declare future dividends. For example, following the December 2023 announcements of previous acquisitions, Standard & Poor’s downgraded BMS’s long term-credit rating from A+ to A (with a stable long-term credit outlook).

Adverse changes in U.S. and global economic and political conditions could adversely affect our operations and profitability.
Global economic and political risks pose significant challenges to a company’s growth and profitability and are difficult to mitigate. We generated approximately 31% of our revenues outside of the U.S. in 2025. As such, a global economic downturn could create or amplify a variety of risks to our business and could negatively affect our growth. In addition, uncertainty in the credit and capital markets could impact our growth strategy. Our revenues, earnings and cash flow are also exposed to risk from a strengthening U.S. dollar and global inflation, including in the U.S. If our operating costs were to significantly increase, whether as a result of rising inflation rates, wage increases or other factors, it could adversely affect our revenues and profitability. We also have exposure to customer credit risks in Europe, South America and other markets including from government-guaranteed hospital receivables in markets where payments are not received on time. We have significant operations in Europe, including for manufacturing and distribution. The results of our operations could be negatively impacted by any member country exiting the eurozone monetary union or EU.

Additionally, our business and operations may be adversely affected by political volatility, conflicts or crises in individual countries or regions, including terrorist activities or war and pandemics or epidemics. The COVID-19 pandemic affected demand for some of our products driven by lower patient starts and visits, and we would expect any future pandemics to have a similar effect. In addition, while we did not experience any significant manufacturing or supply issues due to COVID-19, it is possible that we could experience these issues in response to future pandemics. For instance, we may experience scarcity of certain raw materials and components as a result of the influx of pandemic related vaccine orders receiving priority treatment from vendors. Furthermore, a future epidemic or pandemic could create material staffing shortages at our manufacturing sites which could disrupt the supply of our products. It is also possible that we may experience supply chain interruptions as a result of quarantines, shelter-in-place and other governmental orders and policies, travel restrictions, airline and cargo capacity and route reductions. We may also experience delays in the initiation and enrollment of patients in our clinical trials as a consequence of any future pandemic. We may not be able to fully mitigate these delays, which could negatively impact the timing of our pipeline development programs and expected future revenues and/or cash flows. A prolonged clinical trial delay could potentially have a significant negative effect on our business, particularly if new
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competitive products enter the market or clinical trial results for our competitors’ products affect the value proposition for our product. Any such delays or difficulties in clinical development could also potentially lead to a material impairment of our intangible assets, including the $19.1 billion of other intangible assets as of December 31, 2025.

We cannot predict or reasonably estimate the impact of any potential long-term changes to the healthcare industry from global economic and political events, including any future pandemics. It is possible that changes in the healthcare system could impose additional burdens on clinical trials, which could increase the costs of sponsoring clinical trials or lead to additional delays or difficulties with completing clinical trials. We may also experience additional pricing pressures, shifts in the U.S. payer channel mix and/or increased governmental regulation.

Global economic conditions or events such as wars or pandemics also create additional risks from their impact on our suppliers, vendors, outsourcing partners, alliance partners and other third parties that we rely on to research, develop, manufacture, commercialize, co-promote and sell our products, manage certain marketing, selling, human resource, finance, IT and other business unit and functional services. For example, if any of our third-party providers suffer from limited solvency because of global economic conditions, it could negatively impact our operating model and our business. Similarly, global events such as the Ukraine-Russia conflict, tensions between the U.S. and China and other geopolitical events and conflicts can increase the volatility of the financial markets, foreign currency exchanges and interest rates. We could also face other potential negative consequences stemming from future pandemics or global events, including but not limited to increased cyber threats to us and our partners such as cyber attacks and outages, and challenges related to the safety of our employees and safe occupancy. It is possible that global economic and political events, including changes to the geopolitical relationship between the U.S. and China, other geopolitical events and conflicts, and any future pandemic, could exacerbate any of the other risks described in this 2025 Form 10-K as well.

There can be no guarantee that we will pay dividends or repurchase stock.
The declaration, amount and timing of any dividends fall within the discretion of our Board. The Board’s decision will depend on many factors, including our financial condition, earnings, capital requirements, debt service obligations, industry practice, legal requirements, regulatory constraints and other factors that our Board may deem relevant. A reduction or elimination of our dividend payments or dividend program could adversely affect our stock price. In addition, we could, at any time, decide not to buy back any more shares in the market, or reduce the number of shares repurchased under our share repurchase program, which could also adversely affect our stock price.

Our amended bylaws designate the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain lawsuits between us and our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a judicial forum that it finds favorable for such lawsuits and make it more costly for our stockholders to bring such lawsuits, which may have the effect of discouraging such lawsuits.
Our amended bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders, creditors or other constituents, (iii) action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended bylaws or (iv) action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine; provided, however, that, in the event that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction over any such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding will be another state or federal court of the State of Delaware. Our bylaws also provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of and consented to this forum selection provision.

The Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, another state or federal court of the State of Delaware) will have the fullest authority allowed by law to issue an anti-suit injunction to enforce this forum selection clause and to preclude suit in any other forum. However, this forum selection provision is not intended to apply to any actions brought under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"), as amended, or the Exchange Act. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder and Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Accordingly, the forum selection provision in our amended bylaws will not relieve us of our duties to comply with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with these laws, rules and regulations.

Nevertheless, this forum selection provision in our bylaws may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or any of our directors, officers and other employees, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims, although our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. In addition, stockholders who do bring a claim in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware could
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face additional litigation costs in pursuing any such claim, particularly if they do not reside in or near Delaware. While we believe the risk of a court declining to enforce the forum selection provision contained in our amended bylaws is low, if a court were to find the provision inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.

Item 1B.34Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.
None.

Item 1C.CYBERSECURITY

Risk Management and Strategy

The Company manages cybersecurity risk as part of our overall enterprise risk management strategy, which is overseen by the Audit Committee and the Board. The Company employs robust cybersecurity and data privacy programs that are designed to assess, identify and manage material risks from cybersecurity threats. These programs are independently assessed every three years against the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework ("NIST").

We are constantly evolving our cyber defenses to minimize impacts from cyber threats by using a multi-pronged approach that helps safeguard our assets and data. We are particularly focused on addressing emerging cybersecurity risks, including human risk, as phishing attacks remain one of the most common causes of data breaches; third-party supply chain risks, as threat actors continue to target supply chains to compromise a greater number of victims; and geopolitical risk, as tensions and conflicts around the world are often accompanied by an increase in sabotage, espionage and cyber attacks. As threat actors frequently target employees to gain access to information and systems, we have a comprehensive global human risk management program that educates our workforce on threats they face as a first line of defense, and includes elements addressing phishing, malware, data handling, device security, cybersecurity education, password security, internet browsing and defenses to physical threats. Our employees are exposed to data-driven cybersecurity awareness campaigns and annual training in order to keep pace with industry standards, evolving challenges and innovative solutions with respect to information security, data privacy, and cybersecurity risks to the organization. In many regions, our employees receive a monthly snapshot of their cyber behaviors and are given a rating for their cyber vigilance. Additionally, we employ a multi-layered approach in our application of cybersecurity technologies to help safeguard our systems, networks, and data from potential cybersecurity threats. For companies that we acquire, our integration plans include, where appropriate, workable timelines for alignment on information security, data privacy, cybersecurity and employee education.

To support our preparedness, we have a cybersecurity incident response plan (“CIRP”) that we regularly update as business needs and the security landscapes change. In the event of a cybersecurity incident, our incident response team refers to our CIRP and existing management internal controls and disclosure processes. Pursuant to this process, designated personnel are responsible for assessing the severity of the incident and any associated threats, containing and resolving the incident as quickly as possible, managing any damage to the Company’s systems and networks, minimizing the impact on the Company’s stakeholders, analyzing and executing upon internal reporting obligations, escalating information about the incident to senior management, as appropriate, and performing post-incident analysis and program enhancements, as needed. We perform multiple tabletop exercises across various levels of the Company each year to test our incident response procedures, enhance our resiliency by seeking to ensure business continuity during potential extended digital outages, identify improvement opportunities and increase employee awareness and preparedness. These tabletop exercises focus on various aspects of cybersecurity events, including patient and employee impact, operational resilience and effectiveness and communication coordination.

We engage with third parties to separately conduct cyber assessments on a recurring basis and assist with containment and remediation efforts. In addition, third-party technology and analytics are utilized to identify potential vulnerabilities. We recognize that third parties that provide services to the Company can be subject to cybersecurity incidents that could impact the Company. To manage third-party risk, we maintain a third-party risk management program, which is designed to assess the security controls of our third parties. The assessment methodology is based on risk and relies on the data, access, connectivity, and criticality of the services that the third-party offers. As noted, we also conduct tabletop exercises to identify improvement opportunities in our supply chain resilience.

We maintain relationships with law enforcement, government agencies, forensic investigators, and legal counsel to inform our cybersecurity and data privacy programs.

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While we and our third-party vendors are regularly subject to cybersecurity attacks and incidents, as of December 31, 2025 and through the date of this filing, we are not aware of any material cybersecurity incidents that have impacted the Company in the last three years. However, we have been the target of cyber attacks and expect them to continue as cybersecurity threats have been rapidly evolving in sophistication and becoming more prevalent in the industry. We face risks of incidents, whether through cyber attacks or cyber intrusions through the Cloud, the Internet, phishing attempts, ransomware and other forms of malware, computer viruses, email attachments, extortion, and other scams. Although we make efforts to maintain the security and integrity of our information technology systems, these systems and the proprietary, confidential and personal information that resides on or is transmitted through them, are subject to the risk of a cybersecurity incident or disruption, and there can be no assurance that our security efforts and measures, and those of our third-party vendors, will prevent breakdowns or incidents to our or our third-party vendors’ systems that could adversely affect our business. For a discussion of these risks, see “Item 1A—Risk Factors—Information Technology and Cybersecurity Risks—We are dependent on information technology and our systems and infrastructure face certain risks, including from cybersecurity incidents and data leakage.”

Governance

The Company’s cybersecurity program is implemented and overseen by the Company’s Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”), the Executive Vice President, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, and senior management. The CISO reports to the Chief Digital & Technology Officer, who in turn reports to the CEO. Collectively, our CISO and senior management team have extensive experience in information security and information technology risk management, including cybersecurity. Since 2018, our CISO has led our enterprise-wide cybersecurity risk management, strategy, policy, standards and processes. The information security team responsible for managing and implementing the Company’s cybersecurity program has many years of valuable business experience effectively addressing cybersecurity risks and developing related robust policies and procedures. The Company’s data privacy program is jointly managed by the Chief Privacy Officer (“CPO”) and the CISO. The CPO oversees privacy governance, compliance, and regulatory alignment, while the CISO provides technical and security oversight for data protection.

Our Audit Committee, which consists solely of independent directors, oversees the Company’s overall enterprise risk assessment and risk management policies and guidelines, including risks related to cybersecurity matters. Our Audit Committee reviews, discusses with management at least annually and oversees the Company’s information security and data protection programs. In particular, the Audit Committee receives periodic updates from the CISO, CPO, internal audit function and other members of management on significant cybersecurity and data privacy threats to our systems and the potential impact on the Company’s business, financial results, operations, and reputation, risk management strategies, including information governance and security policies and programs, program assessments, planned improvements, major legislative and regulatory developments that could materially impact the Company’s cybersecurity and data privacy policies and programs, and status of information security initiatives, including an appropriate threat assessment relating to information technology risks. In particular, the Audit Committee receives periodic updates from the CISO, internal audit function and other members of management on significant cybersecurity and data privacy threats to our systems and the potential impact on the Company’s business, financial results, operations, and reputation, risk management strategies, including information governance and security policies and programs, program assessments, planned improvements, major legislative and regulatory developments that could materially impact the Company’s cybersecurity and data privacy policies and programs, and status of information security initiatives, including an appropriate threat assessment relating to information technology risks. After each such update, the Chair of the Audit Committee updates the full Board. The Board also receives similar cybersecurity and privacy updates directly from the CISO, CPO and other members of management at least annually, and as needed from time to time.

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