Abbott Laboratories (ABT) 10-K 2009 FY Annual report

Exhibit 12

Abbott Laboratories

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

(Unaudited)

(dollars in millions)

	2009			2008		2007			2006			2005
EARNINGS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS ADD (DEDUCT)	$	5,746		$	4,734	$	3,606		$	1,717		$	3,372
Taxes on earnings from continuing operations	1,448			1,122		863			559			1,248
Amortization of capitalized interest, net of capitalized interest	(4		)	6		(25		)	(28		)	(16		)
Noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries	7			7		9			8			9
EARNINGS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS AS ADJUSTED	$	7,197		$	5,869	$	4,453		$	2,256		$	4,613
FIXED CHARGES Interest on long-term and short-term debt	520			528		593			416			241
Capitalized interest cost	23			17		42			43			29
Rental expense representative of an interest factor	94			77		69			66			64
TOTAL FIXED CHARGES	637			622		704			525			334
TOTAL ADJUSTED EARNINGS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PAYMENT OF FIXED CHARGES	$	7,834		$	6,491	$	5,157		$	2,781		$	4,947
RATIO OF EARNINGS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS TO FIXED CHARGES	12.3			10.4		7.3			5.3			14.8

NOTE: For the purpose of calculating this ratio, (i) earnings from continuing operations have been calculated by adjusting earnings from continuing operations for taxes on earnings from continuing operations; interest expense; amortization of capitalized interest, net of capitalized interest; noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries; and the portion of rentals representative of the interest factor, (ii) Abbott considers one-third of rental expense to be the amount representing return on capital, and (iii) fixed charges comprise total interest expense, including capitalized interest and such portion of rentals.