Exhibit 12
Abbott Laboratories
Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
(Unaudited)
(dollars in millions except ratio)
| | Nine Months Ended September 30, 2004 | |
Earnings from Continuing Operations | | $ | 2,201 | |
Add (deduct): | | | |
Taxes on earnings from continuing operations | | 769 | |
Capitalized interest cost, net of amortization | | 4 | |
Minority interest | | 8 | |
| | | |
Earnings from Continuing Operations as adjusted | | $ | 2,982 | |
| | | |
Fixed Charges: | | | |
Interest on long-term and short-term debt | | 143 | |
Capitalized interest cost | | 7 | |
Rental expense representative of an interest factor | | 44 | |
| | | |
Total Fixed Charges | | 194 | |
| | | |
Total adjusted earnings available for payment of fixed charges | | $ | 3,176 | |
| | | |
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges | | 16.4 | |
NOTE: For the purpose of calculating this ratio, (i) earnings have been calculated by adjusting earnings from continuing operations for taxes on earnings from continuing operations; interest expense; capitalized interest cost, net of amortization; minority interest; 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.