DECEMBER 21, 2012

CORPORATES

RATING METHODOLOGY

Global Pharmaceutical Industry
Summary
This rating methodology explains Moody’s approach to assessing credit risk for companies in the pharmaceutical industry globally. This document is intended to provide general guidance that helps companies, investors, and other interested market participants understand how key qualitative and quantitative risk characteristics are likely to affect rating outcomes for companies in the pharmaceutical industry. This document does not include an exhaustive treatment of all factors that are reflected in Moody’s ratings but should enable the reader to understand the qualitative considerations and financial information and ratios that are usually most important for ratings in this sector. This rating methodology replaces 1 the Global Pharmaceutical Industry Methodology published in October 2009. While reflecting many of the same core principles as the 2009 document, this update provides a more transparent presentation of the rating considerations that are usually most important for companies in this sector and incorporates refinements in our analysis that better reflect key credit fundamentals of the industry. No rating changes will result from publication of this rating methodology. This report includes a detailed rating grid and illustrative mapping examples that compare historical performance on factors in the grid to ratings of companies covered by this methodology. The purpose of the rating grid is to provide a reference tool that can be used to approximate credit profiles within the pharmaceutical sector in most cases. The grid provides summarized guidance for most of the factors that are most important in assigning ratings to these companies. However, the grid is a summary that does not include every rating consideration. The weights shown for each factor in the grid