Litigation.

Capital Allocation and Expense Management

We seek to maintain a strong balance sheet and robust liquidity so that we continue to have the financial resources necessary to take advantage of prudent commercial, research and business development opportunities and to directly enhance shareholder value through dividends and share repurchases. For additional information about our financial condition, liquidity, capital resources, share repurchases and dividends, see the “Analysis of Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources” section of this Financial Review.

We remain focused on achieving an appropriate cost structure for the Company. For additional information about our cost-reduction and productivity initiatives, see the “Costs and Expenses––Restructuring Charges and Other Costs Associated with Acquisitions and Cost- Reduction/Productivity Initiatives” section of this Financial Review.

On June 27, 2013, our Board of Directors authorized a new $10 billion share-purchase plan, to be utilized over time. Also, on December 16, 2013, our Board of Directors declared a first-quarter 2014 dividend of $0.26 per share, an increase from the $0.24 per-share quarterly dividend paid during 2013.

Our Business Development Initiatives

We are committed to capitalizing on growth opportunities by advancing our own pipeline and maximizing the value of our in-line products, as well as through various forms of business development, which can include alliances, licenses, joint ventures, dispositions and acquisitions. We view our business development activity as an enabler of our strategies, and we seek to generate earnings growth and enhance shareholder value by pursuing a disciplined, strategic and financial approach to evaluating business development opportunities. We are especially interested in opportunities in our five high-priority therapeutic areas—immunology and inflammation; oncology; cardiovascular and metabolic diseases; neuroscience and pain; and vaccines––and in emerging markets and established products. Other areas of focus include rare diseases and biosimilars. We assess our businesses and assets as part of our regular, ongoing portfolio review process and also continue to consider business development activities for our businesses.

The more significant recent transactions and events are described below.

• Collaboration with Eli Lilly & Company (Lilly)––In October 2013, we entered into a collaboration agreement with Lilly to jointly develop and globally commercialize Pfizer's tanezumab, which provides that Pfizer and Lilly will equally share product-development expenses as well as potential revenues and certain product-related costs. The tanezumab program currently is subject to a partial clinical hold by the FDA pending submission of nonclinical data to the FDA. We anticipate submitting that data by the end of 2014. Under the agreement with Lilly, we are eligible to receive certain payments from Lilly upon the achievement of specified clinical, regulatory and commercial milestones, including an upfront payment of $200 million that is contingent upon the parties continuing in the collaboration after receipt of the FDA’s