Balance Sheet: Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

The balance sheet provides creditors, investors, and analysts with information on company resources (assets) and its sources of capital (its equity and liabilities). It normally also provides information about the future earnings capacity of a company assets as well as an indication of cash flows that may come from receivables and inventories.

Liabilities represents obligations of a company arising from past events, the settlement of which is expected to result in an outflow of economic benefits from the entity.

Becton, Dickinson & Co., consolidated balance sheet: liabilities and stockholders’ equity

US$ in millions

	Sep 30, 2021	Sep 30, 2020	Sep 30, 2019	Sep 30, 2018	Sep 30, 2017	Sep 30, 2016
Short-term debt	500)	707)	1,309)	2,601)	203)	1,001)
Accounts payable	1,793)	1,355)	1,092)	1,106)	797)	665)
Accrued expenses	2,943)	2,638)	2,127)	2,255)	1,393)	1,575)
Salaries, wages and related items	1,214)	993)	987)	910)	773)	696)
Income taxes	176)	143)	140)	344)	176)	274)
Liabilities held for sale	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	189)
Current liabilities	6,626)	5,836)	5,655)	7,216)	3,342)	4,400)
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	17,110)	17,224)	18,081)	18,894)	18,667)	10,550)
Long-term employee benefit obligations	1,228)	1,435)	1,272)	1,056)	1,168)	1,319)
Deferred income taxes and other liabilities	5,225)	5,753)	5,676)	5,744)	1,609)	1,684)
Noncurrent liabilities	23,563)	24,412)	25,029)	25,694)	21,444)	13,553)
Total liabilities	30,189)	30,248)	30,684)	32,910)	24,786)	17,953)
Preferred stock	2)	2)	2)	2)	2)	—)
Common stock, $1 par value	365)	365)	347)	347)	347)	333)
Capital in excess of par value	19,272)	19,270)	16,270)	16,179)	9,619)	4,693)
Retained earnings	13,826)	12,791)	12,913)	12,596)	13,111)	12,727)
Deferred compensation	23)	23)	23)	22)	19)	21)
Common stock in treasury, at cost	(7,723)	(6,138)	(6,190)	(6,243)	(8,427)	(8,212)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(2,088)	(2,548)	(2,284)	(1,909)	(1,723)	(1,929)
Shareholders’ equity	23,677)	23,765)	21,081)	20,994)	12,948)	7,633)
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	53,866)	54,013)	51,765)	53,904)	37,734)	25,586)

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2021-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-09-30).

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Balance sheet item	Description	The company
Current liabilities	Total obligations incurred as part of normal operations that are expected to be paid during the following twelve months or within one business cycle, if longer.	Becton, Dickinson & Co. current liabilities increased from 2019 to 2020 and from 2020 to 2021.
Noncurrent liabilities	Amount of obligation due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.	Becton, Dickinson & Co. noncurrent liabilities decreased from 2019 to 2020 and from 2020 to 2021.
Total liabilities	Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all liabilities that are recognized. Liabilities are probable future sacrifices of economic benefits arising from present obligations of an entity to transfer assets or provide services to other entities in the future.	Becton, Dickinson & Co. total liabilities decreased from 2019 to 2020 and from 2020 to 2021.
Shareholders’ equity	Total of all stockholders’ equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which are attributable to the parent. The amount of the economic entity stockholders’ equity attributable to the parent excludes the amount of stockholders’ equity which is allocable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (noncontrolling interest, minority interest). This excludes temporary equity and is sometimes called permanent equity.	Becton, Dickinson & Co. shareholders’ equity increased from 2019 to 2020 but then slightly decreased from 2020 to 2021.

Becton, Dickinson & Co. (NYSE:BDX)

Balance Sheet: Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity