Becton Dickinson & Co. 10-K 2021-09-30

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K

(Mark One)

☑ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER: 001-4802

BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (201) 847-6800

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☑

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a "large accelerated filer," an "accelerated filer," a "non-accelerated filer," a "smaller reporting company," or an "emerging growth company."

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☑

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☑

As of March 31, 2021, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $70,616,222,365.

As of October 31, 2021, 284,023,582 shares of the registrant’s common stock were outstanding.

Documents Incorporated by Reference Portions of the registrant’s Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held January 25, 2022 are incorporated by reference into Part III hereof.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

General

Becton, Dickinson and Company (also referred to herein as "BD") was incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey in November 1906, as successor to a New York business started in 1897. BD’s executive offices are located at 1 Becton Drive, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey 07417-1880, and its telephone number is (201) 847-6800. All references in this Form 10-K to "BD", "the Company", "we", "our" or "us" refer to Becton, Dickinson and Company and its domestic and foreign subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated by the context.

BD is a global medical technology company engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of a broad range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products used by healthcare institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. We provide customer solutions that are focused on improving medication management and patient safety; supporting infection prevention practices; equipping surgical and interventional procedures; improving drug delivery; aiding anesthesiology care; enhancing the diagnosis of infectious diseases and cancers; advancing cellular research and applications; and supporting the management of diabetes.

Business Segments

BD’s operations consist of three worldwide business segments: BD Medical, BD Life Sciences and BD Interventional. Information with respect to BD’s business segments is included in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements contained in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, and is incorporated herein by reference.

BD Medical

BD Medical produces a broad array of medical technologies and devices that are used to help improve healthcare delivery in a wide range of settings. The primary customers served by BD Medical are hospitals and clinics; physicians’ office practices; consumers and retail pharmacies; governmental and nonprofit public health agencies; pharmaceutical companies; and healthcare workers. BD Medical consists of the following organizational units:

BD Life Sciences

BD Life Sciences provides products for the safe collection and transport of diagnostics specimens, and instruments and reagent systems to detect a broad range of infectious diseases, healthcare-associated infections and cancers. In addition, BD Life Sciences produces research and clinical tools that facilitate the study of cells, and the components of cells, to gain a better understanding of normal and disease processes. That information is used to aid the discovery and development of new drugs and vaccines, and to improve the diagnosis and management of diseases. The primary customers served by BD Life Sciences are hospitals, laboratories and clinics; blood banks; healthcare workers; public health agencies; physicians’ office practices; retail pharmacies; academic and government institutions; and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. With the emergency use authorization approval of the At Home COVID-19 test, BD Life Sciences also serves patients directly. BD Life Sciences consists of the following organizational units:

BD Interventional

BD Interventional provides vascular, urology, oncology and surgical specialty products that are intended, with the exception of the V. Mueller™ surgical and laparoscopic instrumentation products, to be used once and then discarded or are either temporarily or permanently implanted. The primary customers served by BD Interventional are hospitals, individual healthcare professionals, extended care facilities, alternate site facilities, and patients via our Homecare business. BD Interventional consists of the following organizational units:

Divestiture

Advanced Bioprocessing

In October 2018, BD completed the sale of its Life Sciences segment’s Advanced Bioprocessing business pursuant to a definitive agreement that was signed in September 2018.

Additional information regarding this divestiture is contained in Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements contained in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, which is incorporated herein by reference.

International Operations

BD’s products are manufactured and sold worldwide. For reporting purposes, we organize our operations outside the United States as follows: EMEA (which includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa); Greater Asia (which includes countries in Greater China, Japan, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Korea, and Australia and New Zealand); Latin America (which includes Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America); and Canada. BD has manufacturing operations outside the United States in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, China, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Geographic information with respect to BD’s operations is included under the heading “Geographic Information” in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

Foreign economic conditions and exchange rate fluctuations have caused the profitability related to foreign revenues to fluctuate more than the profitability related to domestic revenues. BD believes its activities in some countries outside the United States involve greater risk than its domestic business due to the factors cited herein, as well as the economic environment, local commercial and economic policies and political uncertainties. See further discussion of these risks in Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Distribution

BD’s products are marketed and distributed in the United States and internationally through independent distribution channels, and directly to hospitals and other healthcare institutions by BD and independent sales representatives. BD uses acute care, non-acute care, laboratory and drug wholesaler distributors to broadly support our overall disposable product demand from our end user customers in the United States. In international markets, products are distributed either directly or through distributors, with the practice varying by country. Order backlog is not material to BD’s business inasmuch as orders for BD products generally are received and filled on a current basis. BD’s worldwide sales are not generally seasonal, with the exception of certain medical devices in the Medication Delivery Solutions business unit, and flu diagnostic products in the Integrated Diagnostic Systems business unit, both of which relate to seasonal diseases such as influenza. In order to service its customers, optimize logistics, lower facilities costs and reduce finished goods inventory levels, BD operates consolidated distribution facilities globally.

Raw Materials and Components

BD purchases many different types of raw materials and components, including plastics, glass, metals, textiles, paper products, agricultural products, electronic and mechanical sub-assemblies and various biological, chemical and petrochemical products. BD seeks to ensure continuity of supply by securing multiple options for sourcing. However, there are situations where raw materials and components are only available from one supplier, which are referred to as sole sourced. The use of sole sourced materials and components may be due to sourcing of proprietary and/or patented technology and processes that are intended to provide a unique market differentiation to our product. In other cases, while a raw material or component can be sourced from multiple manufacturers, only one supplier is qualified due to quality assurance, cost or other considerations. In order to provide alternate sources, BD must complete a rigorous qualification process, which most often includes completion of regulatory registration and approval. If clinical trials are not required, this qualification process

can take 3-18 months depending on the criticality of the change. When clinical trials are required, this process may lengthen the qualification phase from one to three years. BD continuously assesses its sole sourced raw materials and components, and maintains business continuity plans with its suppliers. BD’s continuity plans may include securing secondary supply with alternate suppliers, qualification of alternate manufacturing facilities, maintaining contingency stock, internal development of supply and establishment of technology escrow accounts. While BD works closely with its suppliers, no assurance can be given that these efforts will be successful, and there may be events that cause supply interruption, reduction or termination that adversely impacts BD’s ability to manufacture and sell certain products. See further discussion of the risks related to the supply chain and raw materials in Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Research and Development

BD conducts its research and development (“R&D”) activities at its operating units and across global enterprise centers of excellence located in the United States, India, China, Singapore, and Ireland. The majority of BD’s R&D activities are conducted in North America. Outside North America, BD has a significant R&D presence in Greater Asia and Europe. BD also collaborates with certain universities, medical centers and other entities on R&D programs and retains individual consultants and partners to support its efforts in specialized fields.

Intellectual Property and Licenses

BD owns significant intellectual property, including patents, patent applications, technology, trade secrets, know-how, copyrights and trademarks in the United States and other countries. BD is also licensed under domestic and foreign patents, patent applications, technology, trade secrets, know-how, copyrights and trademarks owned by others. In the aggregate, these intellectual property assets and licenses are of material importance to BD’s business. BD believes, however, that no single patent, technology, trademark, intellectual property asset or license is material in relation to BD’s business as a whole, or to any business segment.

Competition

BD operates in the increasingly complex and challenging medical technology marketplace. Technological advances and scientific discoveries have accelerated the pace of change in medical technology, the regulatory environment of medical products is becoming more complex and vigorous, and economic conditions have resulted in a challenging market. Companies of varying sizes compete in the global medical technology field. Some are more specialized than BD with respect to particular markets, and some have greater financial resources than BD. New companies have entered the field, particularly in the areas of molecular diagnostics, safety-engineered devices and in the life sciences, and established companies have diversified their business activities into the medical technology area. Other firms engaged in the distribution of medical technology products have become manufacturers of medical devices and instruments as well. Acquisitions and collaborations by and among companies seeking a competitive advantage also affect the competitive environment. In addition, the entry into the market of low-cost manufacturers has created increased pricing pressures. BD competes in this evolving marketplace on the basis of many factors, including price, quality, innovation, service, reputation, distribution and promotion. The impact of these factors on BD’s competitive position varies among BD’s various product offerings. In order to remain competitive in the industries in which it operates, BD continues to make investments in R&D, quality management, quality improvement, product innovation and productivity improvement in support of its core strategies. See further discussion of the risks relating to competition in the medical technology industry in Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Third-Party Reimbursement

Reimbursement is an important strategic consideration in the development and marketing of medical technology. Obtaining coverage, coding and payment is critical to the commercial success of a new product or procedure. Difficulty in achieving market access can lead to slow adoption in the marketplace and inadequate payment levels that can continue for months or even years.

A majority of BD’s customers rely on third-party payers, including government programs and private health insurance plans, to reimburse some or all of the cost of the procedures, products and services they provide. Vertical integration has created a very concentrated market among commercial third-party payers in the U.S. Global payers are increasingly focused on strategies to control spending on healthcare and reward improvements in quality and patient outcomes.

BD is actively engaged in identifying and communicating value propositions of its products for payer, provider, and patient stakeholders, and it employs various efforts and resources to attempt to positively impact coverage, coding and payment pathways. However, BD has no direct control over payer decision-making with respect to coverage and payment levels for BD products. The manner and level of reimbursement in any given case may depend on the site of care, the procedure(s) performed, the final patient diagnosis, the device(s) and/or drug(s) utilized, the available budget, or a combination of these factors, and coverage and payment levels are determined at each payer’s discretion. As BD’s product offerings are diverse across a variety of healthcare settings, they are affected to varying degrees by the many payment pathways that impact the decisions of healthcare providers regarding which medical products they purchase and the prices they are willing to pay for those products. Therefore, changes in reimbursement levels or methods may either positively or negatively impact sales of BD products in any given country for any given product.

As government programs expand healthcare coverage for their citizens, they have at the same time sought to control costs by limiting the amount of reimbursement they will pay for particular procedures, products or services. In addition, most payers are seeking price predictability in order to mitigate future exposure to manufacturer price increases. This is coupled with an increase in high deductible private insurance plans, which transfer more pricing exposure and burden directly to the patient.

Many payers both in the U.S. and globally have developed specific payment and delivery mechanisms to support these cost control efforts and to focus on paying for value. These mechanisms include payment reductions, pay for performance measures, quality-based performance payments, restrictive coverage policies, bidding and tender mechanics, studies to compare the effectiveness of therapies and use of technology assessments. These changes, whether the result of legislation, new strategic alliances or market consolidations, have created an increased emphasis on the delivery of more cost-effective and quality-driven healthcare.

For example, as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”), the U.S. has implemented value-based payment methodologies and has created alternative payment models such as bundled payments to continue to drive improved value. We see other governments around the world considering similar bundling reform measures, with the utilization of the Diagnosis Related Group (“DRG”) as a payment mechanism to drive toward quality and resource based reimbursement becoming more common in regions outside the U.S.

Regulation

General

BD's operations are global and are affected by complex state, federal and international laws relating to healthcare, environmental protection, antitrust, anti-corruption, marketing, fraud and abuse (including anti-kickback and false claims laws), export control, product safety and efficacy, employment, privacy and other areas.

BD’s medical technology products and operations are subject to regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and various other federal and state agencies, as well as by foreign governmental agencies. These agencies enforce laws and regulations that govern the development, testing, manufacturing, labeling, advertising, marketing and distribution, and market surveillance of BD’s medical products. The scope of the activities of these agencies, particularly in the Europe, Japan, and Asia Pacific regions in which BD operates, has been increasing.

BD actively maintains FDA/ISO Quality Systems that establish standards for its product design, manufacturing, and distribution processes. Prior to marketing or selling most of its products, BD must secure approval from the FDA and counterpart non-U.S. regulatory agencies. Following the introduction of a product,

these agencies engage in periodic reviews and inspections of BD’s quality systems, as well as product performance and advertising and promotional materials. These regulatory controls, as well as any changes in agency policies, can affect the time and cost associated with the development, introduction and continued availability of new and existing products. Where possible, BD anticipates these factors in its product development and planning processes. These agencies possess the authority to take various administrative and legal actions against BD, such as product recalls, product seizures and other civil and criminal sanctions. BD also undertakes voluntary compliance actions, such as voluntary recalls.

BD also is subject to various federal and state laws, and laws outside the United States, concerning healthcare fraud and abuse (including false claims laws and anti-kickback laws), global anti-corruption, transportation, safety and health, and customs and exports. Many of the agencies enforcing these laws have increased their enforcement activities with respect to medical device manufacturers in recent years. This is part of a general trend toward increased regulation and enforcement activity within and outside the United States.

In addition, as part of PPACA, the federal government has enacted the Sunshine Act provisions requiring BD to publicly report gifts and payments made to physicians and teaching hospitals. Countries outside the United States have enacted similar local laws requiring medical device companies to report transfers of value to health care providers licensed in those countries. Failure to comply with these laws could result in a range of fines, penalties and/or other sanctions.

Consent Decree with FDA

Our infusion pump organizational unit is operating under an amended consent decree entered into by CareFusion with the FDA in 2007. CareFusion’s consent decree with the FDA is related to its Alaris™ SE infusion pumps. In February 2009, CareFusion and the FDA amended the consent decree to include all infusion pumps manufactured by or for CareFusion 303, Inc., the organizational unit that manufactures and sells BD Alaris™ infusion pumps in the United States. The amended consent decree does not apply to intravenous administration sets and accessories.

While this BD organizational unit remains subject to the amended consent decree, which includes the requirements of the original consent decree, it has made substantial progress in its compliance efforts. However, we cannot predict the outcome of this matter, and the amended consent decree authorizes the FDA, in the event of any violations in the future, to order us to cease manufacturing and distributing infusion pumps, recall products and take other actions. We may be required to pay damages of $15,000 per day per violation if we fail to comply with any provision of the amended consent decree, up to $15 million per year.

We also cannot currently predict whether additional monetary investment will be incurred to resolve this matter or the matter’s ultimate impact on our business. We may be obligated to pay more costs in the future because, among other things, the FDA may determine that we are not fully compliant with the amended consent decree and therefore impose penalties under the amended consent decree, and/or we may be subject to future proceedings and litigation relating to the matters addressed in the amended consent decree, including, but not limited to, fines, penalties, other monetary remedies, and expansion of the terms of the amended consent decree. As of September 30, 2021, we do not believe that a loss is probable in connection with the amended consent decree, and accordingly, we have no accruals associated with compliance with the amended consent decree.

We are undertaking certain remediation of our BD Alaris System, and are currently shipping the product in the U.S., only in cases of medical necessity and to remediate recalled software versions. We will not be able to fully resume commercial operations for the BD Alaris System in the U.S. until a 510(k) submission relating to the product has been cleared by the FDA. No assurances can be given as to when or if clearance will be obtained from the FDA.

Following an inspection that began in March 2020 of our Medication Management Systems facility (CareFusion 303, Inc.) in San Diego, California, the FDA issued to BD a Form 483 Notice that contains a number of observations of non-conformance. BD has provided the FDA with its response to the Form 483 and has begun to implement certain corrective actions to address the observations. However, the FDA’s review of the items raised in the Form 483 remains ongoing and no assurances can be given regarding further action by

the FDA as a result of the observations, including but not limited to action pursuant to the amended consent decree.

FDA Warning Letter

On January 11, 2018, BD received a Warning Letter from the FDA with respect to our former BD Preanalytical Systems ("PAS") unit, citing certain alleged violations of quality system regulations and of law. The Warning Letter states that, until BD resolves the outstanding issues covered by the Warning Letter, the FDA will not clear or approve any premarket submissions for Class III devices to which the non-conformances are reasonably related or grant requests for certificates to foreign governments. BD has worked closely with the FDA and implemented corrective actions to address the quality management system concerns identified in the warning letter. In March 2020, the FDA conducted a subsequent inspection of PAS, which it classified as Voluntary Action Indicated, which means the FDA will not take or recommend any administrative or regulatory action as a result of the unit’s response to the observations associated with the quality management concerns in the inspection. BD continues to work with the FDA to generate additional clinical evidence and file 510(k)s as remaining commitments associated with the Warning Letter. The FDA review of these remaining commitments is ongoing and no assurances can be given regarding further action by the FDA as a result of these commitments, including but not limited to action pursuant to the Warning Letter.

Consent Order - Covington, Georgia, USA

On October 28, 2019, BD entered into a consent order with the Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (the “EPD”), following the filing of a complaint and motion for temporary restraining order by the EPD seeking to enjoin BD from continuing sterilization operations at its Covington, Georgia facility. Under the terms of the consent order, which has been amended two times upon mutual agreement of BD and EPD, BD voluntarily agreed to a number of operational changes at its Covington and Madison, Georgia facilities, as well as at its distribution center in Covington, designed to further reduce ethylene oxide emissions, including but not limited to operating at a reduced capacity. BD does not believe that the consent order will have a material impact on its operations. Violation of the consent order, though, could subject us to additional restrictions on the sterilization operations at our Covington and Madison facilities. BD has business continuity plans in place to mitigate the impact of any additional restrictions on our operations at these facilities, although it is possible that these plans will not be able to fully offset such impact, especially considering the reduced capacity of third-party sterilization service providers and the regulatory timelines associated with transferring sterilization operations for regulated products.

At a broader level, several states have increased the regulatory requirements associated with the use and emission of ethylene oxide, the most frequently used sterilant for medical devices and health care products in the U.S. This increased regulation could require BD or sterilization service providers, including providers used by BD, to temporarily suspend operations to install additional air quality controls, limit the use of ethylene oxide or take other actions, which would further reduce the available capacity of third-party providers to sterilize medical devices and health care products. A few states have filed lawsuits to require additional air quality controls and expand limitations on the use of ethylene oxide at sterilization facilities. In December 2020, the State of New Mexico filed a lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary and permanent injunction against a major medical device sterilizer, which sterilizes certain of our surgery products, to reduce ethylene oxide emissions associated with their sterilization process. On the federal level, in late 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provided notice that it would be conducting rulemaking to reconsider federal regulations applicable to the use and emission of ethylene oxide. If any such proceedings or rulemaking result in the suspension of sterilization operations at BD or at medical device sterilizers used by BD, or otherwise limit the availability of third-party sterilization capacity, this could interrupt or otherwise adversely impact production of certain of our products. BD has business continuity plans in place to mitigate the impact of any such disruptions, although these plans may not be able to fully offset such impact, for the reasons noted above.

For further discussion of risks relating to the regulations to which we are subject, see Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Human Capital Management

At BD, our associates are guided by our Purpose, advancing the world of health and The BD WAY, our culture and values. Each empowers our associates to contribute individuality, unique ideas, and experiences to fuel innovation and better patient outcomes. As of September 30, 2021, BD is comprised of approximately 75,000 associates located in over 62 countries. Attracting, developing and retaining talented people in technical, marketing, sales, research and other positions is crucial to executing our strategy and our ability to compete effectively in a highly competitive medical technology industry. Our ability to recruit and retain such talent depends on several factors, including compensation and benefits, talent development and career opportunities, and our unique culture. To that end, we continually invest in our associates in order to be an employer of choice.

Inclusion, Diversity & Equity

We continually engage a workforce that reflects the communities we live and work in and the customers and patients we serve, and that possesses a broad range of thought and experiences which have helped BD achieve our leadership position in the medical technology industry and the global marketplace. A key component of our journey to continually build a better BD is our commitment to global inclusion, diversity and equity ("ID&E"). We believe this commitment allows us to better our understanding of patient and customer needs and develop technologies to meet those needs. Our ID&E efforts have garnered recognitions, including Best Places to Work for Disability and LGBTQ Inclusion, Bloomberg’s Gender Equality Index, and Diversity Inc.’s Noteworthy Companies.

While we continue to demonstrate progress in the diverse representation of our workforce, we seek to continuously improve in this area. Each year, we establish annual corporate ID&E goals to improve hiring, development, advancement, and retention of diverse talent, and to advance our culture of inclusion. In addition, our executive leaders serve as sponsors of our nine associate-led resource groups ("ARGs") who are empowered to set strategic goals that drive belonging, allyship, community service and professional development.

Externally, we are building on our existing momentum and remain involved in industry ID&E efforts with the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) to improve diversity in the medical technology industry. We remain committed to support and partner with the United Nation’s Open for Business, United Negro College Fund, the Equal Justice Initiative (“EJI”) and our BD Helping Build Healthy Communities initiative. Through the BD Helping Build Healthy Communities™ initiative, we committed $22.6 million to support Direct Relief and the National Association of Community Health Centers in expanding the innovative practices of U.S. community health centers, which collectively serve more than 30 million U.S. patients, the majority of which are in underserved communities. We also built upon our support for the EJI, taking the opportunity to engage our associates in a 21-Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge to bring further awareness and understanding of social and racial justice issues. For each associate that engaged with the challenge, we committed an additional monetary donation to the EJI.

For the above table, we define “executives” as associates in positions of vice president and above. “Management” positions are defined as those in manager, director or equivalent roles. Information regarding race and gender is based on information provided by associates.

Associate Growth and Development

At BD we are accountable for learning and growing every day. Our commitment to continuous improvement helps us to become the best version of ourselves. We invest significant resources to develop talent with the right capabilities to deliver the growth and innovation needed to support our strategy. We have launched an enhanced Strategic Organizational Planning process in order to build the organizational capabilities required in the years to come. We offer associates and their managers a number of tools to help in their personal and professional development, including career development plans, mentoring programs and in-house learning opportunities, including BD University, our in-house continuing education program that follows a "leaders-as-teachers" approach. We also have a deeply-rooted practice of investing in our next generation of leaders and offer associates a number of leadership development programs, including programs dedicated to specific areas, such as finance and technology. This year we have launched several new flagship programs to help our more than 8,000 People Managers to become even more efficient as managers and in the coming years we will continue to roll-out programs that help leaders create work environments that facilitate growth and success. We have, in addition, conducted several virtual programs for our Executive Leaders to support them in their role as company leaders responsible for navigating the pandemic. We believe in and encourage in our associates and leaders a Growth Mindset, a belief that qualities and talents can be developed through dedication and hard work, and have aligned our performance management system to support our culture evolution and increased focus on continuous learning and development.

Associate Engagement

As we work to continuously make an impact on how healthcare is delivered, we believe it is critical that our associates are informed, engaged and have the opportunity to provide feedback. We communicate frequently and transparently with our associates through a variety of communication methods, including video and written communications, town hall meetings, associate surveys and our company intranet, and acknowledge individual contributions to BD through a number of rewards and recognition award programs. We believe these engagement efforts keep associates informed about our strategy, culture and purpose and motivated to do their best work. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we also further strengthened our digital communication and social networking platforms. Our communications throughout the pandemic have kept our associates informed on critical priorities, important actions being taken by management in response to the pandemic, and continued efforts to protect associate health, safety and well-being.

In addition to helping associates stay engaged, we also work to foster and reinforce an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives are valued. This year, our ARGs hosted company-wide dialogues and panel sessions to advance our business and cultural priorities and engage associates on timely topics on racial injustice, immigration, allyship, health care inequity and access, voting rights, mental health and parent-caregiver considerations during a pandemic. We continue to engage in discussions as a company on intersectionality, inclusion and belonging.

We seek ongoing feedback to better understand what we are doing well and how we can improve the associate experience. In addition to encouraging a speak up culture between associates, their managers, and cross functional teams, we conduct employee engagement surveys to provide all associates with an opportunity to share their perspective and we take appropriate action in response.

We also have a long-standing history of associate volunteerism that we believe has had an impact on local and global communities. Through our public-private partnerships and collaborations with non-government organizations, we sponsor volunteer trips and other meaningful volunteer opportunities to help communities around the world. On a local front, associates are encouraged and empowered to serve organizations and causes that are important to them. This includes a matching gift program, paid time off to volunteer, and an award program to give grants to non-profit organizations in honor of associates who engage in exceptional volunteer efforts.

Compensation, Benefits and Well-being

We are committed to rewarding, supporting, and developing the associates who make it possible to deliver on our strategy. To that end, we offer a comprehensive total rewards program aimed at promoting

overall well-being in support of the varying health, home-life and financial needs of our diverse and global associates. Our total rewards packages (which vary by location) include market-competitive pay, broad-based stock grants and bonuses, healthcare benefits, pension and retirement savings plans, paid time off and family leave, flexible work schedules, on-site health and fitness centers, free physicals and flu vaccinations, well-being education and resources, Employee Assistance Programs and other mental health support and resources. Each year we review and implement program enhancements and investments to ensure our benefits are inclusive and representative of the needs of BD associates and their families. Additionally, over the last few years in the U.S., we have increased efforts to mitigate the impact of rising healthcare costs and to offer more affordable benefit options, with a specific focus on affordability for BD associates earning $50,000 per year or less.

BD is also committed to compensating all associates fairly and equitably for their contributions to company performance. For 2021, we conducted a pay equity assessment for associates in 57 countries to identify and remedy any potential pay disparity issues.

Available Information

BD maintains a website at www.bd.com. BD makes available its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and its Current Reports on Form 8-K (and amendments to those reports) as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These filings may be obtained and printed free of charge at www.bd.com/investors.

In addition, the written charters of the Audit Committee; the Compensation and Human Capital Committee; the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee; the Executive Committee; the Quality and Regulatory Committee; and the Science, Marketing, Innovation and Technology Committee of the Board of Directors, BD’s Corporate Governance Principles and its Code of Conduct, are available and may be printed free of charge at BD’s website at investors.bd.com/corporate-governance. Printed copies of these materials, this 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K, and BD’s reports and statements filed with, or furnished to, the SEC, may also be obtained, without charge, by contacting the Corporate Secretary, BD, 1 Becton Drive, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey 07417-1880, telephone 201-847-6800. In addition, the SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.

BD also routinely posts important information for investors on its website at www.bd.com/investors. BD may use this website as a means of disclosing material, non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD adopted by the SEC. Accordingly, investors should monitor the Investor Relations portion of BD’s website noted above, in addition to following BD’s press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls and webcasts. Our website and the information contained therein or connected thereto shall not be deemed to be incorporated into this Annual Report.

Forward-Looking Statements

BD and its representatives may from time-to-time make certain forward-looking statements in publicly-released materials, both written and oral, including statements contained in filings with the SEC and in its reports to shareholders. Additional information regarding BD’s forward-looking statements is contained in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

An investment in BD involves a variety of risks and uncertainties. The following describes some of the material risks that could adversely affect BD’s business, financial condition, operating results or cash flows. We may also be adversely impacted by other risks not presently known to us or that we currently consider immaterial.

Business, Economic and Industry Risks

We are subject to risks associated with public health threats, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had, and may continue to have, a material adverse effect on our business. The nature and extent of future impacts are highly uncertain and unpredictable.

We are subject to risks associated with public health threats, including epidemics and pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 and the travel restrictions, quarantines and other actions taken by governments and the private sector to slow the spread of the virus resulted in a global economic slowdown, and caused healthcare systems to divert resources to manage the pandemic. These measures led to unprecedented restrictions on and disruptions in businesses and personal activities. As a result, we experienced significant reductions in the demand for certain of our products due to reductions in elective and non-essential procedures, lower utilization of routine testing and related specimen collection, reduced capital spend by customers and a decrease in research activity due to laboratory closures and reduced clinical testing. Any resurgences in COVID-19 infections or new strains of the virus could result in the imposition of new governmental lockdowns, quarantine requirements or other restrictions to slow the spread of the virus, or the deferral of elective medical procedures, which could weaken demand for certain of our products. These measures could include determinations that our or our suppliers’ facilities are not essential businesses that could result in closures or other restrictions that significantly disrupt our operations or those of distributors or suppliers in our supply chain. While COVID-19 case volumes have decreased in the U.S and certain other countries, the global outlook remains uncertain as case counts fluctuate and vaccination rates remain relatively low in many parts of the world. Going forward, medical procedure rates may vary by country based on regional COVID-19 infection and vaccination rates, hospital occupancy and staffing levels, transportation limitations, quarantines and other restrictions, and the emergence of new COVID-19 variants.

In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our global supply chain network, and we may experience disruptions or delays in shipments of certain materials or components used in our products. We have experienced, and may continue to experience, significant challenges to our global transportation channels and other aspects of the global supply chain network, including to the cost and availability of raw materials and components due to shortages and resulting cost inflation. Any such delays or shortages may result in our inability to meet customer demand for our products and as COVID-19 conditions improve, there may be unpredictable increases in demand for certain of our products, which may pose challenges to our supply chain and could adversely affect our business. While utilization rates for most of our products have largely recovered to pre-pandemic levels, future deferrals of elective medical procedures and/or the imposition of new governmental restrictions due to resurgences in COVID-19 infections or new strains of the virus may weaken demand for certain of our products and/or disrupt our operations. In addition, in response to the pandemic, we developed and launched multiple products for the detection and identification of COVID-19, including tests for our BD Max™ molecular System and BD Veritor™ Plus System, and there are a number of factors, including the rate of vaccination and the availability of competitive products, that could impact the level of demand and pricing for our COVID-19 diagnostics testing.

Additionally, on September 9, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order requiring all employers with U.S. Government contracts to require that their U.S.-based employees, contractors, and certain subcontractors, that work on or in support of U.S. Government contracts, are fully vaccinated as set forth in the executive order, except for any employees with a medical or religious exemption. As a U.S. Government contractor, we are required to comply with the executive order. The implementation of these requirements may result in employee attrition, which could be material as a substantial number of our manufacturing and distribution center employees are based in areas of the country where vaccination rates are below the national average. If we were to lose employees, it may be difficult or very costly in the current competitive labor market

to find and recruit replacement employees, and this could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, on September 9, 2021, President Biden announced that he has directed The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) to develop an Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) mandating either the full vaccination or weekly testing of employees for employers with 100 or more employees. On November 4, 2021, OSHA issued the ETS, which requires employers with 100 or more employees to develop, implement and enforce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, unless they adopt a policy requiring employees to choose to either be vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering at work. The ETS and the executive order are effective as of January 4, 2022. On November 12, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a motion to stay OSHA’s ETS and ordered that OSHA take no further steps to implement or enforce the ETS until a further court order. Due to the pending litigation, OSHA has suspended activities related to the implementation and enforcement of the ETS pending future developments. It is currently not possible to predict with certainty the impact the executive order or OSHA’s ETS will have on our workforce. Additional vaccine mandates may also be implemented in other jurisdictions in which we operate.

The scope and duration of the pandemic, including future resurgences globally, the pace at which government restrictions are lifted or whether additional actions may be taken to contain the virus, the global vaccination rate, the speed and extent to which global markets and utilization rates for our products fully recover from the disruptions caused by the pandemic, and the impact of these factors on our business, financial condition and results of operations, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence.

To the extent COVID-19 adversely affects our operations and global economic conditions more generally, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described herein.

A downturn in economic conditions could adversely affect our operations.

Deterioration in the domestic or international economic environment, particularly in emerging markets and countries with government-sponsored healthcare systems, may cause decreased demand for our products and services and increased competition, which could result in lower sales volume and lower prices for our products, longer sales cycles, and slower adoption of new technologies. A weakening of macroeconomic conditions may also adversely affect our suppliers, which could result in interruptions in supply. We have previously experienced delays in collecting government receivables in certain countries in Western Europe due to economic conditions, and we may experience similar delays in the future in these and other countries or regions experiencing financial problems.

The medical technology industry is very competitive.

We are a global company that faces significant competition from a wide range of companies. These include large medical device companies with multiple product lines, some of which may have greater financial and marketing resources than we do, as well as firms that are more specialized than we are with respect to particular markets or product lines. Non-traditional entrants, such as technology companies, are also entering into the healthcare industry, some of which may have greater financial and marketing resources than we do. We face competition across all our product lines and in each market in which our products are sold on the basis of product features, clinical or economic outcomes, product quality, availability, price, services and other factors. Our ability to compete is also impacted by changing customer preferences and requirements, such as increased demand for more environmentally-friendly products and for products incorporating digital capabilities, as well as changes in the ways health care services are delivered (including the transition of more care from acute to non-acute settings and increased focus on chronic disease management). Cost containment efforts by governments and the private sector are also resulting in increased emphasis on products that reduce costs, improve clinical results and expand patient access. Our ability to remain competitive will depend on how well we meet these changing market demands in terms of our product offerings and marketing approaches.

The medical technology industry is also subject to rapid technological change and discovery and frequent product introductions. The development of new or improved products, processes or technologies by other companies (such as needle-free injection technology) that provide better features, pricing, clinical outcomes or

economic value may render our products or proposed products obsolete or less competitive. In some instances, competitors, including pharmaceutical companies, also offer, or are attempting to develop, alternative therapies for disease states that may be delivered without a medical device. Lower cost producers have also created pricing pressure, particularly in developing markets.

The medical technology industry has also experienced a significant amount of consolidation, resulting in companies with greater scale and market presence than BD. Traditional distributors are also manufacturers of medical devices, providing another source of competition. In addition, health care systems and other providers are consolidating, resulting in greater purchasing power for these companies. As a result, competition among medical device suppliers to provide goods and services has increased. Group purchasing organizations and integrated health delivery networks have also served to concentrate purchasing decisions for some customers, which has led to downward pricing pressure for medical device suppliers. Further consolidation in the industry could intensify competition among medical device suppliers and exert additional pressure on the demand for and prices of our products.

We are subject to foreign currency exchange risk.

A substantial amount of our revenues are derived from international operations, and we anticipate that a significant portion of our sales will continue to come from outside the U.S. in the future. The revenues we report with respect to our operations outside the United States may be adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. A discussion of the financial impact of exchange rate fluctuations and the ways and extent to which we may attempt to address any impact is contained in Item 7. Management’s Discussion of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. Any hedging activities we engage in may only offset a portion of the adverse financial impact resulting from unfavorable changes in foreign currency exchange rates. We cannot predict with any certainty changes in foreign currency exchange rates or the degree to which we can mitigate these risks.

Changes in reimbursement practices of third-party payers or other cost containment measures could affect the demand for our products and the prices at which they are sold.

Our sales depend, in part, on the extent to which healthcare providers and facilities are reimbursed by government authorities (including Medicare, Medicaid and comparable foreign programs) and private insurers for the costs of our products. The coverage policies and reimbursement levels of third-party payers, which can vary among public and private sources and by country, may affect which products customers purchase and the prices they are willing to pay for those products in a particular jurisdiction. Reimbursement rates can also affect the market acceptance rate of new technologies and products. Reforms to reimbursement systems in the United States or abroad, changes in coverage or reimbursement rates by private payers, or adverse decisions relating to our products by administrators of these systems could significantly reduce reimbursement for procedures using our products or result in denial of reimbursement for those products, which would adversely affect customer demand or the price customers are willing to pay for such products. See “Third-Party Reimbursement” under Item 1. Business.

Initiatives to limit the growth of healthcare costs in the U.S. and other countries where we do business may also put pressure on medical device pricing. In the U.S., these include, among others, value-based purchasing and managed care arrangements. Governments in China and other countries are also using various mechanisms to control healthcare expenditures, including increased use of competitive bidding and tenders, and price regulation.

Our future growth is dependent in part upon the development of new products, and there can be no assurance that such products will be developed.

A significant element of our strategy is to increase revenue growth by focusing on innovation and new product development. New product development requires significant investment in R&D, clinical trials and regulatory approvals. The results of our product development efforts may be affected by a number of factors, including our ability to anticipate customer needs, innovate and develop new products and technologies, successfully complete clinical trials, obtain regulatory approvals and reimbursement in the United States and

abroad, manufacture products in a cost-effective manner, obtain appropriate intellectual property protection, and gain and maintain market acceptance of our products. In addition, patents attained by others can preclude or delay our commercialization of a product. There can be no assurance that any products now in development or that we may seek to develop in the future will achieve technological feasibility, obtain regulatory approval or gain market acceptance.

Our international operations subject us to certain business risks.

A substantial amount of our sales come from our operations outside the United States, and we intend to continue to pursue growth opportunities in foreign markets, especially in emerging markets. Our foreign operations subject us to certain risks relating to, among other things, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange (discussed above), local political conditions, general economic conditions such as inflation, deflation, interest rate volatility and credit availability, competition from local companies, increases in trade protectionism, U.S. relations with the governments of the foreign countries in which we operate, foreign regulatory requirements or changes in such requirements, changes in local health care payment systems and health care delivery systems, local product preferences and requirements, longer payment terms for account receivables than we experience in the U.S., difficulty in establishing, staffing and managing foreign operations, changes to international trade agreements and treaties, changes in tax laws, weakening or loss of the protection of intellectual property rights in some countries, and import or export licensing requirements. The success of our operations outside the United States also depends, in part, on our ability to make necessary infrastructure enhancements to, among other things, our production facilities and sales and distribution networks. These and other factors may adversely impact our ability to pursue our growth strategy in these markets.

In addition, our international operations are governed by the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar anti-corruption laws outside the U.S. Global enforcement of anti-corruption laws has increased substantially in recent years, with more enforcement proceedings by U.S. and foreign governmental agencies and the imposition of significant fines and penalties. While we have implemented policies and procedures to enhance compliance with these laws, our international operations, which often involve customer relationships with foreign governments, create the risk that there may be unauthorized payments or offers of payments made by employees, consultants, sales agents or distributors. Any alleged or actual violations of these laws may subject us to government investigations and significant criminal or civil sanctions and other liabilities, and negatively affect our reputation.

Changes in U.S. policy regarding international trade, including import and export regulation and international trade agreements, could also negatively impact our business. The U.S. has imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum as well as on goods imported from China and certain other countries, which has resulted in retaliatory tariffs by China and other countries. Additional tariffs imposed by the U.S. on a broader range of imports, or further retaliatory trade measures taken by China or other countries in response, could result in an increase in supply chain costs that we may not be able to offset or that otherwise adversely impact our results of operations.

Reductions in customers’ research budgets or government funding may adversely affect our business.

We sell products to researchers at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions, government laboratories and private foundations. Research and development spending of our customers can fluctuate based on spending priorities and general economic conditions. A number of these customers are also dependent for their funding upon grants from U.S. government agencies, such as the U.S. National Institutes of Health (“NIH”) and agencies in other countries. The level of government funding of research and development is unpredictable. For instance, there have been instances where NIH grants have been frozen or otherwise unavailable for extended periods. The availability of governmental research funding may be adversely affected by economic conditions and governmental spending reductions. Any reduction or delay in governmental funding could cause our customers to delay or forego purchases of our products.

We need to attract and retain key employees to be competitive.

Our ability to compete effectively depends upon our ability to attract and retain executives and other key employees. Competition for experienced employees, particularly for persons with specialized skills, can be intense. Additionally, we need qualified managers and skilled employees with technical, manufacturing and distribution experience to operate our business successfully. Our ability to recruit and retain such talent will depend on a number of factors, including compensation and benefits, work location and work environment. From time to time there may be shortages of skilled labor, which may make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified employees or lead to increased labor costs. If we cannot effectively recruit and retain qualified executives and employees, our business could be adversely affected.

For a further discussion of risks related to the Biden administration vaccine mandates, see the above-referenced Risk Factor, “We are subject to risks associated with public health threats, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had, and may continue to have, a material adverse effect on our business. The nature and extent of future impacts are highly uncertain and unpredictable.”

Operational Risks

Breaches of our information systems could have a material adverse effect on our operations.

We rely on information systems to process, transmit, and store electronic information in our day-to-day operations, including sensitive personal or proprietary information. In addition, some of our products include information systems that collect data regarding patients and patient therapy on behalf of our customers and some connect to our systems for maintenance purposes. Our information systems have been subjected to attack via malicious code execution, and cyber- or phishing- attacks, and we have experienced instances of unauthorized access to our systems in the past and expect to be subject to similar cyberattacks in the future. In addition to our own information, in the course of doing business, we sometimes store information with third parties that could be subject to attacks.

Cyberattacks could result in our intellectual property and other confidential information being accessed, destroyed or stolen, which could adversely affect our competitive position in the market. Likewise, we could suffer disruption of our operations and other significant negative consequences, including increased costs for security measures or remediation, diversion of management attention, litigation and damage to our relationships with vendors, business partners and customers. Unauthorized tampering, adulteration or interference with our products may also create issues with product functionality that could result in a loss of data, risk to patient safety, and product recalls or field actions. Cyberattacks could result in unauthorized access to our systems and products, which could also impact our compliance with privacy and other laws and regulations and could result in actions by regulatory bodies or civil litigation. While we will continue to dedicate significant resources to protect against unauthorized access to our systems and products, and work with government authorities and third-party providers to detect and reduce the risk of future cyber incidents, cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated, frequent and adaptive. There can be no assurances that these protective measures will prevent future attacks that could have a material adverse impact on our business.

Cost volatility could adversely affect our operations**.**

Our results of operations could be negatively impacted by volatility in the cost of raw materials, components, freight and energy that, in turn, increases the costs of producing and distributing our products. New laws or regulations adopted in response to climate change could also increase energy and transportation costs, as well as the costs of certain raw materials and components. In particular, we purchase supplies of resins, which are oil-based components used in the manufacture of certain products, and any significant increases in resin costs could adversely impact future operating results. Increases in oil prices can also increase our packaging and transportation costs. Recently, the costs of raw materials, transportation, construction, services, and energy necessary for the production and distribution of our products have increased significantly. While we have implemented cost containment measures, selective price increases and taken other actions to offset these inflationary pressures in our supply chain, we may not be able to completely offset all the increases in our operational costs.

A reduction or interruption in the supply of certain raw materials and components could adversely affect our operating results.

We purchase many different types of raw materials and components used in our products. Certain raw materials and components are not available from multiple sources. In addition, for quality assurance, cost-effectiveness and other reasons, certain raw materials and components are purchased from sole suppliers. The price and supply of these materials and components may be impacted or disrupted for reasons beyond our control including supplier shutdowns, transportation delays, inflationary pricing pressures, work stoppages, labor shortages and governmental regulatory actions. We have experienced, and may continue to experience, significant challenges to our global transportation channels and other aspects of the global supply chain network, including to the cost and availability of raw materials and components due to shortages and resulting cost inflation. The U.S. and other governments may enact or use laws and regulations, such as the Defense Production Act or export restrictions, to ensure availability of needed COVID-19 testing and vaccination delivery devices. Any such action may impact our global supply chain network. While we work with suppliers to ensure continuity of supply and service, no assurance can be given that these efforts will be successful. In addition, due to regulatory requirements relating to the qualification of suppliers, we may not be able to establish additional or replacement sources on a timely basis or without excessive cost. The termination, reduction or interruption in supply of these raw materials and components could adversely impact our ability to manufacture and sell certain of our products, which could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Interruption of our manufacturing or sterilization operations could adversely affect our business.

We have manufacturing sites all over the world. In some instances, however, the manufacturing of certain of our product lines is concentrated in one or more of our plants. Interruption to our manufacturing operations resulting from weather or natural disasters, regulatory requirements or issues in our manufacturing process, equipment failure or other factors, could adversely affect our ability to manufacture our products. In some instances, we may not be able to transition manufacturing to other BD sites or a third party to replace the lost production. A significant interruption of our manufacturing operations could result in lost revenues and damage to our relationships with customers.

In addition, many of our products require sterilization prior to sale, and we utilize both BD facilities and third-parties for this process. In some instances, only a few facilities are qualified under applicable regulations to conduct this sterilization. To the extent we or third-parties are unable to sterilize our products, whether due to lack of capacity, regulatory requirements or otherwise, we may be unable to transition sterilization to other sites or modalities in a timely or cost effective manner, or at all, which could have an adverse impact on our operating results.

At a broader level, several states have increased the regulatory requirements associated with the use and emission of ethylene oxide for sterilization. This increased regulation could require BD or sterilization service providers, including providers used by BD, to temporarily suspend operations, limit the use of ethylene oxide or take other actions, which would further reduce the available capacity of third-party providers to sterilize medical devices and health care products. Federal agencies may also regulate the use and emission of ethylene oxide. If any such regulatory actions or rulemaking result in the suspension of sterilization operations at BD or at medical device sterilizers used by BD, or otherwise limit the availability of third-party sterilization capacity, this could interrupt or otherwise adversely impact production of certain of our products. See “Item 1. Business - Regulation” for a discussion of the consent order BD entered into with the Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Our business and operations are subject to risks related to climate change.

The long-term effects of global climate change present risks to our business. Extreme weather or other conditions caused by climate change could adversely impact our supply chain and the availability and cost of raw materials and components required for the operation of our business. Such conditions could also result in physical damage to products, plants and distribution centers, as well as the infrastructure and facilities of

hospitals, medical care facilities and other customers. In addition, regulations intended to limit greenhouse gas emissions, such as taxes on fuel and energy, to mitigate the impacts of climate change may increase, which could increase our operating costs and the costs charged by suppliers. These events could adversely affect our operations and our financial performance.

Legal, Quality and Regulatory Risks

We are subject to lawsuits.

We are or have been a defendant in a number of lawsuits, including, among others, purported class action lawsuits for alleged antitrust violations and violations of federal securities laws, product liability claims (which may involve lawsuits seeking class action status or seeking to establish multi-district litigation proceedings, including pending claims relating to our hernia repair implant products, surgical continence and pelvic organ prolapse products for women and vena cava filter products), and suits alleging patent infringement. We have also been subject to government subpoenas and civil investigative demands seeking information with respect to alleged violations of law, including in connection with federal and/or state healthcare programs (such as Medicare or Medicaid), federal contracting requirements and/or sales and marketing practices. A more detailed description of certain litigation to which we are a party is contained in Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. We could be subject to additional lawsuits, governmental investigations, subpoenas and civil investigative demands in the future. Any such lawsuits, governmental investigations, subpoenas and civil investigative demands could ultimately have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and could distract management from the operations of the business.

Reserves established for estimated losses with respect to legal proceedings do not represent an exact calculation of our actual liability, but instead represent our estimate of the probable loss at the time the reserve is established. Due to the inherent uncertainty of litigation and our underlying loss reserve estimates, additional reserves may be established or current reserves may be significantly increased from time-to-time. Also, in some instances, we are not able to estimate the amount or range of loss that could result from an unfavorable outcome of the litigation to which we are a party. In view of these uncertainties, we could incur charges materially in excess of any currently established accruals and, to the extent available, excess liability insurance. Any such future charges, individually or in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and/or liquidity.

With respect to certain litigation, we believe that some settlements and judgments, as well as legal defense costs, may be covered in whole or in part under applicable insurance policies with a limited number of insurance companies, or, in some circumstances, indemnification obligations owed to us by other parties. However, amounts recovered under these arrangements may be less than the stated coverage limits or less than otherwise expected and may not be adequate to cover damages and/or costs. In addition, there is no guarantee that insurers or other parties will pay claims or that coverage or indemnity will be otherwise available. Also, for certain product liability claims or lawsuits, BD does not maintain or has limited remaining insurance coverage, and we may not be able to obtain additional insurance on acceptable terms or at all that will provide adequate protection against potential liabilities.

We are subject to extensive regulation.

Our operations are global and are affected by complex state, federal and international laws relating to healthcare, environmental protection, antitrust, anti-corruption, marketing, fraud and abuse (including anti-kickback and false claims laws), export control, product safety and efficacy, employment, privacy and other areas. Violations of these laws can result in criminal or civil sanctions, including substantial fines and, in some cases, exclusion from participation in health care programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. Environmental laws, particularly with respect to climate change and the emission of greenhouse gases, are also becoming more stringent throughout the world, which may increase our costs of operations or necessitate closures of or changes to our manufacturing plants or processes or those of our suppliers, or result in liability to BD. The enactment of

additional laws in the future may increase our compliance costs or otherwise adversely impact our operations and financial performance.

We are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA pursuant to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, by comparable agencies in foreign countries, and by other regulatory agencies and governing bodies. Most of our products must receive clearance or approval from the FDA or counterpart regulatory agencies in other countries before they can be marketed or sold. The process for obtaining marketing approval or clearance may require us to incur significant costs in terms of time and resources, and these costs have been increasing due to increased requirements from the FDA and comparable governing bodies for supporting data for submissions. The regulatory process may also require changes to our products or result in limitations on the indicated uses of our products. Governmental agencies may also impose new requirements regarding registration, including, but not limited to, labeling or prohibited materials that require us to modify or re-register products already on the market or otherwise impact our ability to market our products in those countries.

Following the introduction of a product, these agencies also periodically review our manufacturing processes and product performance. Our failure to comply with the applicable good manufacturing practices, adverse event reporting, and other post market requirements of these agencies could delay or prevent the production, marketing or sale of our products and result in delays or suspensions of regulatory clearances, warning letters or consent decrees, closure of manufacturing sites, import bans, seizures or recalls of products, civil or criminal sanctions and damage to our reputation. More stringent oversight by the FDA and other agencies in recent years has resulted in increased enforcement activity, which increases our compliance risk.

We are operating under a consent decree with the FDA, entered into by CareFusion in 2007 and amended in 2009, that affects our Alaris™ infusion pump business in the United States. We are also currently operating under a warning letter issued by the FDA. For more information regarding the consent decree and warning letter, see “Regulation” under Item 1. Business.

As previously disclosed, we are undertaking certain remediation of our BD Alaris System, and are currently shipping the product in the U.S., only in cases of medical necessity and to remediate recalled software versions. We will not be able to fully resume commercial operations for the BD Alaris System in the U.S. until a 510(k) submission relating to the product has been cleared by the FDA. No assurance can be given as to when or if clearance will be obtained from the FDA.

In addition, the European Union (“EU”) has adopted the EU Medical Device Regulation (the “EU MDR”) and the In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (the “EU IVDR”), each of which impose stricter requirements for the marketing and sale of medical devices, including in the area of clinical evidence requirements, quality systems and post-market surveillance. Effective May 2021, manufacturers of currently approved medical devices must meet the requirements of the EU MDR for self-certified devices and have until May 2024 to meet the requirements for medical devices with a valid conformity assessment certificate. Manufacturers of in vitro diagnostic medical devices have until May 2022 to meet the EU IVDR. Complying with and maintaining devices under these regulations requires us to incur significant expenditures. Failure to meet these requirements could adversely impact our business in the EU and other regions that tie their product registrations to EU conformity requirements.

We are also subject to complex and frequently changing privacy and data protection laws, rules and regulations in the U.S. as well as in all other regions where BD operates, regarding the collection, use, storage, transfer and other processing of personal information. Any actual or perceived noncompliance with these laws, rules and regulations could result in significant consequences for BD, including, among other things, business interruption, sanctions and significant pecuniary fines, regulatory inquiries and investigations, adverse publicity, loss of competitive advantage and customer trust, as well as privacy litigation and civil lawsuits with damages.

The importance of privacy laws, rules and regulations for the healthcare and med-tech industry is constantly growing, since personal data has become an integral part of doing business in our sector, and the legal climate, norms around data sharing, and the definition of meaningful privacy are evolving and becoming more complex worldwide.

For instance, the European General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”), applicable as of 2018 and still one of the strictest and most comprehensive privacy laws in the world, is being continuously enforced,

and increasingly heavy fines are now being levied on businesses. Fines for noncompliance with the GDPR can amount to up to €20 million or 4% of the total worldwide annual turnover from the preceding financial year (whichever is higher) and may be imposed in conjunction with the exercise of the authority’s investigatory and corrective powers. The GDPR’s extraterritorial scope makes it applicable to our U.S.-based legal entities whenever our business activities, systems and products process the personal data of EU residents.

Privacy laws, rules and regulations are also rapidly developing in other regions. Several states in the U.S. have introduced dedicated privacy laws (e.g., California and Virginia) or have draft privacy laws in the pipeline, and new privacy and data protection laws have come into effect in relevant countries like China, Brazil, India and South Korea. These laws impact BD businesses to the extent they rely on the use of personal data and pose the challenge of how to cope with a heterogeneous patchwork of laws, rules, regulations and industry standards while maintaining our global reach.

Defects or quality issues associated with our products could adversely affect the results of our operations.

The design, manufacture and marketing of medical devices involve certain inherent risks. Manufacturing or design defects, component failures, unapproved or improper use of our products, or inadequate disclosure of risks or other information relating to the use of our products can lead to injury or other serious adverse events. These events could lead to recalls or safety alerts relating to our products (either voluntary or as required by the FDA or similar governmental authorities in other countries), and could result, in certain cases, in the removal of a product from the market. A recall could result in significant costs and lost sales and customers, enforcement actions and/or investigations by state and federal governments or other enforcement bodies, as well as negative publicity and damage to our reputation that could reduce future demand for our products. Personal injuries relating to the use of our products can also result in significant product liability claims being brought against us. In some circumstances, such adverse events could also cause delays in regulatory approval of new products or the imposition of post-market approval requirements.

Our operations are dependent in part on patents and other intellectual property assets.

Many of our businesses rely on patent, trademark and other intellectual property assets. These intellectual property assets, in the aggregate, are of material importance to our business. We can lose the protection afforded by these intellectual property assets through patent expirations, legal challenges or governmental action. Patents attained by competitors, particularly as patents on our products expire, may also adversely affect our competitive position. In addition, competitors may seek to invalidate patents on our products or claim that our products infringe upon their intellectual property, which could result in a loss of competitive advantage or the payment of significant legal fees, damage awards and past or future royalties, as well as injunctions against future sales of our products. We also operate in countries that do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as in the U.S., which could make it easier for competitors to compete with us in those countries. The loss of a significant portion of our portfolio of intellectual property assets may have an adverse effect on our earnings, financial condition or cash flows.

Risks Relating to Our Indebtedness

We may not be able to service all of our indebtedness.

We depend on cash on hand and cash flows from operations to make scheduled debt payments. However, our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations of the combined Company and to utilize other methods to make scheduled payments will depend on a range of economic, competitive and business factors, many of which are outside of our control. There can be no assurance that these sources will be adequate. If we are unable to service our indebtedness and fund our operations, we will be forced to reduce or delay capital expenditures, seek additional capital, sell assets or refinance our indebtedness. Any such action may not be successful and we may be unable to service our indebtedness and fund our operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The agreements that govern our indebtedness impose restrictions that may affect our ability to operate our businesses.

The agreements that govern our indebtedness contain various affirmative and negative covenants that may, subject to certain significant exceptions, restrict the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to incur debt and the ability of us and certain of our subsidiaries to, among other things, have liens on our property, and/or merge or consolidate with any other person or sell or convey certain of our assets to any one person, engage in certain transactions with affiliates and change the nature of our business. In addition, the agreements also require us to comply with certain financial covenants, including financial ratios. Our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to comply with these provisions may be affected by events beyond our control. Failure to comply with these covenants could result in an event of default, which, if not cured or waived, could accelerate our repayment obligations and could result in a default and acceleration under other agreements containing cross-default provisions. Under these circumstances, we might not have sufficient funds or other resources to satisfy all of our obligations.

Risks Relating to the Proposed Spin-off of the Diabetes Care Business

Risks relating to proposed spin-off.

On May 6, 2021, we announced our intention to spin off our Diabetes Care business as a separate publicly traded company to BD’s shareholders. The proposed spin-off is intended to be a tax-free transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is expected to be completed in the first half of calendar year 2022, subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions, including final approval by BD’s Board of Directors and the effectiveness of a registration statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC.

Executing the proposed spin-off will require significant time and attention from BD’s senior management and employees, which could disrupt BD’s ongoing business and adversely affect financial results and results of operations. The proposed spin-off is also complex, and completion of the proposed spin-off and the timing of its completion will be subject to a number of factors and conditions, including the readiness of the new company to operate as an independent public company and finalization of the capital structure of the new company. Unanticipated developments could delay, prevent or otherwise adversely affect the proposed spin-off, including, but not limited to, disruptions in general or financial market conditions, material adverse changes in business or industry conditions, unanticipated costs and potential problems or delays in obtaining various regulatory and tax approvals or clearances. There can be no assurances that BD will be able to complete the proposed spin-off on the terms or on the timeline that was announced, if at all. In addition, if the spin-off is completed, the Company may not be able to achieve the full strategic and financial benefits that are expected to result from the spin-off. Further, there can be no assurance that the combined value of the common stock of the two companies will be equal to or greater than what the value of BD’s common stock would have been had the proposed spin-off not occurred.

General Business Risks

We cannot guarantee that any of our strategic acquisitions, investments or alliances will be successful.

We seek to supplement our internal growth through strategic acquisitions, investments and alliances. Such transactions are inherently risky, and the integration of any newly-acquired business requires significant effort and management attention. The success of any acquisition, investment or alliance may be affected by a number of factors, including our ability to properly assess and value the potential business opportunity or to successfully integrate any business we may acquire into our existing business. There can be no assurance that any past or future transaction will be successful.

Natural disasters, war and other events could adversely affect our future revenues and operating income.

Natural disasters, including the impacts of climate change, hurricanes, tornadoes, windstorms, fires, earthquakes and floods and other extreme weather events, global health pandemics, war, terrorism, labor

disruptions and international conflicts, and actions taken by the United States and other governments or by our customers or suppliers in response to such events, could cause significant economic disruption and political and social instability in the United States and areas outside of the United States in which we operate. These events could result in decreased demand for our products, adversely affect our manufacturing and distribution capabilities, or increase the costs for or cause interruptions in the supply of materials from our suppliers.

None.

BD’s executive offices are located in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. As of September 2021, BD owned or leased 325 facilities throughout the world, comprising approximately 25,018,032 square feet of manufacturing, warehousing, administrative, and research facilities. The U.S. facilities, including those in Puerto Rico, comprise approximately 7,966,863 square feet of owned and 4,501,209 square feet of leased space. The international facilities comprise approximately 9,638,055 square feet of owned and 2,911,904 square feet of leased space. Sales offices and distribution centers included in the total square footage are also located throughout the world.

Operations in each of BD’s business segments are conducted at both U.S. and international locations. Particularly in the international marketplace, facilities often serve more than one business segment and are used for multiple purposes, such as administrative/sales, manufacturing and/or warehousing/distribution. BD generally seeks to own its manufacturing facilities, although some are leased.

BD believes that its facilities are of good construction and in good physical condition, are suitable and adequate for the operations conducted at those facilities, and are, with minor exceptions, fully utilized and operating at normal capacity.

The U.S. facilities are located in Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington D.C., Washington, and Puerto Rico.

The international facilities are as follows:

- Europe, Middle East, Africa, which includes facilities in Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Zambia.

- Greater Asia, which includes facilities in Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

- Latin America, which includes facilities in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay.

- Canada.

Information with respect to certain legal proceedings is included in Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements contained in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, and is incorporated herein by reference.

Not applicable.

Information about our Executive Officers

The following is a list of the executive officers of BD, their ages and all positions and offices held by each of them during the past five years. There is no family relationship between any executive officer or director of BD.

PART II

BD’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "BDX". As of October 31, 2021, there were approximately 11,998 shareholders of record.

The table below sets forth certain information regarding BD’s purchases of its common stock during the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2021.

(1)Includes shares purchased during the quarter in open market transactions by the trust relating to BD’s Deferred Compensation and Retirement Benefit Restoration Plan and 1996 Directors’ Deferral Plan.

(2)The repurchases were made pursuant to the repurchase program authorized by the Board of Directors on September 24, 2013 for 10 million shares, for which there is no expiration date.

(3)Includes 403,000 shares received upon final settlement of a $500 million accelerated share repurchase (“ASR”) agreement executed in May 2021. The total average price paid per share in the table above reflects the volume weighted average price of BD's shares over the term of the ASR agreement. Additional disclosures regarding our share repurchase transactions are provided in Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements contained in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

(4)Includes an initial delivery of 2,515,000 shares of our common stock received upon payment under an ASR agreement of $750 million which was executed in August 2021. We received an additional 462,000 shares in October 2021 based upon final settlement of the ASR agreement. The total average price paid per share in the table above reflects the volume weighted average price of BD's shares over the term of the ASR agreement.

In November 2021, the Board of Directors authorized BD to repurchase up to an additional 10 million shares of BD common stock, for which there is no expiration date.

The following commentary should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes presented in this report. Within the tables presented throughout this discussion, certain columns may not add due to the use of rounded numbers for disclosure purposes. Percentages and earnings per share amounts presented are calculated from the underlying amounts. References to years throughout this discussion relate to our fiscal years, which end on September 30.

Company Overview

Description of the Company and Business Segments

Becton, Dickinson and Company (“BD”) is a global medical technology company engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of a broad range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products used by healthcare institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. The Company's organizational structure is based upon three principal business segments, BD Medical (“Medical”), BD Life Sciences (“Life Sciences”) and BD Interventional (“Interventional”).

BD’s products are manufactured and sold worldwide. Our products are marketed in the United States and internationally through independent distribution channels and directly to end-users by BD and independent sales representatives. We organize our operations outside the United States as follows: EMEA (which includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa); Greater Asia (which includes countries in Greater China, Japan, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Korea, Australia and New Zealand); Latin America (which includes Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America); and Canada. We continue to pursue growth opportunities in emerging markets, which include the following geographic regions: Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and certain countries within Greater Asia. We are primarily focused on certain countries whose healthcare systems are expanding.

Strategic Objectives

BD remains focused on delivering durable growth and creating shareholder value, while making appropriate investments for the future. BD 2025, our vehicle for value creation, is anchored in three key pillars: grow, simplify and empower. BD's management team aligns our operating model and investments with these key strategic pillars through continuous focus on the following underlying objectives:

Grow

• Developing and maintaining a strong portfolio of leading products and solutions that address significant unmet clinical needs, improve outcomes, and reduce costs;

• Focusing on our core products, services and solutions that deliver greater benefits to patients, healthcare workers and researchers;

• Investing in research and development that leads to and expands category leadership, as well as results in a robust product pipeline;

• Leveraging our global scale to expand our reach in providing access to affordable medical technologies around the world, including emerging markets;

• Supplementing our internal growth through strategic acquisitions in faster growing market segments;

• Driving an efficient capital structure and strong shareholder returns.

Simplify

• Driving operating effectiveness and margin expansion by placing controls on sourcing and transportation costs, as well as by increasing labor productivity and asset efficiencies;

• Focusing on cash management in order to improve balance sheet productivity;

• Working across our supply chain to reduce environmental impacts;

• Creating more resilient operations based on an enterprise-wide renewable energy strategy;

• Reducing complexity across our manufacturing network and rationalizing our product portfolio to optimize architecture, portfolio and business processes;

• Enhancing our quality and risk management systems;

• Simplifying our internal business processes.

Empower

• Fostering a purpose-driven culture with a focus on positive impact to all stakeholders–customers, patients, employees and communities;

• Improving our ability to serve customers and enhance customer experiences through the digitalization of internal processes and go-to-market approaches;

• Cultivating an inclusive work environment that welcomes and celebrates diverse talent and perspectives.

In assessing the outcomes of these strategies as well as BD’s financial condition and operating performance, management generally reviews forecast data, monthly actual results, including segment sales, and other similar information. We also consider trends related to certain key financial data, including gross profit margin, selling and administrative expense, investment in research and development, return on invested capital, and cash flows.

BD’s Intention to Spin Off Diabetes Care

On May 6, 2021, we announced our intention to spin off our Diabetes Care business as a separate publicly traded company to BD’s shareholders. The proposed spin-off is intended to be a tax-free transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is expected to be completed in the first half of calendar year 2022, subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions, including final approval from BD’s Board of Directors and the effectiveness of a registration statement on Form 10. The Company believes that as an independent, publicly traded entity, the Diabetes Care business will be positioned to more effectively allocate its capital and operational resources with a dedicated growth strategy. For further discussion of risks relating to the proposed spin-off of our Diabetes Care business, see Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to the Proposed Spin-off of the Diabetes Care Business.

COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts and Response

A novel strain of coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”) was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020 and governments around the world have been implementing various measures to slow and control the ongoing spread of COVID-19. These government measures, as well as a shift in healthcare priorities, resulted in a significant decline in medical procedures in our fiscal year 2020. Demand for our products showed substantial recovery in our fiscal year 2021; however, regional resurgences in COVID-19 infections and the emergence of the Delta variant continued to impact the demand for certain of our products in our fiscal year 2021. Our 2021 revenues reflected a substantial benefit from sales related to COVID-19 diagnostic testing on the BD VeritorTM Plus and BD MaxTM Systems. The factors that affected our revenue growth in fiscal year 2021, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic, are discussed in greater detail further below.

Due to the significant uncertainty that exists relative to the duration and overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, our future operating performance, particularly in the short-term, may be subject to volatility. While non-acute utilization rates for most of our products have largely recovered to pre-pandemic levels, resurgences in COVID-19 infections or new strains of the virus may weaken future demand for certain of our products and/or disrupt our operations. We also continue to see challenges posed by the pandemic to global transportation channels and other aspects of our supply chain, including the cost and availability of raw materials, as well as logistical challenges affecting the movement of freight around the globe. The United States and other governments may enact or use laws and regulations, such as the Defense Production Act or export restrictions, to ensure availability of needed COVID-19 testing and vaccination delivery devices. Any such action may impact our global supply chain network.

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows is dependent on certain factors including:

• The extent to which resurgences in COVID-19 infections or new strains of the virus, including the Delta vari

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The information required by this item is included in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and in Notes 1, 14 and 15 to the consolidated financial statements contained in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, and is incorporated herein by reference.

Reports of Management

Management’s Responsibilities

The following financial statements have been prepared by management in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and include, where required, amounts based on the best estimates and judgments of management. The integrity and objectivity of data in the financial statements and elsewhere in this Annual Report are the responsibility of management.

In fulfilling its responsibilities for the integrity of the data presented and to safeguard the Company’s assets, management employs a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance, at appropriate cost, that the Company’s assets are protected and that transactions are appropriately authorized, recorded and summarized. This system of control is supported by the selection of qualified personnel, by organizational assignments that provide appropriate delegation of authority and division of responsibilities, and by the dissemination of written policies and procedures. This control structure is further reinforced by a program of internal audits, including a policy that requires responsive action by management.

The Board of Directors monitors the internal control system, including internal accounting and financial reporting controls, through its Audit Committee, which consists of eight independent Directors. The Audit Committee meets periodically with the independent registered public accounting firm, the internal auditors and management to review the work of each and to satisfy itself that they are properly discharging their responsibilities. The independent registered public accounting firm and the internal auditors have full and free access to the Audit Committee and meet with its members, with and without management present, to discuss the scope and results of their audits including internal control, auditing and financial reporting matters.

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Act of 1934, as amended. Management conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting based on the criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework).

Based on the Company's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting and the criteria noted above, management concluded that internal control over financial reporting was effective as of September 30, 2021.

The financial statements and internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm. Ernst & Young’s reports with respect to fairness of the presentation of the financial statements, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, are included herein.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of

Becton, Dickinson and Company

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Becton, Dickinson and Company (the Company) as of September 30, 2021 and 2020, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at September 30, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2021, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) and our report dated November 24, 2021 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.

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None.

An evaluation was conducted by BD’s management, with the participation of BD’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of BD’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) as of September 30, 2021. Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the design and operation of these disclosure controls and procedures were, as of the end of the period covered by this report, effective and designed to ensure that material information relating to BD and its consolidated subsidiaries would be made known to them by others within these entities. There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2021 identified in

connection with the above-referenced evaluation that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, BD’s internal control over financial reporting.

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm are contained in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, and are incorporated herein by reference.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

PART III

The information relating to BD’s directors and nominees for director required by this item will be contained under the caption “Proposal 1: Election of Directors” in a definitive proxy statement involving the election of directors, which the registrant will file with the SEC not later than 120 days after September 30, 2021 (the “2022 Proxy Statement”), and such information is incorporated herein by reference. Information relating to the Audit Committee of the BD Board of Directors required by this item will be contained under the caption “The Board and committees of the Board - Audit Committee”, and information regarding BD’s code of ethics required by this item will be contained under the heading “The Board and committees of the Board - ESG - Code of Conduct”, in BD’s 2022 Proxy statement, and such information is incorporated herein by reference.

The information relating to executive officers required by this item is included herein in Part I under the caption “Information about our Executive Officers.”

Certain other information required by this item will be contained under the caption “Ownership of BD Common Stock” in BD’s 2022 Proxy Statement, and such information is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this item will be contained under the captions “Executive Compensation,” “Report of the Compensation and Human Capital Committee,” “Compensation of Named Executive Officers”, “Non‑management director compensation,” and “CEO Pay Ratio" in BD’s 2022 Proxy Statement, and such information is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this item will be contained under the caption “Ownership of BD Common Stock” in BD’s 2022 Proxy Statement, and such information is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this item will be contained under the caption “The Board and committees of the Board - Related persons transactions” in BD’s 2022 Proxy Statement, and such information is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this item will be contained under the caption “Proposal 2. Ratification of Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” in BD’s 2022 Proxy Statement, and such information is incorporated herein by reference.

PART IV

(a)(1) Financial Statements

The following consolidated financial statements of BD are included in Item 8 of this report:

◦Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

◦Consolidated Statements of Income — Years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019

◦Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income — Years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019

◦Consolidated Balance Sheets — September 30, 2021 and 2020

◦Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows — Years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019

◦Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(2)Financial Statement Schedules

See Note 18 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

*(3)*Exhibits

See the Exhibit Index below for a list of all management contracts, compensatory plans and arrangements required by this item, and all other Exhibits filed or incorporated by reference as a part of this report.

BD is not providing summary information.

EXHIBIT INDEX

• Denotes a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

Copies of any Exhibits not accompanying this Form 10-K are available at a charge of 10 cents per page by contacting: Investor Relations, Becton, Dickinson and Company, 1 Becton Drive, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey 07417-1880, Phone: 1-800-284-6845.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

BECTON, D****ICKINSON AND C****OMPANY

Dated: November 24, 2021

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Thomas E. Polen, Samrat S. Khichi, Christopher J. DelOrefice and Gary DeFazio, and each of them, acting individually and without the other, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company’s fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, and any amendments thereto, each in such form as they or any one of them may approve, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done so that such Annual Report shall comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the applicable Rules and Regulations adopted or issued pursuant thereto, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them or their substitute or resubstitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

This Power of Attorney shall not revoke any powers of attorney previously executed by the undersigned. This Power of Attorney shall not be revoked by any subsequent power of attorney that the undersigned may execute, unless such subsequent power of attorney specifically provides that it revokes this Power of Attorney by referring to the date of the undersigned’s execution of this Power of Attorney. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever two or more powers of attorney granting the powers specified herein are valid, the agents appointed on each shall act separately unless otherwise specified.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended, this Annual Report and Power of Attorney have been signed as of November 24, 2021 by the following persons in the capacities indicated.