Economic and political pressures to increase tax revenues in various jurisdictions may make resolving tax disputes more difficult. For example, in recent years, the tax authorities in Europe have disagreed with our tax positions related to hybrid debt, research and development credits, transfer pricing and indirect taxes, among others. We regularly assess the likelihood of the outcome resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of our provision for income taxes. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of tax audits and any related litigation could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals.

The results from various tax examinations, audits and litigation may differ from the liabilities recorded in our financial statements and could materially and adversely affect our financial results and cash flows in the period or periods for which that determination is made.

# Changes in tax laws or rates, changes in the interpretation of tax laws or changes in the jurisdictional mix of our earnings could adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). The Tax Act made a number of substantial changes, including the imposition of a one-time mandatory deemed repatriation tax on the 2017 unrepatriated earnings accumulated offshore since 1986, the establishment of global minimum income tax and base erosion tax provisions related to offshore activities and affiliated party payments, and the reduction of the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% for U.S. taxable income, resulting in a one-time remeasurement of deferred taxes to reflect their value at a lower tax rate of 21%. These changes to U.S. tax laws will significantly impact how U.S. multinational corporations are taxed on foreign earnings.

The U.S Treasury, Internal Revenue Service and other standard setting bodies are continuing to issue guidance and interpretation relating to the Tax Act. As future guidance is issued, we may make adjustments to amounts previously reported that could materially impact our financial statements.

Our global operations subject us to income and other taxes in the U.S. and in numerous foreign jurisdictions, each with different tax schemes and tax rates. In addition to the changes in tax laws and the interpretation of tax laws and tax rates in these jurisdictions, the jurisdictional mix of our earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates can have a significant impact on our effective tax rate from period to period.

The tax effect of our investment in Sartorius AG and the jurisdictional mix of our earnings could continue to materially affect our financial results and cash flow.

In addition, the adoption of some or all of the recommendations set forth in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s project on “Base Erosion and Profit Shifting” (BEPS) by tax authorities in the countries in which we operate, could negatively impact our effective tax rate. These recommendations focus on payments from affiliates in high tax jurisdictions to affiliates in lower tax jurisdictions and the activities that give rise to a taxable presence in a particular country.

# Our reported financial results may be materially affected by changes in accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

Generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or U.S. GAAP, are subject to interpretation by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, and various bodies formed to promulgate and interpret appropriate accounting principles. A change in these principles or interpretations could have a significant effect on our reported financial results, and could affect the reporting of transactions completed before the announcement of a change.