Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries*
               CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (IN PART)
                              (Dollars in thousands)
                                                               December 31
                                          2008                2007                2006
Liabilities and Shareholders' Investment
Current Liabilities:
Short-term borrowings    $ 1,691,069    $ 1,827,361       $ 5,305,985
Trade accounts payable       1,351,436    1,219,529          1,175,590
Salaries, wages, and commissions 1,011,312 859,784          807,283
Other accrued liabilities       4,216,742    3,713,104       3,850,723
Dividends payable                559,064          504,540             453,994
Income taxes payable          805,397          80,406             262,344
Obligation in connection with conclusion of TAP
Pharmaceutical Products, Inc. joint venture
                                             915,982                -                         -
Current portion of long-term debt 1,040,906 898,554             95,276
Total Current Liabilities       11,591,908       9,103,278       11,951,195
Long-term Debt                   8,713,327       9,487,789          7,009,664
Postemployment Obligations and Other Long-term
Liabilities                               4,634,418       3,344,317       3,163,127
Commitments and Contingencies
Shareholders' Investment:
Preferred shares, one dollar par value
'Abbott Laboratories is an Illinois corporation, incorporated in 1900. Abbott's principal business is the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of a broad and diversified line of health care products." 10-K

                                                                        December 31
                                                      2008                2007                2006
Liabilities and Shareholders' Investment (continued)
Authorized-1,000,000 shares, none issued
                                                               -                   -                      -
Common shares, without par value
Authorized-2,400,000,000 shares
Issued at stated capital amount-
Shares: 2008: 1,601,580,899; 2007:
1,580,854,677; 2006: 1,550,590,438 7,444,411    6,104,102       4,290,929
Common shares held in treasury, at cost -
Shares: 2008: 49,147,968; 2007: 30,944,537;
2006: 13, 347,272                            (2,626,404)    (1,213,134)       (195,237)
Earnings employed in the business 13,825,383    10,805,809       9,568,728
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
                                                      (1,163,839)       2,081,763          389,766
Total Shareholders' Investment       17,479,551    17,778,540       14,054,186
                                                      $42,419,204    $39,713,924    $36,178,172
Required
a. 1. The statement is entitled "Consolidated Balance Sheet." What does it mean to have a consolidated balance sheet?
b. 1. What current liability decreased the most?
2. What current liability increased the most?
c. 1. How many common shares had been issued as of December 31, 2008?
2. How many shares were held in the treasury at December 31, 2008?
3. How many shares were outstanding at December 31, 2008?
4. What is the treasury stock method?
d. 1. Abbott Laboratories discloses the account "Earnings employed in the business." What is this account usually called?

Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries* &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;...

Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries* ...