QGEN 20-F DEF-14A Report Dec. 31, 2015 | Alphaminr
ALPHAMINR

QGEN 20-F Report ended Dec. 31, 2015

Balance Sheet
Cash Flow
Income Statement
Debt
20-F 1 a201520-f.htm 20-F 20-F


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 20-F
£
REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
or
S
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015
or
£
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from              to
or
£
SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Date of event requiring this shell company report
Commission File Number 0-28564
_____________________________________________
QIAGEN N.V.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
n/a
(Translation of Registrant’s name in English)
The Netherlands
(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
Hulsterweg 82
5912 PL Venlo
The Netherlands
011-31-77-355-6600
(Address of principal executive offices)
_____________________________________________
Roland Sackers, Tel: 011-31-77-355-6600, Fax: 011-31-77-355-6658
QIAGEN N.V., Hulsterweg 82, 5912 PL Venlo, The Netherlands
(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Person)
_____________________________________________
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of class:
Common Shares, par value EUR 0.01 per share
Name of each exchange on which registered:
NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act:
None
_____________________________________________
The number of outstanding Common Shares as of December 31, 2015 was 233,005,776 .
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. ý Yes o No
If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. o Yes ý No
Note—Checking the box above will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 from their obligations under those Sections.
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. ý Yes o No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted 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 and post such files). ý Yes o No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of accelerated filer and large accelerated filer in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer ý Accelerated filer o Non-accelerated filer o

Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:
ý
U.S. GAAP
o
International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board
o
Other
If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow:
o
Item 17
o
Item 18
If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). o Yes ý No


Unless the context otherwise requires, references herein to “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” or to “QIAGEN” are to QIAGEN N.V. and its consolidated subsidiaries.
_____________________________________________
EXCHANGE RATES
QIAGEN publishes its financial statements in U.S. dollars. In this Annual Report on Form 20-F, references to “dollars” or “$” are to U.S. dollars, and references to “EUR” or the “euro” are to the European Monetary Union euro. Except as otherwise stated herein, all monetary amounts in this Annual Report on Form 20-F have been presented in U.S. dollars.
The exchange rate used for the euro was obtained from the European Central Bank and is based on a regular daily concentration procedure between central banks across Europe and worldwide, which normally takes place at 2:15 P.M. Central European Time. This rate at February 24, 2016, was $1.0981 per €1.
For information regarding the effects of currency fluctuations on our results, see Item 5 “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects.”


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Item 1.
Item 2.
Item 3.
Item 4.
Item 4A.
Item 5.
Item 6.
Item 7.
Item 8.
Item 9.
Item 10.
Item 11.
Item 12.
Item 13.
Item 14.
Item 15.
Item 16A.
Item 16B.
Item 16C.
Item 16D.
Item 16E.
Item 16F.
Item 16G.
Item 16H.
Item 17.
Item 18.
Item 19.


3

PART I
Item 1.
Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisors
Not applicable.

Item 2.
Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable
Not applicable.

Item 3.
Key Information
QIAGEN N.V. is registered under its commercial and legal name with the trade register ( kamer van koophandel ) of the Dutch region Limburg Noord under file number 12036979. QIAGEN N.V. is a public limited liability company ( naamloze vennootschap ) under Dutch law as a holding company.
The selected consolidated financial data below should be read in conjunction with “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” and the Consolidated Financial Statements, including the notes and other financial information included in this Annual Report on Form 20-F. The selected financial data below is derived from the consolidated statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 and the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2015 and 2014 of QIAGEN that have been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm, and are included in this Annual Report. The selected data from the consolidated statements of income presented for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, and the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2013 , 2012 and 2011, is derived from audited consolidated financial statements not included in this Annual Report. The 2011 amounts for working capital, total assets and total long-term liabilities, including current portion, have been adjusted to correctly reflect deferred taxes as current or non-current and to net deferred tax positions within the same tax jurisdictions. These balance sheet reclassifications had no effect on total equity at December 31, 2011.

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Selected Financial Data
The information below should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements (and accompanying notes) and "Operating and Financial Review and Prospects."
Years ended December 31,
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
Consolidated Statement of Income Data:
(amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Net sales
$
1,280,986

$
1,344,777

$
1,301,984

$
1,254,456

$
1,169,747

Cost of sales
454,611

479,839

486,494

430,432

419,938

Gross profit
826,375

864,938

815,490

824,024

749,809

Operating expenses:
Research and development
147,180

163,627

146,070

122,476

130,636

Sales and marketing
360,962

376,873

371,523

343,549

307,332

General and administrative, restructuring, integration and other
103,874

126,550

199,072

152,068

185,507

Acquisition-related intangible amortization
38,666

37,070

35,495

36,117

26,746

Total operating expenses
650,682

704,120

752,160

654,210

650,221

Income from operations
175,693

160,818

63,330

169,814

99,588

Other expense
(43,195
)
(42,304
)
(25,992
)
(24,661
)
(3,376
)
Income before income taxes
132,498

118,514

37,338

145,153

96,212

Income taxes
5,641

1,312

(31,760
)
15,616

1,263

Net income
$
126,857

$
117,202

$
69,098

$
129,537

$
94,949

Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest
(246
)
568

25

31

(1,089
)
Net income attributable to QIAGEN N.V.
$
127,103

$
116,634

$
69,073

$
129,506

$
96,038

Basic net income per common share attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V. (1)
$
0.54

$
0.50

$
0.30

$
0.55

$
0.41

Diluted net income per common share attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V. (1)
$
0.54

$
0.48

$
0.29

$
0.54

$
0.40

Weighted-average common shares outstanding
Basic
233,483

232,644

234,000

235,582

233,850

Diluted
237,158

241,538

242,175

240,746

239,064

____________________
(1)
See Note 18 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for the computation of the weighted average number of Common Shares.
As of December 31,
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
(amounts in thousands)
Cash and cash equivalents
$
290,011

$
392,667

$
330,303

$
394,037

$
221,133

Working capital (1)
$
693,261

$
717,124

$
583,851

$
725,752

$
293,753

Total assets
$
4,189,678

$
4,454,372

$
4,088,392

$
4,087,631

$
3,729,685

Total long-term liabilities, including current portion
$
1,360,293

$
1,496,991

$
1,032,409

$
1,101,550

$
725,874

Total equity
$
2,561,954

$
2,657,999

$
2,723,871

$
2,724,363

$
2,557,798

Common shares, par value
$
2,812

$
2,812

$
2,812

$
2,769

$
2,739

Common shares issued
239,707

239,707

239,707

236,487

234,221

Common shares outstanding
233,006

232,023

233,890

234,544

234,221

_________________
( 1) Working capital is current assets less current liabilities.

5


Risk Factors
Risk Management:
Our risk management approach embodies the key elements of a sound risk management system including (1) active Supervisory Board and senior management involvement; (2) adequate policies and procedures; (3) adequate risk management, monitoring and information systems; and (4) comprehensive internal controls.
QIAGEN is managed by a Managing Board and an independent Supervisory Board appointed by the General Meeting of Shareholders. One of the Managing Board's responsibilities is the oversight of the risk management system. The Managing Board has developed and implemented strategies, controls and mitigation measures to identify current and developing risks as part of the risk management system. Risk management policies and procedures are embodied in our corporate governance, code of ethics and financial reporting controls and procedures. A variety of functional experts evaluate these business risks, attempting to mitigate and manage these risks on an ongoing basis.
Identified risks are subdivided into three types:
•
A base business risk is specific to us or our industry and that threatens our current and existing business;
•
A business growth risk is specific to us or our industry that threatens our future business growth; and
•
An underlying business risk is not specific to us or our industry, but applies to a larger number of public companies.
All identified risks are evaluated based on their likelihood of occurring and their potential impact (estimated in monetary terms) in disrupting our progress in achieving our business objectives. The overall risk management goal is to identify risks that could significantly threaten our success and to allow management on a timely basis the opportunity to successfully implement mitigation actions. The results of the risk assessment, and any updates, are reported to the Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board on a regular basis. A detailed risk reporting update is provided each quarter to the Audit Committee for specific risks that have been newly identified or have changed since the previous assessment. A detailed review of all underlying business risks is completed every year. At least once on an annual basis, the Supervisory Board discusses the corporate strategy and business risks as well as the results of an assessment by the Managing Board and the Audit Committee of the structure and operations of the internal risk management and control systems, including any significant changes.
Our corporate governance structure is based on a strong framework that outlines the responsibilities of our Managing and Supervisory Boards (discussed in more detail in Item 10 of this Annual Report) and the function of the Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board (discussed in more detail in Item 6 of this Annual Report). We maintain adequate internal controls over financial reporting to ensure the integrity of financial reporting, which is described further in Item 15 of this Annual Report. Additionally, a Compliance Committee operates under the leadership of the Chief Financial Officer, who is also a member of the Managing Board, that consists of senior executives from various functional areas who are responsible for ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, as well as overseeing the communication of corporate policies, including our Code of Ethics as described further in Item 16B of this Annual Report.

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Risk Types
Base Business Risk
•
Identification and monitoring of competitive business threats
•
Monitoring complexity of product portfolio
•
Monitoring dependence on key customers for single product groups
•
Reviewing dependence on individual production sites or suppliers
•
Evaluating purchasing initiatives, price controls and changes to reimbursements
•
Monitoring production risks, including contamination prevention, high-quality product assurance
• Ensuring ability to defend against intellectual property infringements and maintain competitive advantage after expiration
Business Growth Risk
•
Managing development and success of key R&D projects
• Managing successful integration of acquisitions to achieve anticipated benefits
Underlying Business Risk
•
Evaluating financial risks, including economic risks and currency rate fluctuations
•
Monitoring financial reporting risks, including multi-jurisdiction tax compliance
•
Reviewing possible asset impairment events
•
Assessing compliance and legal risks, including safety in operations and environmental hazard risks, compliance with various regulatory bodies and pending product approvals
• Monitoring risks of FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) or antitrust concerns arising from a network of subsidiaries and distributors in foreign countries
The risks described below are listed in the order of our current view of their expected significance. Describing the risk factors in order of significance does not imply that a lower listed risk factor may not have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, liquidity or capital resources.
An inability to manage our growth, manage the expansion of our operations, or successfully integrate acquired businesses could adversely affect our business.
Our business has grown, with total net sales increasing to $1.28 billion in 2015 from $1.17 billion in 2011. We have made a series of acquisitions in recent years, including MO BIO Laboratories in 2015, Enzymatics and BIOBASE in 2014, Ingenuity and CLC bio in 2013, and Intelligent BioSystems and AmniSure in 2012. We intend to identify and acquire other businesses in the future that support our strategy to build on our global leadership position in Sample to Insight solutions. The successful integration of acquired businesses requires a significant effort and expense across all operational areas.
We have also made significant investments to expand our business operations. We completed an expansion project in Germany in early 2012 and another at our facility in Germantown, Maryland, for research, production and administrative space in 2013. We completed two smaller-scale building projects in 2015. These expansion projects have increased our fixed costs, resulting in higher operational costs in the short term that will negatively impact our gross profit and operating income until we more fully utilize the additional capacity of these planned facilities. In 2012, we added a subsidiary in Poland as part of the creation of a new global shared services center to gain economies of scale in various administrative functions. We also continue to upgrade our operating and financial systems and expand the geographic presence of our operations, which has resulted in the reallocation of existing resources or the hiring of new employees as well as increased responsibilities for both existing and new management personnel. The expansion of our business and the addition of new personnel may place a strain on our management and operational systems.
Our future operating results will depend on the ability of our management to continue to implement and improve our research, product development, manufacturing, sales and marketing and customer support programs, enhance our operational and financial control systems, expand, train and manage our employee base, integrate acquired businesses, and effectively address new issues related to our growth as they arise. There can be no assurance that we will be able to manage our recent or any future expansion or acquisitions successfully, and any inability to do so could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
Our acquisitions expose us to new risks, and we may not achieve the anticipated benefits of acquisitions of technologies and businesses.
During the past several years, we have acquired and integrated a number of companies through which we have gained access to new technologies, products and businesses that complement our internally developed product lines. In the future, we expect to acquire additional technologies, products or businesses to expand our operations. Acquisitions expose us to new operating and other risks, including risks associated with the:
•
assimilation of new products, technologies, operations, sites and personnel;

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•
integration and retention of fundamental personnel and technical expertise;
•
application for and achievement of regulatory approvals or other clearances;
•
diversion of resources from our existing products, business and technologies;
•
generation of sales to offset associated acquisition costs;
•
implementation and maintenance of uniform standards and effective controls and procedures;
•
maintenance of relationships with employees and customers and integration of new management personnel;
•
issuance of dilutive equity securities;
•
incurrence or assumption of debt;
•
amortization or impairment of acquired intangible assets or potential businesses; and
•
exposure to liabilities of and claims against acquired entities.
Our failure to address the above risks successfully in the future may prevent us from achieving the anticipated benefits from any acquisition in a reasonable time frame, or at all.
Our continued growth is dependent on the development and success of new products.
Rapid technological change and frequent new product introductions are typical in the markets we serve. Our success will depend in part on continuous, timely development and introduction of new products that address evolving market requirements. We believe successful new product introductions provide a significant competitive advantage because customers make an investment of time in selecting and learning to use a new product and are reluctant to switch thereafter. To the extent that we fail to introduce new and innovative products, or such products suffer significant delays in development or are not accepted in the market, we may lose market share to our competitors, which will be difficult or impossible to regain. An inability to successfully develop and introduce new products, for technological or other reasons, could reduce our growth rate or otherwise have an adverse effect on our business. In the past, we have experienced delays in the development and introduction of products, including regulatory approvals, and we may experience delays in the future.
As a result, we cannot assure you that we will keep pace with the rapid rate of change in our markets or that our new products will adequately meet the requirements of the marketplace, achieve market acceptance or regulatory approval or compete successfully with competitive technologies. Some of the factors affecting market acceptance of new products include:
•
availability, quality and price relative to competitive products;
•
the timing of introduction of the new product relative to competitive products;
•
opinions of the new product’s utility;
•
citation of the new product in published research;
•
regulatory trends and approvals; and
•
general trends in life sciences research, applied markets and molecular diagnostics.
In the development of new products we may make significant investments in intellectual property and software. These investments increase our fixed costs, resulting in higher operational costs in the short term that will negatively impact our gross profit and operating income until products reach a minimum level of market acceptance. The expenses or losses associated with unsuccessful product development activities or lack of market acceptance of our new products could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Important new product programs underway include our modular medium-throughput QIAsymphony automation platform, our new GeneReader NGS System for next-generation sequencing (NGS), sample and assay technologies designed either for QIAGEN instruments or for "universal" use on other platforms, and bioinformatics solutions to analyze and interpret genomic data.
The speed and level of adoption of our QIAsymphony and GeneReader NGS platforms will affect sales not only of instrumentation but also of consumables, sample and assay kits, designed to run on the systems. The rollouts of QIAsymphony and GeneReader NGS System are intended to drive the dissemination and increasing sales of consumables for these systems. We are developing or co-developing new kits for each of these platforms and seeking regulatory approvals for a number of these new products. In turn, the availability and regulatory approval of more tests to run on QIAsymphony or GeneReader NGS System, especially molecular assays for specific diseases or companion diagnostics paired with new drugs, will influence the value of the instruments to prospective buyers. Slower adoption of QIAsymphony, including the complete QIAsymphony RGQ system, or the GeneReader NGS System could significantly affect sales of products designed to run on these platforms.
Our strategic initiative in NGS, including rollout of the GeneReader NGS System and related consumables, aims to drive the adoption of this technology in clinical research and diagnostics. This involves development and commercialization of universal pre-analytic and bioinformatics products for NGS, as well as commercialization of our proprietary GeneReader NGS workflow

8

and related consumables. The market for next-generation sequencing instruments is very competitive, and the speed and level of adoption of our universal solutions and the GeneReader workflow will affect sales of our Sample to Insight solutions.
Global economic conditions could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our results of operations could be materially affected by adverse general conditions in the global economy and financial markets. In times of economic hardship or high unemployment, patients may decide to forgo or delay routine tests, in particular our HPV test used to screen women for risk of cervical cancer. Changes in the availability or reimbursement of our diagnostic testing products by insurance providers and healthcare maintenance organizations could also have a significant adverse impact on our results of operations.
Access to financing in the global financial markets has also been adversely affected for many businesses during the recent challenging economic times and public debt crisis. The uncertainty surrounding the resolution of the economic and sovereign debt crisis in Europe continues to have a negative impact on financial markets and economic conditions more generally. Our customers may face internal financing pressures that adversely impact spending decisions, the ability to purchase our products or that lead to a delay in collection of receivables and thus negatively impact our cash flow. A severe or prolonged economic downturn could result in a variety of risks to our business that would adversely impact our results of operations, including the reduction or delay in planned improvements to healthcare systems in various countries, the reduction of funding for life sciences research, and intensified efforts by governments and healthcare payors regarding cost-containment efforts.
Our results of operations could also be negatively impacted by any governmental actions or inaction resulting in automatic government spending cuts (sequestration) that may take effect (as in the U.S. in 2013). These conditions may add uncertainty to the timing and budget for investment decisions by our customers, particularly, researchers, universities, government laboratories and private foundations whose funding is dependent upon grants from government agencies, such as the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and similar bodies.
As is the case for many businesses, we face the following risks in regard to financial markets:
•
severely limited access to financing over an extended period of time, which may limit our ability to fund our growth strategy and could result in delays to capital expenditures, acquisitions or research and development projects;
•
failures of currently solvent financial institutions, which may cause losses from our short-term cash investments or our hedging transactions due to a counterparty’s inability to fulfill its payment obligations;
•
inability to refinance existing debt at competitive rates, reasonable terms or sufficient amounts; and
•
increased volatility or adverse movements in foreign currency exchange rates.
We may encounter delays in receipt, or limits in the amount, of reimbursement approvals and public health funding, which will impact our ability to grow revenues in the healthcare market or may negatively impact our profitability.
Third-party payors are often reluctant to reimburse healthcare providers for the use of medical tests that involve new technologies or provide novel diagnostic information. In addition, third-party payors are increasingly limiting reimbursement coverage for medical diagnostic products and, in many instances, are exerting pressure on diagnostic product suppliers to reduce their prices. Since each third-party payor often makes reimbursement decisions on an individual patient basis, obtaining such approvals is a time-consuming and costly process that requires us to provide scientific and clinical data supporting the clinical benefits of each of our products. As a result, there can be no assurance that reimbursement approvals will be obtained. This process can delay the broad market introduction of new products, and could have a negative effect on our results of operations. As a result, third-party reimbursement may not be consistent or financially adequate to cover the cost of our products. This could limit our ability to sell our products or cause us to reduce prices, which would adversely affect our results of operations.
Further, the ability of many of our customers to successfully market their products depends in part on the extent to which reimbursement for the costs of these products is available from governmental health administrations, private health insurers and other organizations. Governmental and other third-party payors are increasingly seeking to contain healthcare costs and to reduce the price of medical products and services. For example, in 2010 the United States enacted major healthcare reform legislation known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) which is expected to impact the scope and nature of Medicare reimbursement methods. As a result, the biotechnology, diagnostics and pharmaceutical industries are exposed to the potential risk of price controls by these entities. If there are not adequate reimbursement levels, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Reduction in research and development budgets and government funding may result in reduced sales.
Our customers include researchers at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions, and government and private laboratories. Fluctuations in the research and development budgets of these organizations could have a significant adverse effect on demand for our products. Research and development budgets are affected by changes in available resources,

9

the mergers of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, changes in spending priorities and institutional budgetary policies. Our results of operations could be adversely affected by any significant decrease in expenditures for life sciences research and development by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions, and government and private laboratories. In addition, short-term changes in administrative, regulatory or purchasing-related procedures can create uncertainties or other impediments that can have an adverse impact on our results of operations.
In recent years, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have undergone substantial restructuring and consolidation. Additional mergers or consolidation within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries could cause us to lose existing customers and potential future customers, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations.
Approximately 22% of our sales are generated from demand for our products used in the Academia customer class by researchers at universities, government laboratories and private foundations, and whose funding is dependent upon grants from government agencies, such as the NIH. Although the level of research funding has been increasing in recent years, we cannot assure you that this trend will continue given federal and state budget constraints. Government funding of research and development is subject to the political process, which is inherently unpredictable. Future sales may be adversely affected if our customers delay purchases as a result of uncertainties regarding the approval of government or industrial budget proposals. Also, government proposals to reduce or eliminate budgetary deficits have sometimes included reduced allocations to the NIH and government agencies in other countries that fund life sciences research and development activities. A reduction in government funding for the NIH or government research agencies in other countries could have a serious adverse impact on our results of operations.
Competition could reduce our sales.
We face various competitive factors against greater adoption of our products, in particular the use of “home-brew” or lab-developed methods, where widely available reagents and other chemicals are used in a non-standardized manner to perform sample and assay processing. We are also aware that a significant number of laboratory organizations and competitors are developing and using their own internally developed molecular tests. Some competitor companies may seek regulatory approvals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or similar non-U.S. regulatory authorities and bring to the market alternative products that could limit the use of our products. The success of our business depends in part on the continued conversion of current users of “home brew” methods to our standardized sample and assay technologies and other products. There can be no assurance, however, as to the continued conversion of these potential customers.
We have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, increasing competition from companies that provide competitive pre-analytical solutions and also other products used by our customers. The markets for some of our products are very competitive and price sensitive. Other product suppliers may have significant advantages in terms of financial, operational, sales and marketing resources as well as experience in research and development. These companies may have developed, or could develop in the future, new technologies that compete with our products or even render our products obsolete. The development of products offering superior technology or a more cost-effective alternative to our products could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
We believe that customers in the market for pre-analytical sample technologies as well as for assay technologies display significant loyalty to their initial supplier of a particular product, in particular given the time and expense required by customers to properly integrate these products into their operations. As a result, it may be difficult to convert customers who have purchased products from competitors, and our competitive position may suffer if we are unable to be the first to develop and supply new products.
The time and expense needed to obtain regulatory approval and respond to changes in regulatory requirements could adversely affect our ability to commercially distribute our products and generate sales.
We and our customers operate in a highly regulated environment characterized by continuous changes in the governing regulatory framework, particularly for product approvals. Genetic research activities and products commonly referred to as “genetically engineered” (such as certain food and therapeutic products) are subject to extensive governmental regulation in most developed countries, especially in the major markets for pharmaceutical and diagnostic products such as the European Union, the U.S. and Japan. In recent years, several highly publicized scientific events (most notably in genomic research and “cloning”) have prompted intense public debates on the ethical, philosophical and religious implications of an unlimited expansion in genetic research and the use of products emerging from this research. As a result of this debate, some key countries may increase existing regulatory barriers, which could adversely affect demand for our products and prevent us from fulfilling our growth expectations. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that any future changes of applicable regulations will not require further expenditures or an alteration, suspension or liquidation of our operations in certain areas, or even in their entirety.
Changes in the existing regulations or adoption of new requirements or policies could adversely affect our ability to sell our approved products or to seek approvals for new products in other countries around the world. Sales of certain products now in

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development may be dependent upon us successfully conducting pre-clinical studies, clinical trials and other tasks required to gain regulatory approvals. These trials could be subject to extensive regulation by governmental authorities in the U.S., particularly the FDA, and regulatory agencies in other countries. These trials involve substantial uncertainties and could impact customer demand for our products.
In addition, certain products, especially those intended for use in in vitro diagnostics applications, require regulatory approvals in various countries. For example, since the European Union Directive 98/79/EC on in vitro diagnostic medical devices (EU-IvD-D) went into effect in 2003, all products and kits used for in vitro diagnostic applications must be compliant with this directive. In addition to high-risk products such as HIV testing systems (list A of Annex II of the directive) or blood glucose testing systems (list B of Annex II of the directive), nucleic acid purification products, which are used in diagnostic workflows, are affected by this regulatory framework. The major goals of this directive are to standardize diagnostic procedures within the European Union, to increase reliability of diagnostic analysis and to enhance patient safety. If we fail to obtain any required clearance or approvals, it could significantly damage our business in these markets. While this is fully established today, the European Commission and the European parliament have approved a major recast to this directive. While this recast is still in the final stages of the political process called the “Trilogue”, once implemented it will re-classify medical devices, add additional emphasis on clinical efficacy and bring this into a new legal framework. It is anticipated that industry will have at least 5 years to fully implement this after the approval but this is still in negotiation as part of the Trilogue.
Several of our key products and programs are medical devices subject to extensive regulation by the FDA under the U.S. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. We plan to apply for FDA clearance or approval of additional products in the future as medical devices. Regulatory agencies in other countries also have medical device approval regulations that are becoming more extensive. These regulations govern most commercial activities associated with medical devices, including indications for the use of these products as well as other aspects that include product development, testing, manufacturing, labeling, storage, record-keeping, advertising and promotion. Compliance with these regulations is expensive and time-consuming.
Each medical device that we wish to distribute commercially in the U.S. will likely require us to seek either 510(k) clearance or approval of a pre-market approval application (PMA) from the FDA prior to marketing the device for in-vitro diagnostic use. Clinical trials related to our regulatory submissions take years to complete and represent a significant expense. The 510(k) clearance pathway usually takes from three to 12 months, but can take longer. The PMA pathway is more costly, lengthy and uncertain, and can take from one to three years, or longer. For example, it took more than four years to receive pre-market approval from the FDA for our HPV test product for use as a test for the presence of HPV in women with equivocal Pap test results and pre-market approval for the use of our HPV test as a primary adjunctive cervical cancer screening test to be performed in combination with the Pap test for women age 30 and older. The uncertain time period required for regulatory review increases our costs to develop new products and increases the risk that we will not succeed in introducing or selling new products in the U.S.
Our cleared or approved devices, including our diagnostic tests and related equipment, are subject to numerous post-approval requirements. We are subject to inspection and marketing surveillance by the FDA to determine our compliance with regulatory requirements. If the FDA determines that we have failed to comply, it can institute a wide variety of enforcement actions, ranging from warning letters to more severe sanctions such as fines, injunctions and civil penalties, recalls or seizures of our products, operating restrictions, partial suspension or total shutdown of production, denial of our requests for 510(k) clearance or pre-market approval of product candidates, withdrawal of 510(k) clearance or pre-market approval already granted and criminal prosecution. Any enforcement action by the FDA may affect our ability to commercially distribute these products in the U.S.
Some of our products are sold for research purposes in the U.S. We do not promote these products for clinical diagnostic use, and they are labeled “For Research Use Only” (RUO) or “for molecular biology applications.” If the FDA were to disagree with our designation of a product, we could be forced to stop selling the product until appropriate regulatory clearance or approval has been obtained. Further, some of our products are used in “Laboratory-Developed Tests” (LDTs), where laboratories use our materials for assays manufactured, validated and performed in house. We do not promote these products for clinical diagnostic use.
Further, the FDA has publicly announced its intention to begin regulating lab-developed tests in a phased-in approach, but details of proposed regulations have not yet emerged. LDTs represent the majority of molecular tests currently in use in terms of volume, and our automation systems - particularly the QIAsymphony platform - are designed to accommodate the automation and validation of these tests. On the other hand, laboratories creating LDTs may use some of our materials in their tests. We do not promote these products for clinical diagnostic use, but if the FDA were to stop the use of LDTs or significantly limit their area of application, sales of some of our products in the U.S. could be adversely affected. The flexibility to handle LDTs is an advantage for our instruments, particularly the QIAsymphony automation system. On the consumables side, however, LDTs can at times create competition to our own commercially approved tests. We are pursuing a strategy of developing new content for our platforms partly by seeking regulatory approvals for new assays that incorporates approvals for these tests to run on QIAGEN instruments. We believe standardized tests that pass regulatory scrutiny and are clinically

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validated are highly attractive to reference laboratories and healthcare providers in our Molecular Diagnostics customer class, and also to customers in Pharma and Academia who rely on molecular assays to research and develop new products. At this point the ultimate impact of potential new FDA policies on LDTs is uncertain.
Exchange rate fluctuations may adversely affect our business and operating results.
Because we currently market our products throughout the world, a significant portion of our business is conducted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, our reporting currency. As a result, fluctuations in value, relative to the U.S. dollar, of the currencies in which we conduct our business have caused and will continue to cause foreign currency transaction gains and losses. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses arising from normal business operations are charged against earnings in the period when incurred. Due to the number of currencies involved, the variability of currency exposures and the potential volatility of currency exchange rates, we cannot predict the effects of future exchange rate fluctuations. While we may engage in foreign exchange hedging transactions to manage our foreign currency exposure, there can be no assurance that our hedging strategy will adequately protect our operating results from the effects of future exchange rate fluctuations.
Changes in tax laws or their application or the termination or reduction of certain government incentives, could adversely impact our overall effective tax rate, results of operations or financial flexibility.
Our effective tax rate reflects the benefit of some income being partially exempt from income taxes due to various intercompany operating and financing activities. The benefit also derives from our global operations where certain income or loss is taxed at rates higher or lower than The Netherlands’ statutory rate of 25%. Changes in tax laws or their application with respect to matters such as changes in tax rates, transfer pricing and income allocation, utilization of tax loss carry forwards, intercompany dividends, controlled corporations, and limitations on tax relief allowed on the interest on intercompany debt, and changes to tax credit mechanisms, could increase our effective tax rate and adversely affect our results of operations and limit our ability to repurchase our Common Shares without experiencing adverse tax consequences. Additionally, changes in other laws may subject us to additional excise taxes, such as the U.S. health care reform legislation that was signed into law in the U.S. in 2010. The increased tax burden as a result of changes in law may adversely affect our results of operations. Additionally, if our tax positions are challenged by tax authorities or other governmental bodies, such as the European Commission, we could incur additional tax liabilities, which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations or financial flexibility.
We rely on collaborative commercial relationships to develop some of our products.
Our long-term business strategy involves entering into strategic alliances as well as marketing and distribution arrangements with academic, corporate and other partners relating to the development, commercialization, marketing and distribution of certain of our existing and potential products. We may be unable to continue to negotiate these collaborative arrangements on acceptable terms, and these relationships also may not be scientifically or commercially successful. In addition, we may be unable to maintain these relationships, and our collaborative partners may pursue or develop competing products or technologies, either on their own or in collaboration with others.
For example, our Personalized Healthcare business includes projects with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to co-develop companion diagnostics paired with drugs that those companies either market currently or are developing for future use. The success of these co-development programs, including regulatory approvals for the companion diagnostics, depends upon the continued commitment of our partners to the development of those drugs, the outcome of clinical trials for the drugs and diagnostics, and regulatory approvals of the paired diagnostic tests and drugs. In addition, the future level of sales for companion diagnostics that we bring to market depends to a high degree on the commercial success of the related medicines for which the tests have been designed to be used for determining their use in patients. More companion diagnostics would be sold in combination with a widely prescribed drug than a drug with limited use. Hence, the future success of these diagnostics depends on our Pharma partners' commercialization actions and success.
Some of our customers are requiring us to change our sales arrangements to lower their costs, and this may limit our pricing flexibility and harm our business.
Some of our customers have developed purchasing initiatives to reduce the number of vendors from which they purchase products to lower their supply costs. In some cases, these customers have established agreements with large distributors, which include discounts and direct involvement in the distributor’s purchasing process. These activities may force us to supply large distributors with our products at discounts in order to continue providing products to some customers. For similar reasons, many larger customers, including the U.S. government, have requested, and may request in the future, special pricing arrangements, which can include blanket purchase agreements. These agreements may limit our pricing flexibility, which could harm our business and affect our results of operations. For a limited number of customers, and at the customer’s request, we have conducted sales transactions through third-party online intermediaries to whom we are required to pay commissions. If sales grow through these intermediaries, it could have an adverse impact on our results of operations, particularly a negative impact on our gross profit.

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Our global operations may be affected by actions of governments, global or regional economic developments, weather or transportation delays, natural disasters or other force majeure events (collectively, unforeseen events) which may negatively impact our suppliers, our customers or us.
Our business involves operations around the world. Our consumable manufacturing facilities are located in Germany, China, the United Kingdom and the U.S. We have established sales subsidiaries in numerous countries and our products are sold through independent distributors serving more than 40 additional countries. Our facilities may be harmed by unforeseen events, and in the event we or our customers are affected by a disaster, we may experience delays or reductions in sales or production, or increased costs, or may be required to identify alternate suppliers or rely on third-party manufacturers.
To the extent that our suppliers are impacted by a natural disaster or other disruption, we may experience periods of reduced production. Any unexpected interruptions in our production capabilities may lead to delayed or lost sales and may adversely affect our results of operations for the affected period.
In addition, to the extent we temporarily shut down any facility following such an unforeseen event, we may experience disruptions in our ability to ship products to customers or otherwise operate our business. While our global operations give us the ability to ship product from alternative sites, we may not be able to do so because our customers’ facilities are shutdown or the local logistics infrastructure is not functioning, and our sales will suffer.
Damage to our property due to unforeseen events and the disruption of our business from casualties may be covered by insurance, but this insurance may not be sufficient to cover all of our potential losses and such insurance may not continue to be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. In addition, we may incur incremental costs following an unforeseen event which will reduce profits and adversely affect our results of operations.
We depend on suppliers for materials used to manufacture our products, and if shipments from these suppliers are delayed or interrupted, we may be unable to manufacture our products.
We buy materials to create our products from a number of suppliers and are not dependent on any one supplier or group of suppliers for our business as a whole. However, key components of certain products, including certain instrumentation components and chemicals, are available only from a single source. If supplies from these vendors are delayed or interrupted for any reason, we may not be able to obtain these materials timely or in sufficient quantities or qualities in order to produce certain products, and this could have an adverse impact on our results of operations.
We heavily rely on air cargo carriers and other overnight logistics services, and shipping delays or interruptions could harm our business.
Our customers in the scientific research markets typically only keep a modest inventory of our products on hand, and consequently require overnight delivery of purchases. As a result, we heavily rely on air cargo carriers and logistic suppliers. If overnight services are suspended or delayed, and other delivery carriers and logistic suppliers cannot provide satisfactory services, customers may suspend a significant amount of their work. The lack of adequate delivery alternatives would have a serious adverse impact on our results of operations.
Our success depends on the continued employment of qualified personnel, any of whom we may lose at any time.
Although we have not experienced any difficulties attracting or retaining management and scientific staff, our ability to recruit and retain qualified, skilled employees will continue to be critical to our success. Given the intense competition for experienced scientists and managers among pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as well as academic and other research institutions, there can be no assurance that we will be able to attract and retain employees critical to our success on acceptable terms. Initiatives to expand QIAGEN will also require additional employees, including management with expertise in areas such as manufacturing and marketing, and the development of existing managers to lead a growing organization. The failure to recruit and retain qualified employees, or develop existing employees, could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations.
Our ability to accurately forecast our results during each quarter may be negatively impacted by the fact that a substantial percentage of our sales may be recorded in the final weeks or days of the quarter.
The markets we serve are typically characterized by a high percentage of purchase orders being received in the final few weeks or even days of each quarter. Although this varies from quarter to quarter, many customers make a large portion of their purchase decisions late in each quarter, in particular because it is during this period that they receive new information on both their budgets and requirements. Additionally, volatility in the timing of milestones from companion diagnostic partnerships can be difficult to predict. As a result, even late in each quarter, we cannot predict with certainty whether our sales forecasts for the quarter will be achieved.
Historically, we have been able to rely on the overall pattern of customer purchase orders during prior periods to project with reasonable accuracy our anticipated sales for the current or coming quarters. However, if customer purchasing trends during a

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quarter vary from historical patterns as may occur with changes in market conditions, our quarterly financial results could deviate significantly from our projections. As a result, our sales forecasts for any given quarter may prove not to have been accurate. We also may not have sufficient, timely information to confirm or revise our sales projections for a specific quarter. If we fail to achieve our forecasted sales for a particular quarter, the value of our Common Shares could be adversely affected.
We have a significant amount of debt that may adversely affect our financial condition and flexibility.
We have a significant amount of debt and debt service obligations as well as restrictive covenants imposed on us by our lenders. A high level of indebtedness increases the risk that we may default on our debt obligations and restrictive covenants may prevent us from borrowing additional funds. There is no assurance that we will be able to generate sufficient cash flow to pay the interest on our debt and comply with our debt covenants or that future working capital, borrowings or equity financing will be available to repay or refinance our debt. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow to pay the interest on our debt and comply with our debt covenants, we may have to delay or curtail our research and development programs. The level of our indebtedness could, among other things:
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make it difficult for us to make required payments on our debt;
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make it difficult for us to obtain any financing in the future necessary for working capital, capital expenditures, debt service requirements or other purposes;
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limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we compete; and
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make us more vulnerable in the event of a downturn in our business.
Our business may require substantial additional capital, which we may not be able to obtain on terms acceptable to us, if at all.
Our future capital requirements and level of expenses will depend upon numerous factors, including the costs associated with:
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marketing, sales and customer support efforts;
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research and development activities;
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expansion of our facilities;
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consummation of possible future acquisitions of technologies, products or businesses;
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demand for our products and services;
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repayment or refinancing of debt; and
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payments in connection with our hedging activities.
We currently anticipate that our short-term capital requirements will be satisfied by cash flow from our operations. As of December 31, 2015 , we had outstanding long-term debt of approximately $1.1 billion , of which no amount was current. Furthermore, as of December 31, 2015 , we had capital lease obligations, including the current portion, of $3.3 million , that expire in various years through 2018 . We may need to refinance all or part of these liabilities before or at their contractual maturities.
We currently do not foresee that this will happen, but if at some point in time our existing resources should be insufficient to fund our activities, we may need to raise funds through public or private debt or equity financings. The funds for the refinancing of existing liabilities or for the ongoing funding of our business may not be available or, if available, not on terms acceptable to us. If adequate funds are not available, we may be required to reduce or delay expenditures for research and development, production, marketing, capital expenditures and/or acquisitions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. To the extent that additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible securities, the issuance of any securities could result in dilution to our shareholders.
The accounting for the Cash Convertible Notes will result in recognition of interest expense significantly greater than the stated interest rate of the notes and may result in volatility to our Consolidated Statements of Income.
We will settle any conversions of the Cash Convertible Notes entirely in cash. Accordingly, the conversion option that is part of the Cash Convertible Notes will be accounted for as a derivative pursuant to accounting standards relating to derivative instruments and hedging activities. Refer to Note 13, “Derivatives and Hedging” and Note 15 "Lines of Credit and Debt," of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. In general, this resulted in an initial valuation of the conversion option separate from the debt component of the Cash Convertible Notes, resulting in an original issue discount. The original issue discount will be accreted to interest expense over the term of the Cash Convertible Notes, which will result in an effective interest rate reported in our financial statements significantly in excess of the stated coupon rates of the Cash Convertible Notes. This accounting treatment will reduce our earnings. For each financial statement period after the issuance of the Cash Convertible Notes, a gain (or loss) will be reported in our financial statements to the extent the valuation of the conversion option changes from the previous period. The Call Options will also be accounted for as derivative instruments, substantially offsetting the gain

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(or loss) associated with changes to the valuation of the conversion option. This may result in increased volatility to our results of operations.
The cash convertible note hedge and warrant transactions we entered into in connection with the issuance of our Cash Convertible Notes may not provide the benefits we anticipate, and may have a dilutive effect on our common stock.
Concurrently with the issuance of the Cash Convertible Notes, we entered into Call Options and issued Warrants. We entered into the Call Options with the expectation that they would offset potential cash payments by us in excess of the principal amount of the Cash Convertible Notes upon conversion of the Cash Convertible Notes. In the event that the hedge counterparties fail to deliver potential cash payments to us, as required under the Call Options, we would not receive the benefit of such transaction. Separately, we also issued Warrants. The Warrants could separately have a dilutive effect to the extent that the market price per share of our common stock, as measured under the terms of the Warrants, exceeds the strike price of the Warrants.
An impairment of goodwill and intangible assets could reduce our earnings.
At December 31, 2015 , our consolidated balance sheet reflected approximately $1.9 billion of goodwill and approximately $636.4 million of intangible assets. Goodwill is recorded when the purchase price of a business exceeds the fair value of the tangible and separately measurable intangible net assets. U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) requires us to test goodwill for impairment on an annual basis or when events or circumstances occur indicating that goodwill might be impaired. Long-lived assets, such as intangible assets with finite useful lives, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. The impairment review often cannot be done at the level of the individual asset and it must instead be applied to a group of assets. For the purpose of our annual goodwill impairment testing based on the current circumstances of how we manage our business, this group of assets is the Company as a whole. If we determine that any of our goodwill or intangible assets were impaired, we will be required to take an immediate charge to earnings and our results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our strategic equity investments may result in losses.
We have made, and may continue to make, strategic investments in businesses as opportunities arise. We periodically review the carrying value of these investments for impairment, considering factors that include the most recent stock transactions, book values from the most recent financial statements, and forecasts and expectations of the investee. The results of these valuations may fluctuate due to market conditions and other conditions over which we have no control.
Estimating the fair value of non-marketable equity investments in life science companies is inherently subjective. If actual events differ from our assumptions and other than temporary unfavorable fluctuations in the valuations of the investments are indicated, we could be required to write-down the investment. This could result in future charges on our earnings that could materially adversely affect our results of operations. It is uncertain whether or not we will realize any long-term benefits from these strategic investments.
Doing business internationally creates certain risks.
Our business involves operations in several countries outside of the U.S. Our consumable manufacturing facilities are located in Germany, China, the United Kingdom and the U.S. We source raw materials and subcomponents to manufacture our products from different countries. We have established sales subsidiaries in numerous countries including the U.S., Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, China, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and India. In addition, our products are sold through independent distributors serving more than 40 other countries. Conducting and launching operations on an international scale requires close coordination of activities across multiple jurisdictions and time zones and consumes significant management resources. We have invested heavily in computerized information systems in order to manage more efficiently the widely dispersed components of our operations. If we fail to coordinate and manage these activities effectively, our business and results of operations will be adversely affected.
Our operations are subject to other risks inherent in international business activities, such as general economic conditions in the countries in which we operate, longer accounts receivable payment cycles in certain countries, overlap of different tax structures, unexpected changes in regulatory requirements, and compliance with a variety of foreign laws and regulations. Other risks associated with international operations include import and export licensing requirements, trade restrictions, exchange controls and changes in tariff and freight rates, as may occur as a result of rising energy costs. As a result of these conditions, an inability to successfully manage our international operations could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.
Unethical behavior and non-compliance with laws by our sales agents, consultants, distributors or employees could seriously harm our business.

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Our business in countries with a history of corruption and transactions with foreign governments increase the risks associated with our international activities. Based on our international operations, we are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the U.K. Bribery Act and other laws that prohibit improper payments or offers of payments to foreign governments and their officials and political parties by business entities for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. We have operations, agreements with third parties and make sales in countries known to experience corruption. Further international expansion may involve increased exposure to such practices. Our activities in these countries, and in all countries as well, create risks of unauthorized payments or offers of payments, non-compliance with laws, or other unethical behavior by any of our employees, consultants, sales agents or distributors, that could be in violation of various laws, including the FCPA, even though these parties are not always subject to our control. It is our policy to implement safeguards to discourage these or other unethical practices by our employees and distributors including online and in-person employee trainings, periodic internal audits and standard reviews of our distributors. However, our existing safeguards and any future improvements may not prove to be effective, and our employees, consultants, sales agents or distributors may engage in conduct for which we might be held responsible. Violations of the FCPA and other laws may result in criminal or civil sanctions, which could be severe, and we may be subject to other liabilities, which could negatively affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We have made investments in and are expanding our business into emerging markets, which exposes us to risks.
Our top seven emerging markets are Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Korea, Mexico and Turkey, which together accounted for approximately 15% of total sales in 2015, and we expect to continue to focus on expanding our business in these or other fast-growing markets. In addition to the currency and international operation risks described above, our international operations are subject to a variety of risks that include those arising out of the economy, political outlook and language and cultural barriers in countries where we have operations or do business. In many of these emerging markets, we may be faced with several risks that are more significant than in other countries in which we have a history of doing business. These risks include economies that may be dependent on only a few products and are therefore subject to significant fluctuations, weak legal systems which may affect our ability to enforce contractual rights, exchange controls, unstable governments, and privatization or other government actions affecting the flow of goods and currency. In conducting our business, we move products from one country to another and may provide services in one country from a subsidiary located in another country. Accordingly, we are vulnerable to abrupt changes in customs and tax regimes that could have significant negative impacts on our results of operations.
We are subject to privacy and data security laws and rely on secure communication and information systems which, in the event of a breach or failure, expose us to risks.
We rely heavily on communications and information systems to conduct our business. In the ordinary course of business, we collect and store sensitive data, including intellectual property, our proprietary business information and that of our customers, suppliers and business partners, and personally identifiable information of our customers and employees, in our data centers and on our networks. Our operations rely on the secure processing, storage and transmission of confidential and other information on our computer systems and networks. A breach in cyber security due to gaining unauthorized access to our computer systems could include the misappropriation of assets or sensitive information, the corruption data or other operational disruption. Failures to our computer systems and networks could be caused by internal or external events, such as incursions by intruders or hackers, computer viruses, failures in hardware or software, or cyber terrorists. If we do experience a breach or failure of our systems, we could experience operational delays resulting from the disruption of systems, loss due to theft or misappropriation of assets or data, or negative impacts from the loss of confidential data or intellectual property. We may face significant liability in the event any of the personal information we maintain is lost or otherwise subject to misuse or other wrongful use, access or disclosure. Further, we could experience negative publicity resulting in reputation of brand damage with customers or partners.
Additionally, we are subject to privacy and data security laws, including those relating to the storage of health information, which are complex, overlapping and rapidly evolving. As our activities continue to evolve and expand, we may be subject to additional laws which impose further restrictions on the transfer, access, use, and disclosure of health and other personal information which may impact our business either directly or indirectly. Our failure to comply with applicable privacy or security laws or significant changes in these laws could significantly impact our business and future business plans. For example, we may be subject to regulatory action or lawsuits in the event we fail to comply with applicable privacy laws.
We depend on patents and proprietary rights that may fail to protect our business.
Our success depends to a large extent on our ability to develop proprietary products and technologies and to establish and protect our patent and trademark rights in these products and technologies. As of December 31, 2015 , we owned 298 issued patents in the United States, 199 issued patents in Germany and 1,234 issued patents in other major industrialized countries. In addition, at December 31, 2015 , we had 859 pending patent applications, and we intend to file applications for additional patents as our products and technologies are developed. The patent positions of technology-based companies involve complex legal and factual questions and may be uncertain, and the laws governing the scope of patent coverage and the periods of

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enforceability of patent protection are subject to change. In addition, patent applications in the United States are maintained in secrecy until patents issue, and publication of discoveries in the scientific or patent literature tends to lag behind actual discoveries by several months. Therefore, no assurance can be given that patents will issue from any patent applications that we own or license or if patents do issue, that the claims allowed will be sufficiently broad to protect our technology. In addition, no assurance can be given that any issued patents that we own or license will not be challenged, invalidated or circumvented, or that the rights granted thereunder will provide us competitive advantages. Further, as issued patents expire, we may lose some competitive advantage as others develop competing products and as a result, we may lose revenue.
A significant portion of HPV-related intellectual property is in the public domain, while additional HPV-related intellectual property is subject to our patents some of which will begin to expire in the next few years or are licensed to us on a non-exclusive basis. As a result, other companies have developed or may develop HPV detection tests.
Certain of our products incorporate patents and technologies that are licensed from third parties and for certain products, these in-licensed patents together with other patents provide us with a competitive advantage. These licenses impose various commercialization, sublicensing and other obligations on us. Our failure to comply with these requirements could result in the conversion of the applicable license from being exclusive to non-exclusive or, in some cases, termination of the license, and as a result, we may lose some competitive advantage and experience a loss of revenue.
We also rely on trade secrets and proprietary know-how, which we seek to protect through confidentiality agreements with our employees and consultants. There can be no assurance that any confidentiality agreements that we have with our employees, consultants, outside scientific collaborators and sponsored researchers and other advisors will provide meaningful protection for our trade secrets or adequate remedies in the event of unauthorized use or disclosure of such information. There also can be no assurance that our trade secrets will not otherwise become known or be independently developed by competitors.
We currently engage in, and may continue to engage in, collaborations with academic researchers and institutions. There can be no assurance that under the terms of such collaborations, third parties will not acquire rights in certain inventions developed during the course of these collaborations.
We are subject to risks associated with patent litigation.
The biotechnology industry has been characterized by extensive litigation regarding patents and other intellectual property rights. We are aware that patents have been applied for and/or issued to third parties claiming technologies for the sample and assay technologies that are closely related to those we use. From time to time, we receive inquiries requesting confirmation that we do not infringe patents of third parties. We endeavor to follow developments in this field, and we do not believe that our technologies or products infringe any proprietary rights of third parties. However, there can be no assurance that third parties will not challenge our activities and, if so challenged, that we will prevail. In addition, the patent and proprietary rights of others could require that we alter our products or processes, pay licensing fees or cease certain activities, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to license any technologies that we may require on acceptable terms. In addition, litigation, including proceedings that may be declared by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or the International Trade Commission, may be necessary to respond to any assertions of infringement, enforce our patent rights and/or determine the scope and validity of our proprietary rights or those of third parties. Litigation could involve substantial cost, and there can be no assurance that we would prevail in any proceedings.
Our business exposes us to potential product liability.
The marketing and sale of our products and services for certain applications entail a potential risk of product liability. Although we are not currently subject to any material product liability claims, product liability claims may be brought against us in the future. Further, there can be no assurance that our products will not be included in unethical, illegal or inappropriate research or applications, which may in turn put us at risk of litigation. We carry product liability insurance coverage, which is limited in scope and amount. There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain this insurance at a reasonable cost and on reasonable terms, or that this insurance will be adequate to protect us against any or all potential claims or losses.
We are subject to various laws and regulations generally applicable to businesses in the different jurisdictions in which we operate, including laws and regulations applicable to the handling and disposal of hazardous substances. The risk of accidental contamination or injury from these materials cannot be completely eliminated. In the event of such an accident, we could be held liable for any damages that result, and any such liability could have a material adverse impact on us.
Our operating results may vary significantly from period to period and this may affect the market price of our Common Shares.
Our operating results may vary significantly from quarter to quarter, and also from year to year, since they are dependent upon a broad range of factors that include demand for our products, the level and timing of customer research budgets and commercialization efforts, the timing of government funding budgets of our customers, the timing of our research and development activities and related regulatory approvals, the impact of sales and marketing expenses, the introduction of new

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products by us or our competitors, competitive market conditions, exchange rate fluctuations and general economic conditions. Our expense levels are based in part on our expectations as to future sales trends. As a result, sales and earnings may vary significantly from quarter to quarter or from year to year, and actual sales and earnings results in any one period will not necessarily be indicative of results to be anticipated in subsequent periods. Our results may also fail to meet or exceed the expectations of securities analysts or investors, which could cause a decline in the market price of our Common Shares.
Our holding company structure makes us dependent on the operations of our subsidiaries.
QIAGEN N.V. is incorporated under Dutch law as a public limited liability company ( naamloze vennootschap ), and is organized as a holding company. Currently, the material assets are the outstanding shares of the QIAGEN subsidiaries, intercompany receivables and other financial assets such as cash and short-term investments. As a result, QIAGEN N.V. is dependent upon payments, dividends and distributions from the subsidiaries for funds to pay operating and other expenses as well as to pay future cash dividends or distributions, if any, to holders of our Common Shares. Dividends or distributions by subsidiaries in a currency other than the U.S. dollar may result in a loss upon a subsequent conversion into U.S. dollars.
U.S. civil liabilities may not be enforceable against us.
We are incorporated under Dutch law, and substantial portions of our assets are located outside of the U.S. In addition, certain members of our Managing and Supervisory Boards and our officers reside outside the U.S. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the U.S. upon us or such other persons, or to enforce outside the U.S. any judgments obtained against such persons in U.S. courts, in any action, including actions predicated upon the civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws.
In addition, it may be difficult for investors to enforce, in original actions brought in courts in jurisdictions located outside the U.S., rights predicated upon the U.S. securities laws. There is no treaty between the U.S. and the Netherlands for the mutual recognition and enforcement of judgments (other than arbitration awards) in civil and commercial matters. As a result, a final judgment for the payment of money rendered by any federal or state court in the U.S. based on civil liability, whether or not predicated solely upon the federal securities laws, would not be directly enforceable in the Netherlands. However, if the party in whose favor such final judgment is rendered brings a new suit in a competent court in the Netherlands, such party may submit to the Dutch court the final judgment which has been rendered in the U.S. If the Dutch court finds that the jurisdiction of the federal or state court in the U.S. has been based on grounds that are internationally acceptable and that proper legal procedures have been observed, the Dutch court will, in principle, give binding effect to the final judgment which has been rendered in the U.S. without substantive re-examination or re-litigation on the merits of the subject matter thereof, unless such judgment contravenes Dutch principles of public policy. Based on the foregoing, there can be no assurance that U.S. investors will be able to enforce against us, members of our Managing or Supervisory Boards, or officers who are residents of the Netherlands or countries other than the U.S. any judgments obtained in U.S. courts in civil and commercial matters, including judgments under the federal securities laws. In addition, there is doubt as to whether a Dutch court would impose civil liability on us, the members of our Managing or Supervisory Boards, or our officers in an original action predicated solely upon the federal securities laws of the U.S. brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the Netherlands against us or such members or officers, respectively.
Our Common Shares may have a volatile public trading price.
The market price of our Common Shares since our initial public offering in September 1996 has increased significantly and been highly volatile. In the last two years, the price of our Common Shares has ranged from a high of $28.53 to a low of $19.46 on NASDAQ, and a high of €26.05 to a low of €14.38 on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. In addition to overall stock market fluctuations, factors that may have a significant impact on the price of our Common Shares include:
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announcements of technological innovations or the introduction of new products by us or our competitors;
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developments in our relationships with collaborative partners;
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quarterly variations in our operating results or those of our peer companies;
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changes in government regulations, tax laws or patent laws;
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developments in patent or other intellectual property rights;
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developments in government spending budgets for life sciences-related research;
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general market conditions relating to the diagnostics, applied testing, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries; and
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impact from foreign exchange rates.
The stock market has from time to time experienced extreme price and trading volume fluctuations that have particularly affected the market for technology-based companies. These fluctuations have not necessarily been related to the operating performance of these companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our Common Shares.

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Holders of our Common Shares should not expect to receive dividend income.
We have not paid cash dividends since our inception and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our Common Shares for the foreseeable future. Although we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends, the distribution of any cash dividends in a currency other than the U.S. dollar will be subject to the risk of foreign currency transaction losses. Investors should not invest in our Common Shares if they are seeking dividend income; the only return that may be realized through investing in our Common Shares would be through an appreciation in the share price.
Holders of our Common Shares may not benefit from continued stock repurchase programs.
Between October 2012 and April 2013, we repurchased a total of 5.1 million of our Common Shares for an aggregate cost of $99.0 million , and between September 2013 and June 2014, we repurchased an additional 4.4 million of our Common Shares for $100.4 million (including performance fees). In 2014 and 2015 , we repurchased a total of 2.9 million Common Shares for an aggregate cost of $69.9 million under our third share repurchase program. The purpose of these repurchases has been to hold the shares in treasury in order to satisfy obligations from exchangeable debt instruments and/or employee share-based remuneration plans and thus to reduce dilution to our existing Common Share holders. We may decide not to continue such programs in the future, the covenants we have with our lenders may limit our ability to use available cash to do so, and the market price of our Common Shares may make such repurchases less desirable. In any of these cases, our Common Share holders may suffer dilution from conversion of our indebtedness or issuance of shares pursuant to employee remuneration plans that would otherwise be at least partially offset by repurchased shares.
Future sales and issuances of our Common Shares could adversely affect our stock price.
Any future sale or issuance of a substantial number of our Common Shares in the public market, or any perception that a sale may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our Common Shares. Under Dutch law, a company can issue shares up to its authorized share capital provided for in its Articles of Association. Pursuant to our Articles of Association, our authorized share capital amounts to EUR 9.0 million, which is divided into 410.0 million common shares, 40.0 million financing preference shares and 450.0 million preference shares, with all shares having a EUR 0.01 par value. As of December 31, 2015 , a total of approximately 233.0 million Common Shares were outstanding along with approximately 10.8 million additional shares reserved for issuance upon exercise or release of outstanding stock options and awards, of which 1.7 million were vested. A total of approximately 19.7 million Common Shares are reserved and available for issuances under our stock plans as of December 31, 2015 , including the shares subject to outstanding stock options and awards. The majority of our outstanding Common Shares may be sold without restriction, except shares held by our affiliates, which are subject to certain limitations on resale. Additionally, the Warrants issued in connection with the Cash Convertible Notes Call Spread Overlay cover an aggregate of 25.8 million shares of our common stock (subject to anti-dilution adjustments under certain circumstances).
Shareholders who are United States residents could be subject to unfavorable tax treatment.
We may be classified as a “passive foreign investment company,” or a PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes if certain tests are met. Our treatment as a PFIC could result in a reduction in the after-tax return to holders of Common Shares and would likely cause a reduction in the value of these shares. If we were determined to be a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, highly complex rules would apply to our U.S. shareholders. We would be considered a PFIC with respect to a U.S. shareholder if for any taxable year in which the U.S. shareholder held the Common Shares, either (i) 75% or more of our gross income for the taxable year is passive income; or (ii) the average value of our assets (during the taxable year) which produce or are held for the production of passive income is at least 50% of the average value of all assets for such year. Based on our income, assets and activities, we do not believe that we were a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes for our taxable year ended December 31, 2015 , and do not expect to be a PFIC for the current taxable year or any future taxable year. No assurances can be made, however, that the Internal Revenue Service will not challenge this position or that we will not subsequently become a PFIC. In countries outside the U.S., other or similar tax regimes may apply and result in unfavorable tax treatment for any dividends received.
Provisions of our Articles of Association and Dutch law and an option we have granted may make it difficult to replace or remove management and may inhibit or delay a takeover.
Our Articles of Association (Articles) provide that our shareholders may only suspend or dismiss our Managing Directors and Supervisory Directors against their wishes with a vote of two-thirds of the votes cast if such votes represent more than 50% of our issued share capital. If the proposal was made by the joint meeting of the Supervisory Board and the Managing Board, a simple majority is sufficient. The Articles also provide that if the members of our Supervisory Board and our Managing Board have been nominated by the joint meeting of the Supervisory Board and Managing Board, shareholders may only overrule this nomination with a vote of two-thirds of the votes cast if such votes represent more than 50% of our issued share capital.
Certain other provisions of our Articles allow us, under certain circumstances, to prevent a third party from obtaining a majority of the voting control of our Common Shares through the issuance of Preference Shares. Pursuant to our Articles and the resolution adopted by our General Meeting of Shareholders, our Supervisory Board is entitled to issue Preference Shares in

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case of an intended takeover of our company by (i) any person who alone or with one or more other persons, directly or indirectly, have acquired or given notice of an intent to acquire (beneficial) ownership of an equity stake which in aggregate equals 20% or more of our share capital then outstanding or (ii) an “adverse person” as determined by the Supervisory Board. If the Supervisory Board opposes an intended takeover and authorizes the issuance of Preference Shares, the bidder may withdraw its bid or enter into negotiations with the Managing Board and/or Supervisory Board and agree on a higher bid price for our Shares.
In 2004, we granted an option to the Stichting Preferente Aandelen QIAGEN, or the Foundation ( Stichting ), subject to the conditions described in the paragraph above, which allows the Foundation to acquire Preference Shares from us. The option enables the Foundation to acquire such number of Preference Shares as equals the number of our outstanding Common Shares at the time of the relevant exercise of the option, less one Preference Share. When exercising the option and exercising its voting rights on these Preference Shares, the Foundation must act in our interest and the interests of our stakeholders. The purpose of the Foundation option is to prevent or delay a change of control that would not be in the best interests of us and our stakeholders. An important restriction on the Foundation’s ability to prevent or delay a change of control is that a public offer must be announced by a third party before it can issue (preference or other) protective shares that would enable the Foundation to exercise rights to 30% or more of the voting rights without an obligation to make a mandatory offer for all shares held by the remaining shareholders. In addition, the holding period for these shares by the Foundation is restricted to two years, and this protective stake must fall below the 30% voting rights threshold before the two-year period ends.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors
Our future operating results may be affected by various risk factors, many of which are beyond our control. Certain statements included in this Annual Report and the documents incorporated herein by reference may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding potential future net sales, gross profit, net income and liquidity. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believe,” “hope,” “plan,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue” or other similar words. Reference is made in particular to the description of our plans and objectives for future operations, assumptions underlying such plans and objectives, and other forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. We caution investors that there can be no assurance that actual results or business conditions will not differ materially from those projected or suggested in such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Factors which could cause such results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include those set forth in the risk factors below. As a result, our future success involves a high degree of risk. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind that the risk factors could cause our actual results to differ significantly from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

Item 4.
Information on the Company
Description of our business
Company overview
QIAGEN is a global leader in Sample to Insight solutions that transform biological samples into valuable molecular insights. Our vision is to make improvements in life possible by enabling our customers in four broad classes - Molecular Diagnostics, Applied Testing, Pharma and Academia - to achieve outstanding success and breakthroughs using reliable and efficient Sample to Insight solutions.
Sample to Insight solutions are composed of sample and assay technologies, bioinformatics and automation systems. Our solutions support more than 500,000 customers worldwide in generating insights into the molecular building blocks of life. More than two billion biological samples have been prepared or analyzed using QIAGEN sample technologies. Our proven solutions are providing answers in hospitals and laboratories worldwide, integrated with bioinformatics to make sense of the increasing volumes and complexity of data.
Since the first sequencing of the human genome was completed in 2003, an explosion in genomic discoveries has launched what observers are calling “the Century of Biology.” Dramatic acceleration in the speed of sequencing - and reduction in cost - is generating vast quantities of genomic data and new discoveries in biology. This growing knowledge of the molecular basis of life, its mechanisms and diseases, is driving a revolution in research and influencing many areas of everyday life. QIAGEN’s mission is to drive this era of discoveries and the wide-ranging practical applications they are spawning for the future.
QIAGEN began operations in 1986 as a pioneer in the emerging biotechnology sector, introducing a novel method that standardized and accelerated extraction and purification of nucleic acids from biological samples. As molecular biology has grown to influence many areas of life, QIAGEN has expanded to serve the full spectrum of market needs. Our sample

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technologies are unmatched in quality for isolating and preparing DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (ribonucleic acid) and proteins from blood or other liquids, tissue, plants or other materials. Our assay technologies amplify, enrich and make these biomolecules visible for analysis, such as identifying the DNA of a virus or a gene mutation in a tumor. QIAGEN’s industry-leading bioinformatics solutions interpret data to provide relevant, actionable insights. Our automation platforms tie these together in seamless and cost-effective molecular testing workflows - from Sample to Insight.
Net sales of $1.28 billion in 2015 were comprised of consumable kits and other revenues (87% of sales) and automated systems and instruments (13% of sales). Approximately 50% of net sales in 2015 were in Molecular Diagnostics, and 50% went to Life Sciences customer classes in the Academia, Pharma and Applied Testing markets.
QIAGEN has grown by introducing innovative products and making strategic acquisitions that address the rapidly evolving needs of customers to transform biological samples into valuable molecular insights. We have funded our growth through internally generated funds, debt offerings and private and public sales of equity securities. QIAGEN has global shares that are listed on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker symbol “QGEN” and on the Frankfurt Prime Standard as “QIA.”
The company is registered under its commercial and legal name QIAGEN N.V. with the trade register ( kamer van koophandel ) of the Dutch region Limburg Noord under file number 12036979. QIAGEN N.V. is a public limited liability company ( naamloze vennootschap ) under Dutch law as a holding company. Our principal executive office is located at Hulsterweg 82, 5912 PL Venlo, The Netherlands, and our telephone number is +31-77-355-6600.
As a holding company, QIAGEN conducts business through subsidiaries located throughout the world. Further information about QIAGEN can be found at www.qiagen.com . By referring to our website, we do not incorporate the website or any portion of the website by reference into this Annual Report.
Recent Developments
QIAGEN has achieved a number of recent strategic milestones in serving customers and growing our business.
Leadership in sample technologies continuing to drive growth:
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Building on our long-standing core strength in sample technologies, which labs around the world rely on to obtain highest-quality DNA and RNA for downstream analysis, we further expanded our offering in 2015 to maximize the value of our portfolio by addressing additional front-end issues for customers. QIAGEN is pioneering “liquid biopsies” to unlock valuable molecular insights from body fluids such as blood rather than surgical biopsies. We also continue to add cutting-edge technologies to address particularly difficult sample challenges in life science research.
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In 2015 we expanded our pipeline by acquiring the innovative AdnaGen technology, which enables enrichment and molecular analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood samples. CTCs are pivotal to understanding the biology of cancer, and they hold promise to help guide treatment decisions, evaluate disease burden and monitor tumor progression.
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We also partnered with Cell Microsystems for exclusive rights to commercialize the CellRaft Array technology, considered the most cost-efficient, viable technology for isolation and analysis of single cells, a rapidly emerging area of research. The addition complements QIAGEN’s existing single-cell portfolio that includes the REPLI-g product line.
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In late 2015 we acquired MO BIO Laboratories, a leader in technologies to analyze the impact of microbial diversity. Studies of the microbiome and metagenomics, enabled by next-generating sequencing, are increasingly important because of the impact microorganisms exert on human health and the environment. MO BIO's proprietary technology for isolating nucleic acids from challenging samples such as soil, water, plants, skin and feces addresses a critical need for laboratories. QIAGEN has launched a range of new products for microbiome analysis, from sample technologies to bioinformatics.
QuantiFERON-TB Gold growing briskly as world focuses on tuberculosis control:
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The QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) and QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) tests for latent tuberculosis infection again delivered rapid growth in 2015. Our novel QuantiFERON-TB technology has become the latent TB test of choice with high market shares around the world - and about 80% market share in Europe. Our modern QuantiFERON-TB technology is displacing the century-old tuberculin skin test (TST) in screening for TB infection.
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Active tuberculosis (TB), a severe infectious disease that can be fatal if untreated, often results from “reactivation” of latent TB, an asymptomatic phase of the infection that can lie dormant for years. TB control programs are increasingly screening vulnerable subpopulations and treating those infected with latent TB to prevent the emergence of the active, contagious disease. Using a small blood sample, QFT or QFT-Plus are more reliable than skin tests in detecting latent TB.
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In February 2015, groundbreaking clinical data on QuantiFERON-TB Gold was published in The Lancet . Testing more than 21,000 people in China, the study demonstrated that QFT provided more accurate diagnosis than the tuberculin skin test. The authors recommended community-based screening of at-risk populations with a modern blood test such as QFT.
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QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus, the fourth generation of our market-leading test, gained momentum in 2015 after receiving

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CE-IVD clearance in late 2014 for sale in 30 European countries. U.S. development and regulatory efforts are ongoing.
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Adoption of the QuantiFERON technology continues to spread. The National Health System (NHS) in England selected QFT-Plus for use in laboratory testing tenders as part of its TB control initiatives. In Germany, authorities recommended modern blood tests such as QFT and QFT-Plus after a large influx of Middle Eastern refugees, one of the vulnerable subpopulations in need of TB screening, depleted supplies of the only approved source of tuberculin skin tests. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited QFT in a directive on TB testing of healthcare workers.
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QuantiFERON Monitor (QFM) was launched in Europe in 2015 for initial use in transplant patients as a standardized, cost-effective measurement of immune system response.
Next-generation sequencing solutions extending QIAGEN's reach:
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In late 2015 we introduced the GeneReader NGS System, the first complete Sample to Insight next-generation sequencing (NGS) solution designed for any laboratory to deliver actionable results. The platform is the world's first truly end-to-end NGS workflow from primary sample to a final report - providing a simpler, more cost-effective way for clinical testing to take advantage of NGS technology and improve outcomes.
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The GeneReader NGS System has gained positive customer feedback. At its rollout during the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) 2015 Annual Meeting, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard presented an analysis demonstrating the accuracy of the platform through a head-to-head comparison with other molecular testing systems.
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With the GeneReader NGS System we introduced our new Actionable Insights Tumor Panel, the first in a family of GeneRead QIAact Panels. The novel gene panel targets 12 clinically actionable genes that are often analyzed in prevalent types of cancer, including breast, ovarian, colorectal, lung and melanoma. The panel can detect up to 1,250 different genetic mutations in a sample. The panel is integrated with QIAGEN Clinical Insight software to access the latest data on relevant variants using the QIAGEN Knowledge Base, the industry's largest collection of human-curated genomic findings and literature.
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We integrated the Enzymatics technology and consumables portfolio, which we acquired in December 2014, into our offering of universal NGS products. Enzymatics products are used in an estimated 80% of all next-generation sequencing workflows.
Leadership in Personalized Healthcare gaining further momentum:
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QIAGEN continues to roll out novel companion diagnostics that deliver insights enabling personalized treatment decisions based on patients’ individual genomic information. Our Personalized Healthcare pipeline is gaining momentum through new collaborations with Pharma companies, expanding platform options and the licensing of novel biomarkers.
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The therascreen ® EGFR RGQ PCR Kit received U.S. regulatory approval in 2015 to guide the use of AstraZeneca’s IRESSA ® (gefitinib) in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A U.S. regulatory submission also was completed for this kit, to guide the use of Clovis Oncology’s proposed targeted therapy rociletinib, for the treatment of patients with NSCLC harboring a T790M mutation in the EGFR gene.
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In 2015 QIAGEN's therascreen EGFR RGQ Plasma PCR kit received CE-IVD marking as the first-ever liquid biopsy-based companion diagnostic to gain regulatory clearance for use in lung cancer patients. We have other co-development efforts underway to commercialize companion diagnostics based on non-invasive liquid biopsies.
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QIAGEN and Biotype Diagnostics GmbH entered into a partnership to develop and commercialize molecular diagnostic workflows, especially for companion diagnostics, based on QIAGEN’s Modaplex platform. The system enables customers to detect, characterize and measure up to 100 parameters simultaneously.
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An agreement with Columbia University provided exclusive rights for diagnostics based on fusions of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) and transforming acidic coiled-coil (TACC) genes in various cancers. The program is synergistic with our pipeline, including development of companion diagnostics based on the IDH1 and IDH2 biomarkers.
Collaborations with Pharma expanding to drive growth in Personalized Healthcare:
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As the world’s leading independent developer of molecular technologies, QIAGEN is the preferred partner for pharmaceutical and biotech companies to develop and commercialize companion diagnostics paired with targeted drugs. In 2015 we initiated a record number of co-development projects with existing and new partners and reached a milestone of 15 master collaboration agreements, each enabling multiple projects. These partnerships add to our pipeline of companion diagnostics to be commercialized in the future, following clinical trials and regulatory approvals along with the drugs.
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In 2015, we launched collaborations for co-development of tests based on several cancer-related biomarkers including IDH1/2, FGFR, BRCA, BRAF and PI3K, using a range of different detection technologies including PCR, Modaplex, QuantiFERON and next-generation sequencing (NGS).

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Most of these collaborations are undisclosed at the request of the Pharma partners. One recently announced program will commercialize a non-invasive companion diagnostic for a novel Tokai Pharmaceuticals drug compound that is in late-stage trials for treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer, using our new AdnaGen circulating tumor cell technology. Another new partnership begins with development of a companion diagnostic paired with a targeted compound from Array BioPharma that is currently in Phase III clinical trials for use in patients with NRAS-mutant melanoma.
QIAsymphony delivering platform growth as content menu expands:
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QIAGEN achieved our 2015 goal of surpassing 1,500 cumulative placements of the flexible modular QIAsymphony platform, up from 1,250 at the end of 2014. The flexible QIAsymphony platform offers customers Sample to Insight automation for medium-throughput molecular testing workflows. The larger installed base and expanding content menus drove our 2015 growth in consumables.
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We continue to expand the QIAsymphony content menu to enhance the instruments’ value to customers worldwide. In 2015, we launched seven new diagnostic tests with European approval to run on the Rotor-Gene Q (RGQ) real-time PCR platform, in the QIAsymphony family. The first multiplex assay for the platform, the RespiFast RG Panel, launched with CE-IVD marking for detection and differentiation of 18 viruses and four bacteria in acute upper respiratory tract infections.
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We are advancing a pipeline of more than 30 development projects for QIAsymphony, including the growing menu of infectious disease tests in the artus portfolio in Europe and the U.S. We are also expanding our Applied Testing content: investigator tests for human ID / forensics, cador for veterinary medicine and mericon for food safety. In veterinary labs, a mericon test was deployed to help combat the global spread of an H5N8 strain of avian influenza A among poultry.
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We entered a collaboration with Seegene Inc. to develop a menu of multiplex assay panels for the QIAsymphony platform, using Seegene technologies that enable real-time PCR analysis of up to 20 target genes per tube in a single reaction. The first project is to develop comprehensive panels to profile infectious diseases.
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The QIAsymphony platform serves all of our customer classes: Approximately 60% of current placements are in Molecular Diagnostics, and 40% are in the Life Sciences with Applied Testing, Pharma and Academia customers.
Industry-leading bioinformatics turning raw genomic data into valuable insights:
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QIAGEN’s Bioinformatics portfolio delivered strong double-digit growth in 2015, enabling users to gain valuable insights from sequencing data with the industry-leading portfolio of information resources and software solutions. Our tools turn vast amounts of genomic data into actionable insights for customers, addressing a critical bottleneck in next-generation sequencing, especially for clinical research and diagnostics. We continue to roll out new solutions to meet specialized needs in research and healthcare and to integrate rich bioinformatics with QIAGEN’s molecular testing workflows.
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The global introduction of QIAGEN Clinical Insight (QCI) in 2015 added momentum with a unique evidence-based clinical decision support solution that streamlines the annotation, interpretation and reporting of NGS results for clinical laboratories. QCI is a software and content platform that draws insights on complex genomic variants from the QIAGEN Knowledge Base. Applications of QCI expanded as 2015 progressed, from interpreting NGS data on somatic mutations in solid tumor cancers, to hereditary cancer indications, as well as leukemia and lymphoma testing.
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Our bioinformatics solutions gained broader commercial presence through reseller agreements with BGI, the world’s largest genomics organization, and GATC Biotech, a leading provider of DNA and RNA sequencing services worldwide, by providing their clients access to our Ingenuity Variant Analysis solution. This powerful analysis and interpretation platform enables customers to efficiently evaluate complex genomic data in a secure, cloud-based environment.
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We co-founded a coalition of 13 leading life science and diagnostics organizations to create and launch the Allele Frequency Community, an extensive, high-quality collection of digitized human genomes. The data is stored on QIAGEN’s secure IT infrastructure, and researchers can explore it using Ingenuity Variant Analysis.
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QIAGEN became the exclusive partner to commercialize a new database containing more than 7,000 highly annotated whole genomes from Inova Genomes. Providing researchers with a unique, diverse compendium of sequences, this database is available through Ingenuity Variant Analysis and the CLC Biomedical Genomics Workbench.
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The CLC Microbial Genomics Module was launched to enable academic and commercial researchers focused on food production, agricultural biology and infectious diseases to visually explore and analyze microbiomes.
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We introduced a new hereditary disease solution to accelerate solve rates in diagnostic odyssey cases by enabling researchers to focus on the right causal candidates. The offering includes QIAGEN’s Biomedical Genomics Workbench, Biomedical Genomics Server Solution, Ingenuity Variant Analysis and HGMD Human Gene Mutation Database.
Our Products
QIAGEN leverages our leadership in Sample to Insight molecular technologies across a wide range of applications and

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customer classes through more than 500 core consumable products (sample and assay “kits”), as well as instruments that automate the use of these products for sample preparation, analysis and interpretation. Our bioinformatics solutions connect laboratory workflows and process extensive amounts of genomic data, reporting relevant insights to enable scientists or clinicians to decide on further action.
QIAGEN’s diverse revenue streams can be seen in two main categories: consumables and related revenue, and automation platforms and instruments.
Consumables and related revenues
Consumable products, accounting for approximately 79% - 83% of net sales, typically include sample technologies that contain tools and ingredients to extract and purify molecules of interest from biological samples and assay technologies that make the information in these genomic molecules available for analysis and interpretation. To maximize customer convenience and reduce user error, these kits contain all necessary reagents and buffers and a manual of protocols and background information.
Reliability, standardization, ease of use and cost-effectiveness are key to the success of commercial products in molecular testing laboratories. QIAGEN sample technologies ensure that a biological sample is processed in a highly reproducible, standardized method with the highest level of quality to allow accurate analysis. Our assay technologies are either generic or pre-designed, with each kit including reagents to enable customers to target molecules of interest for detection on platforms such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or next-generation sequencing (NGS). Each kit is sufficient to support a number of applications, varying from kits containing a single application to kits containing more than 1,000 applications per kit.
Our sample technologies are used to isolate, purify and stabilize nucleic acids and proteins. Applications include plasmid DNA purification, RNA purification and stabilization, genomic and viral nucleic acid purification, DNA cleanup after PCR and sequencing, and library preparation for sequencing. We are the leader in sample technology kits to enable minimally-invasive liquid biopsies based on blood or other body fluids. Our assay technologies enable detection of specific or open molecular targets. Applications include open, general purpose PCR reagents or kits for the specific detection of viral or bacterial pathogens and parasites in humans and animals, pharmacogenomic testing and genotyping, as well as a growing portfolio of gene panels enabling next-generation sequencing to identify genetic mutations relevant to clinical or research targets in diseases such as cancer.
Related revenues, accounting for approximately 4% - 8% of our net sales, include bioinformatics solutions, including the Ingenuity, CLC bio and BIOBASE portfolios acquired in 2013 and 2014. QIAGEN bioinformatics are sold as freestanding solutions and also, increasingly, integrated with QIAGEN consumables and instruments for seamless Sample to Insight workflows. Examples of our bioinformatics solutions:
The QIAGEN Knowledge Base is a deep repository of expertly curated biological interactions and functional annotations covering millions of relationships between proteins, genes, complexes, cells, tissues, drugs and diseases. This resource, which is updated continually, provides powerful content and context for a number of our bioinformatics solutions.
Ingenuity Variant Analysis provides a powerful cloud-based platform to efficiently evaluate data generated by high-throughput NGS technologies. Tapping into the QIAGEN Knowledge Base, it quickly filters genetic variants from testing to identify those most likely to cause disease.
QIAGEN Clinical Insight is a unique evidence-based clinical decision support solution which was introduced in 2015. This software and content platform, drawing on the QIAGEN Knowledge Base, delivers clinically relevant insights from complex genomic variants identified in NGS. Applications involve tests for somatic and hereditary cancer, leukemia and lymphoma.
CLC Genomics Workbench is a comprehensive analysis package for the analysis and visualization of data from all major NGS platforms. The software incorporates cutting-edge technology and algorithms, supporting key NGS features within genomics, transcriptomics and epigenomics research fields.
GeneGlobe , our web-based portal that enables researchers to search and select from more than 31 million pre-designed and custom PCR assay kits and NGS assay panels, includes genome-wide solutions for 28 species with any gene or pathway of interest.
Related revenues also include royalties, milestone payments from co-development agreements with pharmaceutical companies, payments from technology licenses and patent sales, and custom services, such as whole genome amplification services, DNA sequencing, and non-cGMP DNA production on a contract basis.
Automation platforms and instruments
Our instrumentation systems, contributing approximately 12% - 13% of net sales together with related services and contracts, automate the use of consumables into efficient workflows for a broad range of laboratory needs.

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QIAGEN platforms are designed to carry our customers from Sample to Insight - handling and preparation of biological samples, analysis using sequencing technologies, all the way to interpretation that delivers valuable insights. These instruments enable laboratories to perform reliable and reproducible processes, including nucleic acid sample preparation, assay setup, target detection, and interpretation of genomic information.
Among the automation platforms that contribute to QIAGEN’s business:
QIAsymphony is an easy-to-use modular system that has launched a new era of integrated workflow and laboratory automation, making molecular testing more efficient and helping to disseminate standardized, clinically proven molecular diagnostics. Our fully integrated QIAsymphony RGQ, launched in 2010, includes three modules - QIAsymphony SP for sample preparation, QIAsymphony AS for assay setup, and our real-time PCR platform Rotor-Gene Q. In 2015, our installed base increased to more than 1,500 QIAsymphony systems worldwide, more than triple the number at the end of 2010. The platform offers many features to enhance workflows, such as continuous loading, random access and the ability to process an almost unlimited range of sample types. QIAsymphony has the broadest content menu in its category in Europe and other markets, and QIAGEN is developing more regulator-approved assays to add value for customers.
Rotor-Gene Q, the world's first rotary real-time PCR cycler system, uses real-time PCR reactions to make sequences of DNA and RNA visible through amplification and quantifiable. It is an integral component of QIAsymphony RGQ.
GeneReader NGS System , introduced in 2015, is the first complete Sample to Insight next-generation sequencing (NGS) solution designed for any laboratory to deliver actionable results. This innovative platform provides a simpler, more cost-effective way for clinical testing to take advantage of NGS technology and improve outcomes. The GeneReader NGS System offers the flexibility of scalable batch sizes and continuous loading of multiple flow cells, and customers can create relevant reports using QIAGEN's proven gene panels and bioinformatics solutions. All parts of the NGS workflow, from handling of primary samples through sequencing to final reports, are provided by QIAGEN's Sample to Insight system.
Modaplex is a multimodal automation system integrating amplification, capillary electrophoresis and real-time qPCR quantification of multiple targets in a single reaction. This innovative platform allows up to 48 samples, including multiple targets and different types of assays, to run simultaneously in a single well.
EZ1 Advanced XL performs automated nucleic acid purification for a wide range of sample types relevant for molecular diagnostics, human identity testing, forensics, biomedical research, and gene expression analysis.
QIAcube is an award-winning sample processing instrument that incorporates novel and proprietary technologies allowing users to fully automate the use of almost all QIAGEN technologies originally designed for manual processing of samples.
QIAcube HT enables automated mid- to high-throughput nucleic acid purification in 96-well format using silica membrane technology. Users can quickly and easily purify DNA, RNA, and miRNA from almost any type of sample — including cells, tissues, and food material, as well as from bacteria and viruses in animal samples.
PyroMark is a high-resolution detection platform with Pyrosequencing technology that enables real-time analysis and quantification of genetic mutations and DNA methylation patterns. This technology can be of great value, as it allows users to identify previously unknown mutations or variations, run multiplex analysis for genetic and pathogen detection, or conduct epigenetic research.
QIAgility i s a compact benchtop instrument that enables rapid, high-precision PCR setup. The unmatched versatility of the QIAgility means that almost all tube and plate formats are supported, as well as Rotor-Discs for the Rotor-Gene Q.
QIAxcel replaces traditional slab-gel analysis, eliminating time-consuming nucleic acid separation methods in low- to high-throughput laboratories. QIAxcel offers unprecedented sensitivity and time-to-results for analysis of DNA fragments and RNA.
ESEQuant instruments enable Point of Need testing in healthcare and other applications. These portable, battery-operated optical measurement devices permit low-throughput molecular testing in physician practices, emergency rooms, remote areas, and other settings with limited or delayed access to laboratory infrastructure.
Customers
From the early days of the biotechnology revolution, QIAGEN believed that innovative technologies for the preparation of samples and the analysis of nucleic acids would play an increasingly important role in cutting-edge biology - and that insights extracted from DNA and RNA would be increasingly valuable in research, industry and healthcare.
With a growing portfolio of innovative products for molecular testing, we have built deep customer relationships across the life science value chain. Discoveries often surface in universities and research institutes and are published, then find resources for development by pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and finally move into widespread commercial use in healthcare and other areas of life. We serve the needs of four major customer classes:

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•
Molecular Diagnostics - healthcare providers engaged in patient care including Prevention, Profiling of diseases, Personalized Healthcare and Point of Need testing
•
Applied Testing - government or industry customers using molecular technologies in fields such as forensics, veterinary diagnostics and food safety testing
•
Pharma - pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies using molecular testing to support drug discovery, translational medicine and clinical development efforts
•
Academia - researchers exploring the secrets of life such as disease mechanisms and pathways, in some cases translating findings into drug targets or other products
Molecular Diagnostics
The ability of advanced diagnostic technologies to unlock molecular information for patients is changing the practice of medicine, creating a large and growing market for nucleic acid sample preparation, assay technologies and bioinformatics in clinical care. Dissemination of PCR and other amplification technologies has brought molecular diagnostics into routine use in healthcare around the world, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) is in the early days of further transforming healthcare.
Technologies for molecular diagnostics enable clinicians and labs to identify and profile microorganisms, cancer cells, bacteria and viruses by searching for their specific nucleic acid sequences or to characterize newly discovered genomic sequences related to diseases. Commercial applications are multiplying as researchers identify new biological markers for disease and develop novel technologies to decipher these diagnostic clues.
The molecular diagnostics market generates total sales estimated by industry experts at $5-6 billion in 2015, of which approximately $4 billion is potentially accessible to QIAGEN's current product portfolio. Molecular diagnostics is the most dynamic segment of the global in vitro diagnostics market and is expanding at a compound annual growth rate estimated in the high single-digits or low double-digits. Given the advantages of precise genetic information over traditional tests, QIAGEN expects the healthcare market to continue to provide significant growth opportunities.
QIAGEN’s growth among Molecular Diagnostics customers results from targeting four strategies for fighting disease:
Prevention - using advanced technologies to screen non-symptomatic patients as a preventive strategy, such as testing women for HPV to protect from cervical cancer or screening patients for latent TB infection to guard against active TB disease.
Profiling - testing symptomatic patients to profile the precise type of disease, for example screening to differentiate viral or bacterial infections involved in blood-borne diseases and healthcare-associated infections. Profiling tests are particularly useful in at-risk patient groups, such as organ transplant patients.
Personalized Healthcare - using molecular tests to guide the selection of therapies, including landmark QIAGEN companion diagnostics for testing the mutation status of genes such as KRAS, EGFR, BRAF and others that influence the effectiveness and safety profile of novel medicines for treatment of cancers and other diseases.
Point of Need - enabling on-site diagnosis in physician practices, emergency rooms, remote field areas, and other settings where a laboratory infrastructure is not accessible and fast turnaround is required.
QIAGEN offers one of the broadest portfolios of molecular technologies for healthcare. Success in Molecular Diagnostics depends on the ability to accurately analyze purified nucleic acid samples from sources such as blood, tissue, body fluids and stool, on automated systems that can process these samples very reliably and efficiently, often handling hundreds of samples concurrently. Other key factors are the range of assays for various diseases and biomarkers, convenience and ease of laboratory workflow, and reliability and standardization of lab procedures.
Our early-warning QuantiFERON®-TB Gold and QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus tests are leading the industry in screening to support tuberculosis control. Tuberculosis (TB) remains the largest killer of any infectious disease that sickens approximately 9 million people a year, causing 1.5 million deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates one-third of the global population is infected with tuberculosis but with no symptoms of active disease, a condition known as latent TB infection (LTBI). About 5-10% of patients with LTBI are at risk of eventually developing active, contagious TB disease and this risk is significantly higher in certain groups such as immunocompromised or those receiving immunosuppressive medications. QuantiFERON-TB Gold more accurately detects latent TB infection, helping inform clinicians in decisions to initiate preventative therapy, thereby in order to avoid progression to active TB. The potential global market for latent TB infection testing is estimated at up to $1 billion.
QIAGEN also is the global leader in screening technologies for HPV, a viral infection that is the primary cause of cervical cancer, which kills about 270,000 women a year. Our “gold standard” digene HC2 HPV Test and our emerging care HPV Test for use in low-resource regions of the world are important Prevention tests. The U.S. HPV business has declined to about 3% of

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our total sales amid vigorous price competition, even as digene HC2 remains the market-leading test. In Europe and other regions, we are a leader in a growing HPV market based on clinical evidence and policy initiatives for fighting cervical cancer.
In Profiling, we offer an extensive range of kits for diagnosing infectious diseases, and we are expanding this portfolio by seeking regulatory approvals of new tests in additional markets. In 2015 we introduced new test kits for bacterial and viral infections with approvals in the United States, Europe or Canada, adding to the diagnostic toolkit of physicians and the content menu of assay technologies that will efficiently run on the QIAsymphony automation platform. Among the 2015 launches were artus ® HSV1/2 kits for herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2; the RespiFast RG Panel, a multiplex test for detection and differentiation of 18 viruses and four bacteria in acute upper respiratory tract infections; the RealStar ® Filovirus Screen RT-PCR kit for Ebola, Marburg and related viruses; and several other tests for detection of blood-borne or respiratory viruses.

QIAGEN's test portfolio for Personalized Healthcare covers a broad range of technologies and biomarkers, including regulator-approved companion diagnostics for oncogenes such as KRAS and EGFR, as well as comprehensive gene panels for research applications in next-generation sequencing. In 2015 we launched the therascreen ® EGFR RGQ Plasma PCR kit as the first CE-IVD liquid biopsy-based companion diagnostic test for EGFR mutation detection in lung cancer patients; the ipsogen ® BCR-ABL1 Mbcr RGQ RT-PCR kit as the first commercial CE-IVD test to provide deep molecular response status for monitoring the BCR-ABL1 biomarker in chronic myelogenous leukemia; and the second FDA approval for the therascreen ® EGFR RGQ PCR kit, to guide the use of AstraZeneca’s IRESSA ® (gefitinib) in advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer patients. A key element of our expansion in Personalized Healthcare is enabling laboratories to efficiently use these assay technologies on our QIAsymphony platform. We also are developing companion diagnostics for our GeneReader NGS System and Modaplex platform.
As the world’s leading independent developer of molecular technologies, QIAGEN is the preferred partner for pharmaceutical and biotech companies to develop and commercialize companion diagnostics paired with targeted drugs. In 2015, we initiated a record number of co-development projects with existing and new partners and reached a milestone of 15 master collaboration agreements, each enabling multiple projects. These partnerships add to our pipeline of companion diagnostics to be commercialized in the future, following clinical trials and regulatory approvals along with the drugs.
We market a range of automation systems for low-, medium-, and high-throughput nucleic acid sample processing, assay setup and analysis in laboratories performing molecular diagnostics. The flagship platform is QIAsymphony, based on its unique characteristics. Nucleic acid samples purified on our instruments are ready for use in the demanding and sensitive downstream assays performed in molecular diagnostic applications. We market assays directly via QIAGEN's sales channels, and selected assays through major diagnostic partners or other companies to broaden the distribution of our products.
Applied Testing
Use of molecular technologies is growing in more and more areas of life as industry and government organizations apply standardized sample preparation and assay solutions to diverse needs. Applied Testing is our term for applications outside of human healthcare and research - such as human identification and forensics, food and water safety, and veterinary testing. The value of genetic “fingerprinting” has been shown for criminal investigations or clarification of paternity or ancestry, public policy compliance for food safety and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and containment of diseases in commercial livestock. Molecular testing can be performed by well-trained researchers in fully equipped laboratories, and increasingly also by less-trained personnel provided with easy-to-use, reproducible and standardized methods for Point of Need testing. In 2015, QIAGEN launched our new investigator ® STR assay kits for forensic laboratories in the United States as the first new entrant in 20 years in the U.S. market for STR kits, meeting an important need as the U.S. forensics community upgrades its standards.
Pharma
QIAGEN has deep relationships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Drug discovery and translational research efforts increasingly employ genomic information, both to guide research in diseases and to differentiate patient populations most likely to respond to particular therapies. We estimate that about half of QIAGEN sales in this customer class support research, while the other half supports clinical development, including stratification of patient populations based on genetic information. QIAGEN's bioinformatics solutions, including the GeneGlobe portal, Ingenuity Variant Analysis and CLC Cancer Research Workbench informatics products, also are widely used by scientists to guide their pharmaceutical research.
As new drugs are commercialized, testing technologies developed in parallel with those therapies can move from Pharma R&D into the healthcare market as companion diagnostics, which QIAGEN markets in our Molecular Diagnostics customer class. Healthcare professionals use companion diagnostics to test for specific genetic biomarkers that help determine the safety and efficacy profiles of drugs in individual patients, achieving the best possible therapeutic results and avoiding unnecessary treatments. A wave of newly discovered biomarkers and companion diagnostics has begun to transform the treatment of an increasing number of diseases.
In addition to the broad portfolio of molecular technologies, QIAGEN brings to the Pharma market a full infrastructure for co-

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development programs, intellectual property on platforms and content, extensive regulatory experience, global marketing reach, and independence as a company focusing exclusively on these types of technologies.
Academia
QIAGEN provides Sample to Insight solutions to leading research institutions around the world. While many academic laboratories continue to use manual, labor-intensive methods for nucleic acid separation and purification, QIAGEN has focused on enabling labs to replace time-consuming traditional methods with reliable, fast, highly reproducible, and high-quality nucleic acid extraction and purification technologies. QIAGEN often partners with leading institutions in research projects.
As academic institutions increasingly embrace translational research, bridging from discoveries to practical applications in medicine, our relationships in Academia also support our presence in the Molecular Diagnostics and Pharma customer classes. Research in university settings often helps in the development of specific technologies for targeted biomolecules, and academic research also can result in scientific publications that validate the usefulness of QIAGEN technologies for specific applications.
Global Presence by Category of Activity and Geographic Market
Product Category Information
Net sales for the product categories are attributed based on those revenues related to sample and assay products and similarly related revenues including bioinformatics solutions, and revenues derived from instrumentation sales.
(in thousands)
2015
2014
2013
Net Sales
Consumables and related revenues
$
1,114,580

$
1,172,728

$
1,140,203

Instrumentation
166,406

172,049

161,781

Total
$
1,280,986

$
1,344,777

$
1,301,984

Geographical Information
QIAGEN currently markets products in more than 130 countries. The following table shows total revenue by geographic market for the past three years (net sales are attributed to countries based on the location of the customer, as certain subsidiaries have international distribution):
(in thousands)
2015
2014
2013
Net Sales
Americas:
United States
$
525,532

$
543,877

$
545,600

Other Americas
79,578

75,974

80,299

Total Americas
605,110

619,851

625,899

Europe, Middle East and Africa
409,955

451,092

416,334

Asia Pacific and Rest of World
265,921

273,834

259,751

Total
$
1,280,986

$
1,344,777

$
1,301,984

QIAGEN has built an increasing presence in key emerging markets as a growth strategy. In 2015, the top seven emerging markets contributed approximately 15% net sales, advancing over weaker years in 2013 and 2014. Strong 2015 sales in Turkey, China, South Korea and India more than offset slowdowns in Mexico and Russia. China is our third-largest country by sales.
Growth Drivers and Key Catalysts
We believe the combined global market for molecular diagnostics and molecular life science research products totals approximately $15 billion. Driving the industry's long-term growth are ongoing breakthroughs and insights into molecular biology, the emergence of next-generation sequencing, bioinformatics to analyze and interpret molecular information, use of diagnostics to improve healthcare quality and reduce costs, and revenue streams made possible through consumable products.
We have grown substantially with a flexible strategy to accelerate innovation and growth by developing innovative new platforms, consumables and bioinformatics products, partnering with researchers and Pharma companies, and acquiring companies or technologies to complement our portfolio.
We are building momentum by continuing to focus on strategic growth drivers and key catalysts:
1.
Sample Technologies: Our growing portfolio of Sample to Insight solutions leverages QIAGEN's recognized global

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leadership in technologies to extract and isolate DNA and RNA from biological samples. In 2015 we further expanded our sample technologies by adding innovative technologies to enable “liquid biopsies” and cutting-edge research.
2.
QuantiFERON-TB: The modern standard for detecting latent tuberculosis infection, our QuantiFERON-TB Gold aids tuberculosis control by targeting subpopulations of at-risk patients in the United States, Europe and Asia. In 2015 we introduced QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus, adding new technology to deliver even higher sensitivity and specificity in patients at greatest risk for TB infection, such as HIV-infected and other immunocompromised individuals.
3.
Next-generation sequencing: Our strategic initiative to drive NGS adoption in clinical research and diagnostics gained further momentum in 2015 with the introduction of our innovative GeneReader NGS System, providing a simpler, more cost-effective way for any laboratory to take advantage of NGS technology and improve outcomes. We also offer a broad portfolio of “universal” solutions for NGS users.
4.
Personalized Healthcare: We continue to develop and introduce companion diagnostics to guide the treatment of cancer and other diseases, as well as innovative sample technologies to support the care of patients. We also are a leading partner for pharmaceutical companies in co-developing products for personalized medicine.
5.
QIAsymphony: We are driving global adoption of the QIAsymphony automation platform, surpassing our target of 1,500 cumulative placements in 2015, and expanding the content menu of test kits for the platform. Growing QIAsymphony placements and offering a broad menu of innovative consumables together drive sales growth.
6.
Bioinformatics: Our industry-leading bioinformatics portfolio is growing rapidly as users of next-generation sequencing seek solutions for handling huge amounts of genomic data. Following the acquisitions of Ingenuity and CLC bio in 2013 and BIOBASE in 2014, we are expanding their software solutions, adding new applications and content for knowledge bases, and integrating them with QIAGEN products to create Sample to Insight workflows.
Research and Development
We are committed to expanding our global leadership in Sample to Insight solutions for molecular testing in healthcare and the life sciences. Our strategy for managing innovation focuses on addressing the most significant unmet medical and scientific needs. We target our resources to develop the most promising technologies for use by our customers in Molecular Diagnostics, Applied Testing, Pharma and Academia - and to meet the needs of clinicians and scientists in key geographic markets.
Innovation at QIAGEN follows parallel paths:
•
Creating new systems for automation of workflows - platforms for laboratories, hospitals and other users of these novel molecular technologies.
•
Expanding our broad portfolio of novel “content” - including assays to detect and measure biomarkers for disease or genetic identification.
•
Integrating bioinformatics with the testing process - software and cloud-based resources to interpret and transform raw molecular data into useful insights.
Our research and development investments are among the highest in our industry. More than 1,000 employees in research and development work in nine QIAGEN centers of excellence on three continents. Our comprehensive intellectual property portfolio spans more than 1,700 granted patents and more than 800 pending applications.
Innovations in instrumentation are strengthening our leadership in the automation of laboratories, driving dissemination of molecular testing in healthcare and other fields, and generating increased demand for our consumable products. We continue to extend our modular QIAsymphony platform, enabling hospitals and other customers to adopt or greatly expand their use of molecular diagnostics. Building on the QIAsymphony platform, we plan to integrate additional modules for needs such as next-generation sequencing. QIAGEN also is developing a range of upgrades and enhancements for our GeneReader NGS System, which was introduced in 2015, to add further value for labs by addressing new applications and market segments. We also plan to introduce additional cancer-related gene panels, with longer-term expansion of the NGS content menu beyond oncology.
We are commercializing a deep pipeline of molecular assays for preventive screening and diagnostic profiling of diseases, assays for biomarkers to guide personalized medicine in cancer and other diseases, and tests for a broad range of other targets. An extensive development program has begun generating commercial launches of assays that add value to our QIAsymphony RGQ platform for Molecular Diagnostics and other uses. In addition, we are investing in co-development of companion diagnostics for Personalized Healthcare through projects with pharmaceutical and biotech companies. In next-generation sequencing, we launched 14 new GeneRead TM DNAseq V2 gene panels in 2014, compatible with any NGS sequencer, as assays for an extensive range of cancer-related genes or gene regions. In Applied Testing, we continue to develop new content for human identification, food safety and veterinary diagnostics. We are also expanding our extensive portfolio of products for disease pathway research by Pharma and Academic customers. In addition, we are developing assays for specific applications in key markets such as China and Japan.

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Our bioinformatics teams are developing new software solutions and adding proprietary cloud-based resources to support the latest research and clinical trends in molecular testing, especially the interpretation of large volumes of data from next-generation sequencing. In addition, we are integrating these digital technologies with instruments and molecular content to provide our customers seamless Sample to Insight workflows.
Sales and Marketing
We market our products in more than 130 countries, mainly through subsidiaries in markets that we believe have the greatest sales potential in the Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia. Experienced marketing and sales staff, many of them scientists with academic degrees in molecular biology or related areas, sell our products and provide direct support to customers. Key accounts are overseen by business managers to ensure that we serve customers’ commercial needs, such as procurement processes, financing, data on costs and value of our systems, and collaborative relationships. In many markets we have specialized independent distributors and importers.
Our marketing strategy focuses on providing high-quality products that offer customers unique value, coupled with commitment to technical excellence and customer service. We have developed a range of marketing tools to provide customers with direct access to technical support and to inform them of new product offerings, as well as to enhance our reputation for technical excellence, high-quality products and commitment to service. One such tool is our technical service hotline, which allows existing or potential customers to discuss a wide range of questions about our products and related molecular biology procedures, via phone or email, with Ph.D. and M.Sc. scientists at QIAGEN. Frequent communication with customers enables us to identify market needs, learn about new developments and business opportunities, and respond with new products.
Our website ( www.qiagen.com ) and other digital channels make ordering easy with a full online product catalog and ordering. Our eCommerce team works with clients to provide automated processes supporting a wide variety of electronic transactions and all major eProcurement systems. Our website has full Japanese and Chinese language versions, plus some information in French, German and Korean. Information contained on our website, or accessed through it, is not part of this Annual Report.
Our GeneGlobe Genes & Pathways web portal ( www.geneglobe.com ) is a valuable outreach to scientists in Pharma and Academia, enabling researchers to search and order from more than 31 million PCR pre-designed assay kits and NGS assay panels. We have integrated GeneGlobe with our bioinformatics solutions, linking biological interpretation with ordering of the relevant laboratory assays to accelerate research.
We also distribute publications, including our catalog, to existing and potential customers worldwide, providing new product information, updates, and articles about existing and new applications. In addition, we hold numerous scientific seminars at clinical, academic and industrial research institutes worldwide. We conduct direct marketing campaigns to announce new products and special promotions, and we offer personalized electronic newsletters highlighting molecular biology applications.
For laboratories that frequently rely on our consumables, the QIAstock program maintains inventory onsite to keep up with their requirements. QIAGEN representatives make regular visits to replenish the stock and help with other needs. Easy-to-use online ordering, inventory monitoring and customer-driven changes make QIAstock an efficient system for providing ready access to our products for the hundreds of customers worldwide who use this program.
Seasonality
Our business does not experience significant, predictable seasonality. Historically, a significant portion of our sales have been to researchers, universities, government laboratories and private foundations whose funding is dependent upon grants from government agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health and similar bodies. To the extent that our customers experience increases, decreases or delays in funding arrangements and budget approvals, and to the extent that any of our customers' activities are slowed, such as during times of higher unemployment, vacation periods or delays in the approval of government budgets, we may experience fluctuations in sales volumes during the year or delays from one period to the next in the recognition of sales.
Intellectual Property, Proprietary Rights and Licenses
We have made and expect to continue to make investments in intellectual property. In 2015 , our purchases of intangible assets totaled $19.7 million . While we do not depend solely on any individual patent or technology, we are significantly dependent in the aggregate on technology that we own or license. Therefore, we consider protection of proprietary technologies and products one of the major keys to our business success. We rely on a combination of patents, licenses and trademarks to establish and protect proprietary rights. As of December 31, 2015 , we owned 298 issued patents in the United States, 199 issued patents in Germany and 1,234 issued patents in other major industrialized countries. We had 859 pending patent applications. Our policy is to file patent applications in Western Europe, the United States and Japan. U.S. patents have a term of 17 years from the date of issue (for patents issued from applications submitted prior to June 8, 1995), or 20 years from the date of filing (in the case of patents issued from applications submitted on or after June 8, 1995). Patents in most other countries have a term of 20 years from the date of filing the patent application. We intend to aggressively prosecute and enforce patents and to otherwise protect

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our proprietary technologies. We also rely on trade secrets, know-how, continuing technological innovation and licensing opportunities to develop and maintain our competitive position.
Our practice is to require employees, consultants, outside scientific collaborators, sponsored researchers and other advisers to execute confidentiality agreements upon commencement of their relationships with us. These agreements provide that all confidential information developed by or made known to the individual during the course of the relationship is to be kept confidential and not disclosed to third parties, subject to a right to publish certain information in scientific literature in certain circumstances and to other specific exceptions. In the case of our employees, the agreements provide that all inventions conceived by individuals in the course of their employment will be our exclusive property.
See “Risk Factors” included in Item 3 above for details regarding risks related to our reliance on patents and proprietary rights.
Competition
In the Academic and Pharma markets, we believe our primary competition in sample technology products involves traditional separation and purification methods, such as phenol extraction, cesium chloride density gradient centrifugation, and precipitation. These methods utilize widely available reagents and other chemicals supplied by companies such as Sigma-Aldrich Corp. and Roche Diagnostics GmbH (Applied Sciences Division). We compete with these methods through innovative technologies and products, offering a comprehensive solution for nucleic acid collection, pre-treatment, separation and purification needs and providing significant advantages in speed, reliability, convenience, reproducibility and ease of use.
We also experience competition in various markets from other companies providing sample preparation products in kit form and assay solutions. These competitors include, but are not limited to, Promega Corp., EMD Millipore or Merck Millipore, and Macherey-Nagel GmbH for nucleic acid separation and purification; Thermo Fisher and Promega Corp. for assay solutions and for transfection reagents; and Sigma-Aldrich Corp. and Thermo Fisher for protein fractionation products. We believe our proprietary technologies and products offer significant advantages over competitors' products with regard to purity, speed, reliability and ease-of-use.
The medical diagnostics and biotechnology industries are subject to intense competition. In our HPV franchise within our molecular diagnostics customer class, we face competition from well-established diagnostic technologies, such as cytology, and from emerging HPV testing approaches, such as signal amplified testing, research-based PCR, other indicators of disease and other traditional testing methods developed by laboratories. Our competitors in the United States include companies such as Roche Diagnostics GmbH and Hologic, Inc., which have been marketing FDA-approved HPV testing products in the U.S. in recent years. We expect competition to intensify, but our leading position in the HPV market is supported by our marketing efforts and the data supporting our digene HPV Test. We believe we have a competitive advantage driven by the fact that close to 90 million of these tests have been distributed worldwide as well as a multitude of clinical trials encompassing more than one million women. A number of major U.S. customers for HPV screening products operate under multiyear contracts with us, in which we provide competitive pricing and other benefits.
Some of our other products within our molecular diagnostics customer class, such as tests for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, hepatitis B virus, herpes simplex virus and CMV, compete against existing screening, monitoring and diagnostic technologies, including tissue culture and antigen-based diagnostic methodologies. Our competitors for gene-based diagnostic probes include Roche Diagnostics, Abbott, Siemens, Cepheid and Hologic. We believe the primary competitive factors in the market for gene-based probe diagnostics and other screening devices are clinical validation, performance and reliability, ease of use, standardization, cost, proprietary position, competitors' market shares, access to distribution channels, regulatory approvals and reimbursement.
We do not believe our competitors typically have the same comprehensive approach to sample to insight solutions as we do or the ability to provide the broad range of technologies and depth of products and services that we offer. With our complete range of manual and fully automated solutions, we believe we offer the value of standardization of procedures and, therefore, more reliable results. We also believe our integrated strategic approach gives us a competitive advantage. The quality of sample technologies-an area in which we have a unique market and leadership position-is a key prerequisite for reliable molecular assay solutions, which increasingly are being applied in emerging markets such as Molecular Diagnostics and Applied Testing.
Current and potential competitors may be in the process of seeking FDA or foreign regulatory approvals for their respective products. Our continued future success will depend in large part on our ability to maintain our technological advantage over competing products, expand our market presence and preserve customer loyalty. There can be no assurance that we will be able to compete effectively in the future or that development by others will not render our technologies or products non-competitive.
Suppliers
As part of our quality assessment procedures, we periodically evaluate the performance of our raw material and component suppliers, potential new alternative sources of such materials and components, and the risks and benefits of reliance on our existing suppliers. We buy materials for our products from many suppliers, and are not dependent on any one supplier or group of suppliers for our business as a whole. Raw materials generally include chemicals, raw separation media, biologics, plastics

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and packaging. Raw materials are generally readily available at competitive, stable prices from a number of suppliers. Certain raw materials are produced under our specifications, so we closely monitor stock levels to maintain adequate supplies. We believe we maintain inventories at a sufficient level to ensure reasonable customer service levels and to guard against normal volatility in availability.
Government Regulations
We are subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the European Union, the United States and other countries. The level and scope of the regulation varies depending on the country or defined economic region, but may include, among other things, the research, development, testing, clinical trials, manufacture, storage, recordkeeping, approval, labeling, promotion and commercial sales and distribution, of many of our products.
European Union Regulations
In the European Union, in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDs) are regulated under EU-Directive 98/79/EC (IVD Directive) and corresponding national provisions. The IVD Directive requires that medical devices meet the essential requirements set out in an annex of the directive. These requirements include the safety and efficacy of the devices. According to the IVD Directive, the Member States presume compliance with these essential requirements in respect of devices which are in conformity with the relevant national standards transposing the harmonized standards of which the reference numbers have been published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. These harmonized standards include ISO 13485:2003, the quality standard for medical device manufacturers.
IVD medical devices, other than devices for performance evaluation, must bear the CE marking of conformity when they are placed on the market. The CE mark is a declaration by the manufacturer that the product meets all the appropriate provisions of the relevant legislation implementing the relevant European Directive. As a general rule, the manufacturer must follow the procedure of the EC Declaration of conformity to obtain this CE marking.
Each European country must adopt its own laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the IVD Directive. Member States may not create any obstacle to the placing on the market or the putting into service within their territory of devices bearing the CE marking according to the conformity assessment procedures. On September 26, 2012, the European Commission (EC) adopted a proposal for new EU regulations for medical devices and IVDs that if finalized will impose additional regulatory requirements on IVDs used in the EU. These new regulations are targeted to be approved in early 2016 with a 5 year implementation requirement. Once approved the entire EU IVD industry will have to undergo the transformation.
Other Country Specific Requirements
In many countries outside of the United States and the EU, coverage, pricing and reimbursement approvals are also required. Additionally many of the major markets are adopting regulations and requirements similar to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which require additional submission activities and management of country specific regulatory requirements.
We are also required to maintain accurate information and control over sales and distributors’ activities that may fall within the purview of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, its books and records provisions and its anti-bribery provisions.
U.S. Regulations
In the United States, in vitro diagnostic kits are subject to regulation by the FDA as medical devices and must be cleared or approved before they can be marketed. Failure to comply with applicable U.S. requirements may subject a company to a variety of administrative or judicial sanctions, such as FDA refusal to approve pending NDAs, warning letters, product recalls, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions, fines, civil penalties and criminal prosecution. In addition, some of our test kits are sold for research use only in the United States. We do not promote these tests for clinical diagnostic use, and they are labeled “For Research Use Only,” or RUO, as required by the FDA.
In Vitro Diagnostics
The FDA regulates the sale or distribution of medical devices, including in vitro diagnostic test kits. The information that must be submitted to the FDA in order to obtain clearance or approval to market a new medical device varies depending on how the medical device is classified by the FDA. Medical devices are classified into one of three classes on the basis of the controls deemed by the FDA to be necessary to reasonably ensure their safety and effectiveness. Class I devices are subject to general controls, including labeling, pre-market notification and adherence to the FDA’s quality system regulations, which are device-specific good manufacturing practices. Class II devices are subject to general controls and special controls, including performance standards and post-market surveillance. Class III devices are subject to most of the previously identified requirements as well as to pre-market approval. All Class I devices are exempt from premarket review; most Class II devices require 510(k) clearance, and all Class III devices must receive premarket approval before they can be sold in the United States.

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The payment of a fee to the FDA is usually required when a 510(k) notice or premarket approval application is submitted.
510(k) Premarket Notification. A 510(k) notification requires the sponsor to demonstrate that a medical device is substantially equivalent to another marketed device, termed a “predicate device”, that is legally marketed in the United States and for which a premarket approval application (PMA) was not required. A device is substantially equivalent to a predicate device if it has the same intended use and technological characteristics as the predicate; or has the same intended use but different technological characteristics, where the information submitted to the FDA does not raise new questions of safety and effectiveness and demonstrates that the device is at least as safe and effective as the legally marketed device.
The FDA generally issues a decision letter within 90 days of receipt of the 510(k) if it has no additional questions or sends a first action letter requesting additional information within 75 days. Most 510(k)s do not require clinical data for clearance, but a minority will. Requests for additional data, including clinical data, will increase the time necessary to review the notice. If the FDA believes that the device is not substantially equivalent to a predicate device, it will issue a “Not Substantially Equivalent” letter and designate the device as a Class III device, which will require the submission and approval of a PMA before the new device may be marketed. Under certain circumstances, the sponsor may petition the FDA to make a risk-based determination of the new device and reclassify the new device as a Class I or Class II device. The FDA is currently reevaluating the 510(k) review process, and we cannot predict what if any changes will occur.
Premarket Approval. The PMA process is more complex, costly and time consuming than the 510(k) process. A PMA must be supported by more detailed and comprehensive scientific evidence, including clinical data, to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the medical device for its intended purpose. If the device is determined to present a “significant risk,” the sponsor may not begin a clinical trial until it submits an investigational device exemption (IDE) to the FDA and obtains approval to begin the trial.
After the PMA is submitted, the FDA has 45 days to make a threshold determination that the PMA is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review. If the PMA is complete, the FDA will file the PMA. The FDA is subject to a performance goal review time for a PMA that is 180 days from the date of filing, although in practice this review time is longer. Questions from the FDA, requests for additional data and referrals to advisory committees may delay the process considerably. The total process may take several years and there is no guarantee that the PMA will ever be approved. Even if approved, the FDA may limit the indications for which the device may be marketed. The FDA may also request additional clinical data as a condition of approval or after the PMA is approved. Any changes to the medical device may require a supplemental PMA to be submitted and approved before changed medical device may be marketed.
Any products sold by us pursuant to FDA clearances or approvals will be subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, including record keeping requirements, reporting of adverse experiences with the use of the device and restrictions on the advertising and promotion of our products. Device manufacturers are required to register their establishments and list their devices with the FDA and are subject to periodic inspections by the FDA and certain state agencies. Noncompliance with applicable FDA requirements can result in, among other things, warning letters, fines, injunctions, civil penalties, recalls or seizures of products, total or partial suspension of production, refusal of the FDA to grant 510(k) clearance or PMA approval for new devices, withdrawal of 510(k) clearances and/or PMA approvals and criminal prosecution.
Regulation of Companion Diagnostic Devices
Diagnostic tests may be used in the determination of whether a drug should be prescribed for a patient, and are often referred to as in vitro companion diagnostic devices. On August 6, 2014, the FDA issued Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administrative Staff on In Vitro Companion Diagnostic Devices. The Guidance applies to in vitro diagnostic companion diagnostic devices that provide information that is essential for the safe and effective use of a corresponding therapeutic drug. However, a novel in vitro diagnostic test that provides information that is useful in, but not a determining factor for the safe and effective use of a therapeutic product, would not be considered an IVD companion diagnostic. The FDA expects that the therapeutic sponsor will address the need for an approved or cleared IVD Companion Diagnostic Device in its therapeutic product development plan. The sponsor of the therapeutic product can decide to develop its own IVD Companion Diagnostic Device, partner with a diagnostic device sponsor to develop the appropriate IVD Companion Diagnostic Device, or explore modification of an existing IVD diagnostic device (its own or another sponsor’s) to accommodate the appropriate intended use. The FDA has approved a number of drug/diagnostic device companions in accordance with the Guidance.
In September 2013, the FDA issued its final rule on the Unique Device Identifier. This rule now requires an additional registered identifier, including a special barcode, on all FDA regulated medical devices. The rule is implemented in phases with the first deadline of September 24, 2014 being established for all Class III medical devices. For QIAGEN, this impacted the hc2, QuantiFERON, and therascreen products. We established a task force to ensure that the deadline was met but this will place additional administrative and regulatory burden on us related to the annual reporting of compliance of these products to the new regulation. Class II and Class I products are required to have this same labeling by September 24, 2016 and 2018, respectively. QIAGEN was fully compliant with the initial phase of the new rule by the September 2014 deadline and we continue to work to ensure that we will be able to meet the remaining deadlines. The new rule will also require additional

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compliance oversight now that it has been implemented. The requirements are now required to be confirmed as part of our annual reporting and PMA submissions. They are also assessed during site inspections by the U.S. FDA.
Some of our products are sold for research purposes in the U.S., and labeled “For Research Use Only” (RUO) or “for molecular biology applications.” In November 2013, the FDA issued a final Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff entitled, “Distribution of In Vitro Diagnostic Products Labeled for Research Use Only or Investigational Use Only.” In the Guidance, RUO refers to devices that are in the laboratory phase of development, and investigational use only, or IUO, refers to devices that are in the product testing phase of development. These types of devices are exempt from most regulatory controls. Because we do not promote our RUOs for clinical diagnostic use or provide technical assistance to clinical laboratories with respect to these tests, we believe that these tests are exempt from FDA’s premarket review and other requirements. If the FDA were to disagree with our designation of any of these products, we could be forced to stop selling the product until we obtain appropriate regulatory clearance or approval. Further, we believe that some of our RUOs may be used by some customers in their laboratory-developed tests (LDTs), which they develop, validate and promote for clinical use. However, as previously noted, we do not promote these products for use in LDTs or assist in the development of the LDTs for clinical diagnostic use.
On October 3, 2014, the FDA published notices in the Federal Register formally announcing their release and the beginning of a 120-day public comment period, which ended on February 2, 2015, for the Draft Guidance for Industry, Food and Drug Administration Staff, and Clinical Laboratories: Framework for Regulatory Oversight of Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs), and Docket No. FDA-2011-D-0357 for Draft Guidance for Industry, Food and Drug Administration Staff, and Clinical Laboratories: FDA Notification and Medical Device Reporting for Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs). In essence, the FDA is proposing to regulate Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) laboratories that provide LDT’s that meet the definition of a Medical Device as stated in the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. While the guidance is directed at CLIA laboratories it also has the potential to change the relationship between laboratories and manufacturers. It also proposes to impose quality systems controls and mechanisms, including submissions, on the laboratories. These are the identical requirements that are currently imposed on manufacturers as described in the prior paragraphs of this section. In January 2015, QIAGEN, along with many other companies and industry groups submitted comments and suggestions to the FDA regarding the Draft LDT Guidance. To date FDA has not finalized the Guidance. It is therefore, not possible to precisely assess potential impact until the Guidance is finalized. QIAGEN has an executive task force that is monitoring and participating in the draft process to insure the earliest possible awareness of developments related to the Draft Guidance.
HIPAA and Other Privacy and Security Laws
Numerous privacy and data security laws apply to personal information, including health information. These laws vary in their application. For example, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, and their implementing regulations (HIPAA), regulate the uses, disclosures and security of identifiable health information (protected health information or PHI) in the hands of certain health care providers, health plans or health care clearing houses (covered entities). HIPAA regulates and limits covered entities’ uses and disclosures of PHI and requires the implementation of administrative, physical and technical safeguards to keep PHI secure. HIPAA also applies to organizations that create, receive, maintain or transmit PHI to provide services to or for or on behalf of covered entities (business associates). Business associates and certain of their subcontractors are required to comply with certain privacy and all of the security standards of HIPAA. Business associates and covered entities must also comply with breach notification standards established by HIPAA. The HIPAA breach notification standards require covered entities to notify affected individuals, the government, and in some cases, local and national media in the event of a breach of PHI that has not been secured by encryption. The breach notification standards require business associates to notify covered entity customers of their own breaches of unsecured PHI so that the relevant covered entity may make required notifications. If we were to act as a HIPAA covered entity or business associate, we would be subject to these obligations.
Almost all states have adopted data breach notification laws relating to the “personal information” of its residents. Personal information typically includes an individual’s name or initials coupled with social security, financial account, debit, credit or state-issued identification number or other information that could lead to identity theft. There is significant variability under these laws, but most require notification to affected individuals (and some require notification to the government) in the event of breach. Other laws of some states require that that we comply with data security obligations. These laws may apply to us when we receive or maintain personal information regarding individuals, including our employees.
Many states have also adopted genetic testing and privacy laws. These laws typically require a specific, written consent for genetic testing as well as consent for the disclosure of genetic test results and otherwise limit uses and disclosures of genetic testing results. A few states have adopted laws that give their residents property rights in their genetic information. We require the disclosure of whole genome sequences in order to analyze and interpret genomic data for research use by our customers. Most of our institutional and physician customers are covered entities under HIPAA and must obtain proper authorization or de-identify information so that we may provide services. When PHI is de-identified in accordance with HIPAA or when the disclosure of PHI is authorized by a patient, HIPAA does not impose any compliance obligations on the recipient, but our use and disclosure of the information may be limited by contract or the terms of the authorization.

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We are subject to enforcement by state attorneys general who have authority to enforce state data privacy or security laws. Accordingly, we maintain an active privacy and data security program designed to address applicable regulatory compliance requirements.
Privacy and data security laws, including those relating to health information, are complex, overlapping and rapidly evolving. As our activities evolve and expand, additional laws may be implicated, for example, there are non-U.S. privacy laws that impose restrictions on the transfer, access, use, and disclosure of health and other personal information. All of these laws impact our business either directly or indirectly. Our failure to comply with applicable privacy or security laws or significant changes in these laws could significantly impact our business and future business plans. For example, we may be subject to regulatory action or lawsuits in the event we fail to comply with applicable privacy laws. We may face significant liability in the event any of the personal information we maintain is lost or otherwise subject to misuse or other wrongful use, access or disclosure.
Compliance with Fraud and Abuse Laws
We have to comply with various U.S. federal and state laws, rules and regulations pertaining to healthcare fraud and abuse, including anti-kickback laws and physician self-referral laws, rules and regulations. Violations of the fraud and abuse laws are punishable by criminal and civil sanctions, including, in some instances, exclusion from participation in federal and state healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Anti-Kickback Statute
The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits persons from knowingly or willfully soliciting, receiving, offering or paying remuneration, directly or indirectly, in exchange for or to induce:
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The referral of an individual for a service or product for which payment may be made by Medicare, Medicaid or other government-sponsored healthcare program; or
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Purchasing, ordering, arranging for, or recommending the ordering of, any service or product for which payment may be made by a government-sponsored healthcare program.
The definition of “remuneration” has been broadly interpreted to include anything of value, including such items as gifts, certain discounts, waiver of payments, and providing anything at less than its fair market value. In addition, several courts have interpreted the law to mean that if “one purpose” of an arrangement is intended to induce referrals, the statute is violated.
The Anti-Kickback Statue is broad and prohibits many arrangements and practices that are lawful in businesses outside of the healthcare industry. Recognizing that the Anti-Kickback Statute is broad and may technically prohibit many innocuous or beneficial arrangements, the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) has issued regulations, commonly known as "safe harbors." These safe harbors set forth certain requirements that, if fully met, will assure healthcare providers, including medical device manufacturers, that they will not be prosecuted under the Anti-Kickback Statute. Although full compliance with these safe harbor provisions ensures against prosecution under the Anti-Kickback Statute, full compliance is often difficult and the failure of a transaction or arrangement to fit within a specific safe harbor does not necessarily mean that the transaction or arrangement is illegal or that prosecution under the Anti-Kickback Statute will be pursued. However, conduct and business arrangements that do not fully satisfy each applicable safe harbor may result in increased scrutiny by government enforcement authorities such as the OIG. The statutory penalties for violating the Anti-Kickback Statute include imprisonment for up to five years and criminal fines of up to $25,000 per violation. In addition, through application of other laws, conduct that violates the Anti-Kickback Statute can also give rise to False Claims Act lawsuits, civil monetary penalties and possible exclusion from Medicare and Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs. In addition to the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, many states have their own kickback laws. Often, these laws closely follow the language of the federal law, although they do not always have the same scope, exceptions, safe harbors or sanctions. In some states, these anti-kickback laws apply not only to payment made by a government health care program but also with respect to other payors, including commercial insurance companies.
Other Fraud and Abuse Laws
The federal False Claims Act (FCA) prohibits any person from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false claim or knowingly making, or causing to made, a false statement to obtain payment from the federal government. Those found in violation of the FCA can be subject to fines and penalties of three times the damages sustained by the government, plus mandatory civil penalties of between $5,500 and $11,000 for each separate false claim. Actions filed under the FCA can be brought by any individual on behalf of the government, a "qui tam" action, and such individual, known as a "relator" or, more commonly, as a "whistleblower," who may share in any amounts paid by the entity to the government in damages and penalties or by way of settlement. In addition, certain states have enacted laws modeled after the FCA, and this legislative activity is expected to increase. Qui tam actions have increased significantly in recent years, causing greater numbers of healthcare companies, including medical device manufacturers, to defend false claim actions, pay damages and penalties or be excluded from Medicare, Medicaid or other federal or state healthcare programs as a result of investigations arising out of such actions.

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The OIG also has authority to bring administrative actions against entities for alleged violations of a number of prohibitions, including the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law. The OIG may seek to impose civil monetary penalties or exclusion from the Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs. Civil monetary penalties can range from $2,000 to $50,000 for each violation or failure plus, in certain circumstances, three times the amounts claimed in reimbursement or illegal remuneration. Typically, exclusions last for five years.
In addition, we must comply with a variety of other laws, such as laws prohibiting false claims for reimbursement under Medicare and Medicaid, all of which can also be triggered by violations of federal anti-kickback laws; the Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act of 1996, which makes it a federal crime to commit healthcare fraud and make false statements; and the Federal Trade Commission Act and similar laws regulating advertisement and consumer protections.
There are also an increasing number of state “sunshine” laws that require manufacturers to provide reports to state governments on pricing and marketing information. Several states have enacted legislation requiring medical device companies to, among other things, establish marketing compliance programs, file periodic reports with the state, make periodic public disclosures on sales and marketing activities, and to prohibit or limit certain other sales and marketing practices. In addition, a federal law known as the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, now requires medical device manufacturers to track and report to the federal government certain payments and other transfers of value made to physicians and teaching hospitals and ownership or investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members. The federal government discloses the reported information on a publicly available website. If we fail to track and report as required by these laws or to otherwise comply with these laws, we could be subject to the penalty provisions of the pertinent state and federal authorities.
Environment, Health and Safety
We are subject to laws and regulations related to the protection of the environment, the health and safety of employees and the handling, transportation and disposal of medical specimens, infectious and hazardous waste and radioactive materials. For example, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established extensive requirements relating specifically to workplace safety for healthcare employers in the U.S. This includes requirements to develop and implement multi-faceted programs to protect workers from exposure to blood-borne pathogens, such as HIV and hepatitis B and C, including preventing or minimizing any exposure through needle stick injuries. For purposes of transportation, some biological materials and laboratory supplies are classified as hazardous materials and are subject to regulation by one or more of the following agencies: the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Public Health Service, the United States Postal Service and the International Air Transport Association.
Reimbursement
United States
In the United States, payments for diagnostic tests come from several sources, including third party payors such as health maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations; government health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid; and, in certain circumstances, hospitals, referring laboratories or the patients themselves. For many years, federal and state governments in the United States have pursued methods to reduce the cost of these programs. For example, in 2010 the United States enacted major healthcare reform legislation known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Such changes have had, and are expected to continue to have, an impact on our business. At present, Medicare payment rates are affected by across-the-board federal budget cuts commonly referred to as “sequestration”. Under sequestration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency responsible for administering Medicare and Medicaid, reduced Medicare payments to providers by 2% annually beginning in 2013 and through 2023.
Code Assignment. In the United States, a third-party payor's decisions regarding coverage and payment are impacted, in large part, by the specific Current Procedural Terminology, or CPT, code used to identify a test. The American Medical Association, or AMA, publishes the CPT, which is a listing of descriptive terms and identifying codes for reporting medical services and procedures. The purpose of the CPT is to provide a uniform language that accurately describes medical, surgical, and diagnostic services and therefore to ensure reliable nationwide communication among healthcare providers, patients, and third-party payors.
A manufacturer of in vitro diagnostic kits or a provider of laboratory services may request establishment of a Category I CPT code for a new product. Assignment of a specific CPT code ensures routine processing and payment for a diagnostic test by both private and government third-party payors.
The AMA has specific procedures for establishing a new CPT code and, if appropriate, for modifying existing nomenclature to incorporate a new test into an existing code. If the AMA concludes that a new code or modification of nomenclature is unnecessary, the AMA will inform the requestor how to use one or more existing codes to report the test.
While the AMA's decision is pending, billing and collection may be sought under an existing, non-specific CPT code. A manufacturer or provider may decide not to request assignment of a CPT code and instead use an existing, non-specific code

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for reimbursement purposes. However, use of such codes may result in more frequent denials and/or requests for supporting clinical documentation from the third-party payor and in lower reimbursement rates, which may vary based on geographical location.
In 2012, the AMA added 127 new CPT codes for molecular pathology services that became effective on January 1, 2013. These new CPT codes are biomarker specific and were designed to replace the previous methodology of billing for molecular pathology testing, which involved “stacking” a series of non-biomarker specific CPT codes together to describe the testing performed. The new CPT codes were issued final national reimbursement prices by CMS in November of 2013. These federal reimbursement amounts are widely acknowledged to be lower than the reimbursement obtained by the now outdated “stacking” method, but commercial payors and Medicare contractors are still in the process of solidifying their coverage and reimbursement policies for the testing described by these new CPT codes. The lower reimbursement amounts experienced in the field of molecular pathology testing may soon be extending to other codes on the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule as CMS begins to base CPT laboratory code payment on third party payer rates in 2017, per the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) passed in April 2014.
Coverage Decisions. When deciding whether to cover a particular diagnostic test, private and government third-party payors generally consider whether the test is a contractual benefit and, if so, whether it is reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of illness and injury. Most third-party payors do not cover experimental services. Coverage determinations often are influenced by current standards of practice and clinical data, particularly at the local level. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) which is the government agency responsible for overseeing the Medicare program, has the authority to make coverage determinations on a national basis, but most Medicare coverage decisions are made at the local level by contractors that administer the Medicare program in specified geographic areas. Private and government third-party payors have separate processes for making coverage determinations, and private third-party payors may or may not follow Medicare's coverage decisions. If a third-party payor has a coverage determination in place for a particular diagnostic test, billing for that test must comply with the established policy. Otherwise, the third-party payor makes reimbursement decisions on a case-by-case basis.
Payment . Payment for covered diagnostic tests is determined based on various methodologies, including prospective payment systems and fee schedules. In addition, private third-party payors may negotiate contractual rates with participating providers or set rates as a percentage of the billed charge. Diagnostic tests furnished to Medicare inpatients generally are included in the bundled payment made to the hospital under Medicare's Inpatient Prospective Payment System, utilizing Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) depending on the patient’s condition. Payment for diagnostic tests furnished to Medicare beneficiaries in outpatient circumstances is made based on the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, under which a payment amount is assigned to each covered CPT code, or through the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS), which is the outpatient equivalent of the DRG model. The law technically requires fee schedule amounts to be adjusted annually by the percentage increase in the consumer price index (CPI) for the prior year, but Congress has frozen payment rates in certain years. Medicaid programs generally pay for diagnostic tests based on a fee schedule, but reimbursement varies by state.
European Union
In the European Union the reimbursement mechanisms used by private and public health insurers vary by country. For the public systems reimbursement is determined by guidelines established by the legislator or responsible national authority. As elsewhere, inclusion in reimbursement catalogues focuses on the medical usefulness, need, quality and economic benefits to patients and the healthcare system. Acceptance for reimbursement comes with cost, use and often volume restrictions, which again can vary by country.
Conflict Minerals
Recent U.S. legislation has been enacted to improve transparency and accountability concerning the sourcing of conflict minerals from mines located in the conflict zones of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its adjoining countries. The term conflict minerals currently encompasses tantalum, tin, tungsten (or their ores) and gold. Certain of our instrumentation product components which we purchase from third party suppliers contain gold. This U.S. legislation requires manufacturers, such as us, to investigate our supply chain and disclose if there is any use of conflict minerals originating in the DRC or adjoining countries. We conduct due diligence measures annually to determine the presence of conflict minerals in our products and the source of any such conflict minerals. Because we do not purchase conflict minerals directly from smelters or refineries, we rely on our suppliers to specify to us their Conflict Minerals sources and declare their conflict minerals status. We disclosed our Conflict Minerals findings to the Securities Exchange Commission for the calendar year ending December 31, 2014 on Form SD on April 1, 2015 and will provide updated disclosure to the Securities Exchange Commission annually.
Organizational Structure
QIAGEN N.V. is the holding company for more than 50 consolidated subsidiaries, many of which have the primary function of distributing our products and services on a regional basis. Certain subsidiaries also have research and development or

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production activities. A listing of our significant subsidiaries and their jurisdictions of incorporation is included in Exhibit 8.1 to this Annual Report.
Description of Property
Our production and manufacturing facilities for consumable products are located in Germany, the United States, China, and the United Kingdom. Our facilities for software development are located in the United States, Denmark and India. In recent years, we have made investments in automated and interchangeable production equipment to increase our production capacity and improve efficiency. Our production and manufacturing operations are highly integrated and benefit from sophisticated inventory control. Production management personnel are highly qualified, and many have advanced degrees in engineering, business and science. We also have installed and continue to expand production-planning systems that are included in our integrated information and control system based on the SAP R/3 business software package from SAP AG. Worldwide, we use SAP software to integrate most of our operating subsidiaries. Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment totaled $97.8 million , $86.6 million and $84.5 million for 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , respectively.
We have an established quality system, including standard manufacturing and documentation procedures, intended to ensure that products are produced and tested in accordance with the FDA's Quality System Regulations, which impose current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) requirements. For cGMP production, special areas were built in our facilities in Hilden, Germany, and Germantown, Maryland. These facilities operate in accordance with cGMP requirements.
The consumable products manufactured at QIAGEN GmbH in Germany, and QIAGEN Sciences LLC in Maryland, are produced under ISO 9001: 2008, ISO 13485:2013, ISO 13485:2003 CMDCAS. Our certifications form part of our ongoing commitment to provide our customers with high-quality, state-of-the-art sample and assay technologies under our Total Quality Management system.
Our facilities in Hilden, Germany, currently occupy a total of approximately 776,000 square feet, some of which is leased pursuant to separate contracts, the last of which expires in 2018. We purchased additional office and warehouse space of approximately 23,700 square feet in 2015. Our production capacity is increased through our manufacturing and research facilities in the United States. QIAGEN Sciences, LLC owns a 27-acre site in Germantown, Maryland. The 285,000 square foot Germantown facility consists of several buildings in a campus-like arrangement and can accommodate over 500 employees. There is room for future expansion of up to 300,000 square feet of facility space. In 2015, we completed expansion of our research and production facilities in Hilden, Germany and renovations of administrative facilities in Germantown, Maryland.
We lease a facility in Frederick, Maryland comprising a total of 42,000 square feet for manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and research operations. We also lease facilities in Massachusetts with 44,400 square feet in Waltham for GeneReader NGS system development and 39,100 square feet in Beverly for enzyme manufacturing. Our California sites have a total of 33,500 square feet in Redwood City for Bioinformatics and 30,000 square feet in Valencia for Customer Care, Sales and Marketing services. Additionally, we lease smaller facilities in Shenzhen, China and Manchester, United Kingdom for manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and research operations. In 2015, we completed expansion work in Manchester to add additional research and development space. Other subsidiaries throughout the world lease smaller amounts of space. Our corporate headquarters are located in leased office space in Venlo, The Netherlands.
We believe our existing production and distribution facilities can support anticipated production needs for the next 36 months. Our production and manufacturing operations are subject to various federal, state, and local laws and regulations including environmental regulations. We do not believe we have any material issues relating to these laws and regulations.
Item 4A.
Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.

Item 5.
Operating and Financial Review and Prospects
This section contains a number of forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current management expectations, and actual results may differ materially. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ from management’s expectations are those described in “Risk Factors” and “Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements” in Item 3 of this Annual Report.
Results of Operations
Overview
We are a leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions to transform biological materials into valuable molecular insights. QIAGEN sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from any biological sample, such as blood or tissue. Assay technologies make these biomolecules visible and ready for analysis, such as identifying the DNA of a virus or

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a mutation of a gene. Bioinformatics solutions integrate software and cloud-based resources to interpret increasing volumes of biological data and report relevant, actionable insights. Our automation solutions tie these together in seamless and cost-effective molecular testing workflows.
We sell our products - consumables, automated instrumentation systems using those technologies, and bioinformatics to analyze and interpret the data - to four major customer classes:
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Molecular Diagnostics - healthcare providers engaged in many aspects of patient care including Prevention, Profiling of diseases, Personalized Healthcare and Point of Need testing
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Applied Testing - government or industry customers using molecular technologies in fields such as forensics, veterinary diagnostics and food safety testing
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Pharma - pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies using molecular testing to support drug discovery, translational medicine and clinical development efforts
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Academia - researchers exploring the secrets of life such as the mechanisms and pathways of diseases, and in some cases translating that research into drug targets or commercial applications
We market products in more than 130 countries, mainly through subsidiaries in markets we believe have the greatest sales potential in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Australia. We also work with specialized independent distributors and importers. As of December 31, 2015 , we employed approximately 4,600 people in more than 35 locations worldwide.
Recent Acquisitions
We have made a number of strategic acquisitions since 2013, targeting innovative technologies to achieve market-leading positions in high-growth areas of molecular diagnostics and research. These transactions have expanded our product offerings and technology platforms, as well as our geographic presence. They include:
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In November 2015, we acquired MO BIO Laboratories, Inc., a privately-held provider of cutting-edge sample technologies for studies of the microbiome and metagenomics, analyzing the impact of microbial diversity on health and the environment. The acquisition adds a complementary portfolio of sample technologies to QIAGEN's universal solutions for next-generation sequencing. MO BIO’s currently marketed kits, based on its proprietary Inhibitor Removal Technology, enable the isolation of pure DNA from challenging samples like soil, water, plants and stool.
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In March 2015, we acquired an innovative technology that enables enrichment and molecular analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood samples from AdnaGen GmbH, a subsidiary of Alere Inc. The acquisition added to QIAGEN’s pipeline of technologies under development for molecular testing through less-invasive liquid biopsies as an alternative to costly and risky tissue biopsies. Other assets acquired include two marketed CE-IVD marked products, AdnaTest BreastCancer and AdnaTest Prostate Cancer, which offer improved treatment monitoring and earlier detection of tumor relapse.
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In December 2014, we acquired the enzyme solutions business of Enzymatics, a U.S. company whose products are used in an estimated 80% of all next-generation sequencing workflows. The comprehensive Enzymatics portfolio complements QIAGEN’s leading offering of universal NGS products, advancing our strategy to drive the adoption of NGS in clinical healthcare.
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In April 2014, we acquired BIOBASE, a provider of expertly curated biological databases, software and services based in Wolfenbüttel, Germany, further expanding our industry-leading bioinformatics solutions. These integrated solutions provide a complete workflow for handling genomic data from biological sample to valuable molecular insights. The content from BIOBASE includes gold-standard data in the fields of inherited diseases and pharmacogenomics. In July, QIAGEN and BGI Tech Solutions Co. announced a distribution and service relationship for the BIOBASE Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao. QIAGEN also has integrated the BIOBASE content into the Ingenuity Knowledge Base, adding value for customers in interpreting genomic data from next-generation sequencing (NGS).
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In August 2013, we acquired CLC bio, a global leader in bioinformatics software with a focus on next-generation sequencing. CLC bio, a privately-held company based in Aarhus, Denmark, has created the leading commercial data analysis solutions and workbenches for NGS. CLC bio’s leading products are CLC Genomics Workbench, a comprehensive and user-friendly analysis package for analyzing, comparing and visualizing NGS data; CLC Cancer Research Workbench, focusing on genomic analysis for oncology; and CLC Genomics Server, a flexible enterprise-level infrastructure and analysis backbone for NGS data analysis.
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In April 2013, we acquired Ingenuity Systems, Inc., the leading provider of software solutions that efficiently and accurately analyze, interpret and report the biological meaning of genomic data. Ingenuity, a privately-held U.S. company based in California's Silicon Valley, created a market leading, expertly curated knowledge system of biomedical information and analysis solutions for the exploration, interpretation and analysis of complex biological systems. New technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) are now generating more data in a single year

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than was created in all prior history, making the analysis and interpretation of this extensive and very complex biological data a critical success factor.
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In February 2015, we announced the spin-off of teams and activities of QIAGEN Marseille S.A. (formerly Ipsogen S.A.), a majority-owned and fully consolidated entity. In the divestiture, QIAGEN Marseille agreed to the sale of all its assets and liabilities, with the exception of its intellectual property portfolio, to a stand-alone company. QIAGEN retained rights to commercialize the ipsogen line of products, including companion diagnostics for blood cancers. As part of this initiative, we made a tender offer to acquire the remaining QIAGEN Marseille shares. As of December 31, 2015, we held 97.22% of the shares in QIAGEN Marseille, and we anticipate that we will obtain full ownership during the first quarter of 2016.
Our financial results include the contributions of our recent acquisitions and the QIAGEN Marseille spin-off from their effective dates, as well as costs related to the transactions and integration of the acquired companies, such as the relocation and closure of certain facilities.
We determined that we operate as one business segment in accordance with ASC Topic 280, Segment Reporting . Our chief operating decision maker (CODM) makes decisions on business operations and resource allocation based on evaluations of the QIAGEN Group as a whole. Considering the acquisitions made during 2015, we determined that we still operate as one business segment. We provide certain revenue information by customer class to allow better insight into our operations. This information is estimated using certain assumptions to allocate revenue among the customer classes.
Year Ended December 31, 2015 , Compared to 2014
Net Sales
In 2015 , net sales decreased 5% to $1.28 billion compared to $1.34 billion in 2014 , due to about eight percentage points of adverse currency movements. Excluding the effect of adverse currency movements, total growth reflected higher contributions from consumables and related revenues (+3% / 87% of sales) and instruments (+5% / 13% of sales). Excluding the effect of adverse currency movements, about two percentage points of total sales growth came from the acquisitions of the Enzymatics NGS technology and consumables portfolio (acquired in December 2014) and the BIOBASE bioinformatics business (acquired in April 2014), while sales in the rest of the business provided about one percentage point. Late in the fourth quarter of 2015, we completed the acquisition of MO BIO Laboratories Inc., a leader in sample technologies for metagenomics and microbiome analysis, but this had a negligible contribution to net sales in 2015. Excluding the expected impact of sharply lower U.S. sales of HPV tests, which created approximately three percentage points of headwind, as well as the effect of adverse currency movements, net sales rose approximately 6% in 2015.
Geographic regions: Excluding the loss of 15 percentage points of sales growth due to adverse currency movements, the Europe / Middle East / Africa region led the geographic performance, benefiting from gains in Germany and Turkey, as well as improving performances in other countries. The Americas advanced at a faster pace (+7%) when excluding U.S. HPV test sales and when excluding 3 percentage points of adverse currency movements. Asia-Pacific / Japan advanced on gains in China and ongoing robust growth in South Korea while Japan sales declined on macro challenges when excluding 8 percentage points of adverse currency movements. Turkey, China, South Korea and India led results for the top emerging markets (+8% / 15% of sales) against declining sales in Mexico and Russia when excluding adverse currency movements of 10 percentage points.
Customer classes : An overview of performance in QIAGEN's four customer classes:
Molecular Diagnostics , which contributed approximately 50% of net sales, declined 7% in 2015 reflecting adverse currency movements of eight percentage points of sales growth in 2015. The core portfolio delivered approximately 7% growth before adverse currency impacts and the ongoing decline in sales of U.S. HPV test products (-43% / 3% of sales). Sales of consumables used on the QIAsymphony automation platform also grew at a solid pace for the full year, as QIAGEN achieved its goal for new QIAsymphony placements, but revenues were negatively impacted by multi-year reagent rental agreements. Personalized Healthcare sales also grew at a higher-single-digit rate for the year.
Applied Testing represented approximately 9% of net sales, declined 1% in 2015 compared to 2014 with adverse currency movements resulting in a loss of eight percentage points of sales growth. Before negative currency impacts, Applied Testing maintained a higher-single-digit growth pace for consumables and related revenues during 2015, while instruments grew at a lower-single-digit rate in the fourth quarter and for the year. All regions showed gains, in particular for products used in human ID / forensics.

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Pharma sales growth remained unchanged compared to 2014 and provided approximately 19% of sales with adverse currency movements resulting in a loss of six percentage points of sales growth. Before negative currency impacts, Pharma advanced on mid-single-digit growth for both instruments and consumables and related revenues in 2015. The Europe / Middle East / Africa region and the Americas offset lower sales in Asia-Pacific / Japan.
Academia represented approximately 22% of net sales and declined 4% in 2015 compared to 2014 with adverse currency movements resulting in a loss of ten percentage points of sales growth. Academia advanced on higher-single digit growth rates for instruments while consumables and related revenues grew at a mid-single digit rate during the course of the year before negative currency impacts. The Americas led growth among all regions and benefited from more positive customer funding trends.
Gross Profit
Gross profit was $826.4 million , or 65% of net sales, in 2015 , compared with $864.9 million , or 64% of net sales, in 2014 . Adverse currency movements negatively impacted gross profit in 2015 by $71.9 million. Generally, our consumable and related products have a higher gross margin than our instrumentation products and service arrangements. Fluctuations in the sales levels of these products and services can result in fluctuations in gross margin between periods. Further, amortization expense related to developed technology and patent and license rights, which have been acquired in business combinations, is included in cost of sales. Gross profit in 2014 was impacted by charges of $26.4 million recorded in cost of sales in connection with internal restructuring efforts as well as those related to acquisitions. In 2014, these charges included $24.2 million in impairments and $2.2 million in contract termination costs as discussed in Note 6 in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
Cost of sales includes amortization expense related to developed technology and patent and license rights acquired in business combinations. The amortization expense on acquisition-related intangibles within cost of sales increased slightly to $84.5 million in 2015 from $81.7 million in 2014 . Acquisition-related intangible amortization would increase in the future should we make further acquisitions.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses decreased by 10% to $147.2 million ( 11% of net sales) in 2015 , compared to $163.6 million ( 12% of net sales) in 2014 . The decrease in research and development expenses is primarily due to $14.3 million of favorable currency exchange impacts. During 2015, we introduced our GeneReader NGS System and will continue to invest in research and development as we are developing a range of upgrades and enhancements to address new applications and market segments. We also plan to introduce additional cancer-related gene panels, with longer-term expansion of the NGS content menu beyond oncology. Further, b usiness combinations, along with the acquisition of new technologies, may increase our research and development costs in the future. As we continue to discover, develop and acquire new products and technologies, we expect to incur additional expenses related to facilities, licenses and employees engaged in research and development. Additionally, research and development costs are expected to increase as a result of seeking regulatory approvals, including U.S. FDA Pre-Market Approval (PMA), U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance and EU CE approval of certain assays or instruments. We have a strong commitment to innovation and expect to continue to make investments in our research and development efforts.
Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing expenses decreased 4% to $361.0 million ( 28% of net sales) in 2015 from $376.9 million ( 28% of net sales) in 2014 . The decrease was driven by $33.5 million of favorable currency exchange impact which more than offset costs resulting from increased sales and marketing activities. Sales and marketing expenses are primarily associated with personnel, commissions, advertising, trade shows, publications, freight and logistics expenses, United States medical device excise tax (which has been suspended for 2016 and 2017) and other promotional expenses. During 2015, we continued investments in our commercialization activities related to our sales force and e-commerce initiatives which more than offset the favorable currency impacts and lower compensation costs following a reassessment of stock units with performance criteria. We anticipate that sales and marketing costs will increase along with new product introductions and growth in sales of our products.
General and Administrative, Restructuring, Integration and Other
General and administrative, business integration, restructuring and related costs decreased by 18% to $103.9 million ( 8% of net sales) in 2015 from $126.6 million ( 9% of net sales) in 2014 . The comparison was affected by $8.3 million in restructuring costs in 2014 related to internal restructuring of subsidiaries, including severance and retention costs as discussed in Note 6 in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. The decrease in general and administrative, business integration, restructuring and related costs includes a $9.9 million favorable currency exchange impact. Additionally, share based compensation costs were lower compared to 2014 following a reassessment of stock units with performance criteria. During 2015 and 2014, we incurred acquisition transaction costs of approximately $7.5 million and $2.0 million, respectively primarily in connection with the 2015 acquisitions, including MO BIO Laboratories, and the 2014 acquisitions of Enzymatics and

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BIOBASE. As we further integrate the acquired companies and pursue other opportunities to gain efficiencies, we expect to continue to incur additional business integration in 2016. Over time, we believe the integration activities will reduce expenses as we improve efficiency in operations.
Acquisition-Related Intangible Amortization
Amortization expense related to developed technology and patent and license rights acquired in a business combination is included in cost of sales. Amortization of trademarks and customer base acquired in a business combination is recorded in operating expense under the caption “acquisition-related intangible amortization.” Amortization expenses of intangible assets not acquired in a business combination are recorded within cost of sales, research and development, or sales and marketing line items based on the use of the asset.
During 2015 , amortization expense on acquisition-related intangibles within operating expense increased to $38.7 million , compared to $37.1 million in 2014 . We expect acquisition-related intangible amortization will increase as a result of our future acquisitions.
Other Income (Expense)
Other expense was $43.2 million in 2015 , compared to $42.3 million in 2014 . Total other expense, net is primarily the result of interest expense and other expense, partially offset by interest income and impacts of foreign currency transactions. Included in other income (expense), net for the year ended December 31, 2015 , is a $7.6 million loss recognized on the repurchase of the $130.5 million loan payable to and warrant agreement with QIAGEN Finance. For the year ended December 31, 2014, a $4.6 million loss recognized on the redemption of the $300 million loan payable to and subscription right with QIAGEN Euro Finance is included. Both transactions are discussed more fully in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements.
For the year ended December 31, 2015 , interest income increased to $4.8 million from $4.0 million in 2014 . Interest income includes interest earned on cash, cash equivalents and short term investments, income related to certain interest rate derivatives entered into in 2015 as discussed in Note 13 and other components including the interest portion of operating lease transactions.
Interest expense decreased to $37.4 million in 2015 , compared to $39.3 million in 2014 . Interest costs primarily relate to debt, discussed in Note 15 in the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements. Interest expense decreased primarily as a result of the repayments of the 2006 Notes as discussed in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements.
For the year ended December 31, 2015 , we recorded net losses on foreign currency of $0.5 million compared to net gains of $1.9 million in 2014 . These gains and losses are due to foreign currency rate fluctuations.
Provision for Income Taxes
Our effective tax rates differ from The Netherlands statutory tax rate of 25% due in part to our operating subsidiaries being exposed to effective tax rates ranging from zero to more than 40%. Fluctuations in the distribution of pre-tax (loss) income among our operating subsidiaries can lead to fluctuations of the effective tax rate in the consolidated financial statements. In 2015 and 2014, our effective tax rates were 4% and 1%, respectively. In 2014, The Netherlands’ tax expense was favorably impacted by fully tax exempt income related to financing activities which concluded in 2014 and 2015 and accordingly, the related income tax benefit will not impact our effective tax rate beyond 2015. Additionally, in 2015 and 2014, tax expense on foreign operations was favorably impacted by lower income tax rates and partial tax exemptions on foreign income primarily derived from operations in Germany, Singapore, Luxembourg and Switzerland. These foreign tax benefits are due to a combination of favorable tax laws, rules, rulings, and exemptions in these jurisdictions. In particular, we have pre-tax income in Germany which is statutorily exempt from trade tax on intercompany foreign royalty income. Further, we have intercompany financing arrangements through Luxembourg in which the intercompany income is partially exempt. See Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements for a full reconciliation of the effective tax rate to The Netherlands statutory rate.
In future periods, our effective tax rate may fluctuate from similar or other factors as discussed in “Changes in tax laws or their application could adversely affect our results of operations or financial flexibility” in Item 3 Risk Factors .
Year Ended December 31, 2014 , Compared to 2013
Net Sales
In 2014, net sales increased 3% to $1.34 billion compared to $1.30 billion in 2013, driven by consumables and related revenues (+3%, 87% of sales) and instruments (+6%, 13% of sales) as well as ongoing business expansion in all customer classes. About one percentage point of growth came from acquisitions to create industry leadership in bioinformatics with Ingenuity, CLC bio and BIOBASE, and two percentage points from the rest of the business. Currency movements had an adverse impact of one percentage point.
The Europe / Middle East / Africa region (+8% / 34% of sales) had solid growth in Germany, France, United Kingdom and Turkey while also benefiting from ongoing expansion in the Nordic region. The Americas (-1% / 46% of sales) reflected the

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anticipated decline in U.S. HPV product sales. The Asia-Pacific / Japan region (+5% / 19% of sales) advanced on high-single-digit growth in China along with gains in Japan and South Korea. Sales in the top seven emerging markets (+2% / 14% of sales) showed gains in China, South Korea and Turkey, which more than offset sharply lower sales in Russia, as well as lower sales in Mexico due to the timing of national tenders.
Molecular Diagnostics, which represents approximately 50% of net sales, expanded by 3% in 2014 advanced on the ongoing solid expansion of QIAGEN’s growth drivers, helping to deliver 15% growth in 2014 from the diagnostics portfolio other than U.S. HPV tests and overcoming the full-year decline in U.S. HPV sales (-40%, 6% of total sales). Instrument sales grew at a double-digit pace, supported by ongoing strong placements of the QIAsymphony system. Full-year double-digit sales gains were also delivered by the QuantiFERON-TB test, the Personalized Healthcare portfolio (including higher pharma co-development project revenues compared to 2013) and Profiling consumables.
Applied Testing, which represents approximately 8% of net sales, achieved 8% growth in 2014 compared to 2013, delivered a strong performance in the fourth quarter of 2014, leading to a double-digit sales increase for the full year in instruments and a solid single-digit rise in consumables sales on the back of growth in Human ID / forensics and veterinary applications, as well as the addition of the bioinformatics portfolio.
Pharma, which represents approximately 19% of net sales, rose 4% in 2014 compared to 2013, and saw improving demand in the Americas during 2014, with single-digit increases both in instrument sales and in contributions from consumables and bioinformatics.
Academia, which represents approximately 22% of net sales, increased a modest 1% in 2014, delivered growth for the full year despite challenging funding conditions in the U.S. and other key markets, aided by a return to growth in instrument sales during the fourth quarter as well as higher contributions from consumables sales.
Gross Profit
Gross profit was $864.9 million, or 64% of net sales, in 2014, up from $815.5 million, or 63% of net sales, in 2013. Consumable products (including sample and assay kits as well as bioinformatics solutions) have a higher gross margin than our instruments and service arrangements. Fluctuations in the sales levels of these products and services will have an impact on the gross margin between periods. Gross profit in 2014 and 2013, was impacted by charges of $26.4 million and $40.6 million, respectively, recorded in cost of sales in connection with internal restructuring efforts as well as those related to acquisitions. In 2014, these charges included $24.2 million in impairments and $2.2 million in contract termination costs. In 2013, these charges included $25.2 million in impairments, $6.5 million for contract termination costs, $5.1 million for the write-off of inventory, and $3.5 million for personnel costs.
Cost of sales includes amortization expense related to developed technology and patent and license rights acquired in a business combination. The amortization expense on acquisition-related intangibles within cost of sales increased slightly to $81.7 million in 2014 from $77.9 million in 2013.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses increased by 12% to $163.6 million (12% of net sales) in 2014, compared to $146.1 million (11% of net sales) in 2013. Research and development expenses were minimally affected by currency exchange impacts in 2014. The increase in research and development expenses in 2014 primarily reflects our acquisitions of Ingenuity, CLC bio and BIOBASE; regulatory activity in support of new products; and initiatives in markets such as bioinformatics and next-generation sequencing.
Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing expenses increased 1% to $376.9 million (28% of net sales) in 2014 from $371.5 million (29% of net sales) in 2013. Sales and marketing expenses are primarily associated with personnel, commissions, advertising, trade shows, publications, freight and logistics expenses, medical device excise tax and other promotional expenses. The increase in sales and marketing expenses primarily reflects the acquisitions in 2014. The increase was partially offset by $5.1 million of favorable currency exchange impact in 2014.
General and Administrative, Restructuring, Integration and Other
General and administrative, business integration, restructuring and related costs decreased by 36% to $126.6 million (9% of net sales) in 2014 from $199.1 million (15% of net sales) in 2013. The comparison was affected by $78.1 million in restructuring costs in 2013 related to internal restructuring of subsidiaries, including severance and retention costs, plus increased costs in connection with acquisitions, partially offset by operational efficiencies. This includes fixed and intangible asset impairment charges of $11.8 million primarily due to the discontinuation of development programs. The restructuring costs in 2013 primarily related to a project we began in late 2011 to enhance productivity by streamlining the organization and reallocating resources to strategic initiatives to help drive growth and innovation, strengthen our industry leadership position and improve

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longer-term profitability. In connection with the integration of the acquired companies, we aim to improve efficiency in general and administrative operations. Additionally, general and administrative, integration and related costs were favorably impacted by $1.3 million in currency impacts in 2014, compared to the same period of 2013. During 2014, we incurred acquisition transaction costs of approximately $2.0 million, primarily in connection with the acquisition of Enzymatics and BIOBASE. During 2013, we incurred acquisition transaction costs of approximately $2.0 million, primarily in connection with the acquisitions of Ingenuity and CLC bio.
Acquisition-Related Intangible Amortization
Amortization expense related to developed technology and patent and license rights acquired in a business combination is included in cost of sales. Amortization of trademarks and customer base acquired in a business combination is recorded in operating expense under the caption “acquisition-related intangible amortization.” Amortization expenses of intangible assets not acquired in a business combination are recorded within cost of sales, research and development, or sales and marketing line items based on the use of the asset.
During 2014, amortization expense on acquisition-related intangibles within operating expense increased to $37.1 million, compared to $35.5 million in 2013.
Other Income (Expense)
Other expense was $42.3 million in 2014, compared to $26.0 million in 2013. Total other expense, net is primarily the result of interest expense and losses on foreign currency transactions partially offset by interest income and gains on foreign currency transactions. Additionally, for the year ended December 31, 2014, we recorded an impairment of $4.8 million to a cost method investment in other expense, net. Also, included in other expense, net is a $4.6 million loss recognized on the redemption of the $300 million loan payable to and subscription right with QIAGEN Euro Finance as discussed more fully in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements, "Lines of Credit and Debt."
For the year ended December 31, 2014, interest income increased to $4.0 million from $2.3 million in 2013. Interest income primarily reflects the changes in our cash and short-term investments and the changing interest rates thereon.
Interest expense increased to $39.3 million in 2014, compared to $30.9 million in 2013. Interest costs primarily relate to debt, discussed in Note 15 in the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements. Interest expense increased primarily as a result of the issuance of the Cash Convertible Notes in March 2014, partially offset by the repayment of the $300.0 million 2006 Notes during March 2014 as discussed in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements.
For the year ended December 31, 2014, foreign currency gains of $1.9 million were realized compared to a gain of $5.6 million in 2013.
Provision for Income Taxes
Our effective tax rates differ from The Netherlands statutory tax rate of 25% due in part to our operating subsidiaries being exposed to effective tax rates ranging from zero to more than 40%. Fluctuations in the distribution of pre-tax (loss) income among our operating subsidiaries can lead to fluctuations of the effective tax rate in the consolidated financial statements. In 2014 and 2013, our effective tax rates were 1% and -85%, respectively. Income tax expense increased in 2014 compared to 2013, mainly reflecting improved operating results. In 2014 and 2013, The Netherlands’ tax expense was favorably impacted by fully tax exempt income related to financing activities which concluded in 2014 and 2015. Additionally, in 2014 and 2013, tax expense on foreign operations was favorably impacted by lower income tax rates and partial tax exemptions on foreign income primarily derived from operations in Germany, Singapore, Luxembourg and Switzerland. These foreign tax benefits are due to a combination of favorable tax laws, rules, rulings, and exemptions in these jurisdictions. In particular, we have pretax income in Germany which is statutorily exempt from trade tax on intercompany foreign royalty income. Further, we have intercompany financing arrangements through Luxembourg in which the intercompany income is partially exempt. In addition to these impacts in 2014 and 2013, in certain foreign jurisdictions, primarily Germany and the United States, we recorded acquisition related and impairment charges which reduced pretax income in higher tax jurisdictions. See Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements for a full reconciliation of the effective tax rate to The Netherlands statutory rate.
Foreign Currencies
QIAGEN N.V.’s reporting currency is the U.S. dollar, and most of our subsidiaries’ functional currencies are the local currencies of the countries in which they are headquartered. All amounts in the financial statements of entities whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at exchange rates as follows: (1) assets and liabilities at period-end rates, (2) income statement accounts at average exchange rates for the period, and (3) components of shareholders’ equity at historical rates. Translation gains or losses are recorded in shareholders’ equity, and transaction gains and losses are reflected in net income. The net (loss) gain on foreign currency transactions in 2015 , 2014 and 2013 was $(0.5) million , $1.9 million , and $5.6 million , respectively, and is included in other income (expense), net.

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Derivatives and Hedging. In the ordinary course of business, we use derivative instruments, including swaps, forwards and/or options, to manage potential losses from foreign currency and variable rate debt. The principal objective of such derivative instruments is to minimize the risks and/or costs associated with global financial and operating activities. We do not utilize derivative or other financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. We recognize all derivatives as either assets or liabilities on the balance sheet, measure those instruments at fair value and recognize the change in fair value in earnings in the period of change, unless the derivative qualifies as an effective hedge that offsets certain exposures. In determining fair value, we consider both the counterparty credit risk and our own creditworthiness. We have agreed with almost all of our counterparties with whom we enter into cross-currency swaps, interest rate swaps or foreign exchange contracts, to enter into bilateral collateralization contracts under which we receive or provide cash collateral, as the case may be, for the net position with each of these counterparties, which effectively eliminates credit risk .
Foreign Currency Derivatives. As a globally active enterprise, we are subject to risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currencies in our ordinary operations. This includes foreign currency-denominated receivables, payables, debt and other balance sheet positions, including intercompany items. We manage our balance sheet exposure on a group-wide basis primarily using foreign exchange forward and option contracts as well as cross-currency swaps.
Interest Rate Derivatives. We use interest rate derivative contracts on certain borrowing transactions to hedge interest rate exposures. We have entered into interest rate swaps in which we agree to exchange, at specified intervals, the difference between fixed and floating interest amounts calculated by reference to an agreed-upon notional principal amount.
Further details of our derivative and hedging activities can be found in Note 13 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
To date, we have funded our business primarily through internally generated funds, debt, and private and public sales of equity. Our primary use of cash has been to support continuing operations and our investing activities including capital expenditure requirements and acquisitions. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , we had cash and cash equivalents of $290.0 million and $392.7 million , respectively. We also had short-term investments of $130.8 million at December 31, 2015 . Cash and cash equivalents are primarily held in U.S. dollars and euros, other than those cash balances maintained in the local currency of subsidiaries to meet local working capital needs. At December 31, 2015 , cash and cash equivalents had decreased by $102.7 million from December 31, 2014 , primarily as a result of cash used in financing activities of $258.6 million and cash used in investing activities of $146.2 million , partially offset by cash provided by operating activities of $317.5 million . As of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , we had working capital of $693.3 million and $717.1 million , respectively.
Operating Activities. For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 , we generated net cash from operating activities of $317.5 million and $288.0 million , respectively. While net income was $126.9 million in 2015 , non-cash components in income included $191.5 million of depreciation and amortization. Operating cash flows include a net decrease in working capital of $23.6 million excluding changes in fair value of derivative instruments. The current period change in working capital is primarily due to increased accounts receivables and inventories and decreased accrued liabilities, partially offset by cash payments collected from derivative contracts. Because we rely heavily on cash generated from operating activities to fund our business, a decrease in demand for our products, longer collection cycles or significant technological advances of competitors would have a negative impact on our liquidity.
Investing Activities. Approximately $146.2 million of cash was used in investing activities during 2015 , compared to $407.6 million during 2014 . Investing activities during 2015 consisted principally of $317.6 million for purchases of short-term investments, fully offset by $367.7 million from the sale of short-term investments, $97.8 million in cash paid for purchases of property and equipment, including our construction projects in the U.S and software development costs, as well as $19.7 million paid for intangible assets. Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired, of $66.9 million represents the total cash paid for three acquisitions, including the acquisition of MO BIO Laboratories. As of December 31, 2015 , we also had made strategic investments of $6.1 million in privately held companies as discussed in Note 10.
In connection with certain acquisitions, we could be required to make additional contingent cash payments totaling up to $67.8 million based on the achievement of certain revenue and operating results milestones as follows: $40.2 million in 2016 , $15.5 million in 2017 , $5.1 million in 2019 , and $7.0 million , payable in any 12-month period from now until 2029 based on the accomplishment of certain revenue targets. Of the $67.8 million total contingent obligation, we have assessed the fair value at December 31, 2015 , to be $17.7 million , of which of which $10.7 million is included in other long-term liabilities and $7.0 million is included in accrued liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet as of December 31, 2015 .
Financing Activities. Approximately $258.6 million of cash was used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to cash provided by financing activities of $192.8 million in 2014 . Cash used during 2015, was mainly due to the repayment of the long-term debt of QIAGEN Finance of $250.9 million as discussed in Note 15 "Lines of Credit and Debt." In 2014, the net proceeds from the issuance of the Cash Convertible Notes and the Warrants, net of the cost of the purchased

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Call Options, were substantially used to fund the redemption of the 2006 Notes and related subscription right also discussed in Note 15. Additionally, cash used during 2015 included $20.8 million for the purchase of treasury shares which was partially offset by $10.3 million for the issuance of common shares in connection with our stock plan.
In October 2015, we extended the maturity of our €400 million syndicated revolving credit facility, which now has a contractual lifetime until December 2020 of which no amounts were utilized at December 31, 2015 . The facility can be utilized in euro, British pounds sterling or U.S. dollar and bears interest of 0.40% to 1.20% above three months EURIBOR, or LIBOR in relation to any loan not in euro, and is offered with interest periods of one, two, three, six or twelve months. We have additional credit lines totaling €36.6 million with no expiration date, none of which were utilized as of December 31, 2015 . We also have capital lease obligations, including interest, in the aggregate amount of $4.0 million , and carry $1.1 billion of long-term debt, of which no amounts are current as of December 31, 2015 .
In March 2014, we issued $730.0 million aggregate principal amount of Cash Convertible Senior Notes of which $430.0 million is due in 2019 (2019 Notes) and $300.0 million is due in 2021 (2021 Notes). We refer to the 2019 Notes and the 2021 Notes, collectively as the “Cash Convertible Notes” which are discussed fully in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements. Interest on the Cash Convertible Notes is payable semiannually in arrears on March 19 and September 19 of each year, at rates of 0.375% and 0.875% per annum for the 2019 Notes and 2021 Notes, respectively, commencing on September 19, 2014. The 2019 Notes will mature on March 19, 2019 and the 2021 Notes will mature on March 19, 2021, unless repurchased or converted in accordance with their terms prior to such date.
We had notes payable, which were the long-term borrowings of the proceeds from the issuances of $150.0 million senior unsubordinated convertible notes, with a 1.5% coupon due in 2024 through QIAGEN Finance (2004 Notes). The 2004 Notes were convertible into our common shares at a conversion price of $12.6449, subject to adjustment. In connection with conversions of $14.9 million of the 2004 Notes, we previously repaid $14.5 million of the debt to QIAGEN Finance. During 2015, we paid $250.9 million for the redemption of the remaining loan and repurchased the warrant agreement with QIAGEN Finance and recognized a loss of $7.6 million in other (expense) income, net.
In October 2012, we completed a private placement through the issuance of new senior unsecured notes at a total amount of $400 million with a weighted average interest rate of 3.66% (settled on October 16, 2012). The notes were issued in three series: (1) $73 million 7-year term due in 2019 (3.19%); (2) $300 million 10-year term due in 2022 (3.75%); and (3) $27 million 12-year term due in 2024 (3.90%). Approximately €170 million (approximately $220 million) of proceeds from the notes were used to repay amounts outstanding under our short-term revolving credit facility. The remainder of the proceeds provides additional resources to support QIAGEN's longer-term business expansion.
In 2012, our Supervisory Board approved a program authorizing management to purchase up to a total of $100 million of our common shares (excluding transaction costs).We completed this share repurchase program in April 2013 having repurchased, between October 2012 and April 2013, a total of 5.1 million QIAGEN shares for an aggregate cost of $99.0 million .
In 2013, we announced a second share buyback program, to purchase up to another $100 million of our Common Shares (excluding transaction costs). We completed the share repurchase program in June 2014 having repurchased between September 2013 and June 2014 a total of approximately 4.4 million QIAGEN shares for a total aggregate cost of $100.4 million (including performance fees).
In July 2014, we announced the launch of our third $100 million share repurchase program to purchase up to another $100 million of our common shares (excluding transaction costs). In 2014, 2.1 million QIAGEN shares were repurchased for $49.1 million (excluding transaction costs) and in 2015 0.8 million QIAGEN shares were repurchased for $20.8 million . This program expired in December 2015. Repurchased shares will be held in treasury in order to satisfy obligations for exchangeable debt instruments and employee share-based remuneration plans.
We expect that cash from financing activities will continue to be impacted by issuances of our common shares in connection with our equity compensation plans and that the market performance of our stock will impact the timing and volume of the issuances. Additionally, we may make future acquisitions or investments requiring cash payments, the issuance of additional equity or debt financing.
We believe that funds from operations, existing cash and cash equivalents, together with the proceeds from our public and private sales of equity, and availability of financing facilities, will be sufficient to fund our planned operations and expansion during the coming year. However, any global economic downturn may have a greater impact on our business than currently expected, and we may experience a decrease in the sales of our products, which could impact our ability to generate cash. If our future cash flows from operations and other capital resources are not adequate to fund our liquidity needs, we may be required to obtain additional debt or equity financing or to reduce or delay our capital expenditures, acquisitions or research and development projects. If we could not obtain financing on a timely basis or at satisfactory terms, or implement timely reductions in our expenditures, our business could be adversely affected.

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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
Other than our former arrangements with QIAGEN Finance and QIAGEN Euro Finance as discussed in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements, we did not use special purpose entities and do not have off-balance sheet financing arrangements as of and during the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 .
Contractual Obligations
As of December 31, 2015 , our future contractual cash obligations are as follows:
Contractual Obligations
(in thousands)
Payments Due by Period
Total
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Thereafter
Long-term debt (1)
$
1,172,972

$
18,869

$
18,869

$
18,869

$
487,317

$
14,928

$
614,120

Purchase obligations
99,212

67,609

15,970

8,453

7,044

136

—

Operating leases
54,444

18,166

12,894

8,207

5,878

4,376

4,923

License and royalty payments
7,794

1,333

1,277

1,221

1,151

1,151

1,661

Capital lease obligations (2)
4,024

1,307

1,212

1,505

—

—

—

Total contractual cash obligations
$
1,338,446

$
107,284

$
50,222

$
38,255

$
501,390

$
20,591

$
620,704

____________________
(1) Amounts include required principal, stated at current carrying values, and interest payments.
(2) Includes future cash payments, including interest, due under capital lease arrangements.
In addition to the above and pursuant to purchase agreements for several of our recent acquisitions, we could be required to make additional contingent cash payments totaling up to $67.8 million based on the achievement of certain revenue and operating results milestones as follows: $40.2 million in 2016 , $15.5 million in 2017 , $5.1 million in 2019 and $7.0 million , payable in any 12-month period from now until 2029 based on the accomplishment of certain revenue targets, the launch of certain products or the grant of certain patent rights. As of December 31, 2015 , we have accrued $17.7 million .
Liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions, including interest and penalties, are currently estimated at $18.1 million and are not included in the table above, as we cannot reasonably estimate when, if ever, an amount would be paid to a government agency. Ultimate settlement of these liabilities is dependent on factors outside of our control, such as examinations by each agency and expiration of statutes of limitation for assessment of additional taxes.
Critical Accounting Policies, Judgments and Estimates
The preparation of our financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and disclosure of contingencies as of the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Critical accounting policies are those that require the most complex or subjective judgments often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effects of matters that are inherently uncertain. Thus, to the extent that actual events differ from management’s estimates and assumptions, there could be a material impact to the financial statements. In applying our critical accounting policies, at times we used accounting estimates that either required us to make assumptions about matters that were highly uncertain at the time the estimate was made or it is reasonably likely that changes in the accounting estimate may occur from period to period that would have a material impact on the presentation of our results of operations, financial position or cash flows. Our critical accounting policies are those related to revenue recognition, share-based compensation, income taxes, investments, variable interest entities, goodwill and other intangible assets, purchase price allocation and fair value measurements. We reviewed the development, selection, and disclosure of our critical accounting policies and estimates with the Audit Committee of our Supervisory Board.
Revenue Recognition. We recognize revenue when four basic criteria are met: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (2) delivery has occurred or services have been rendered; (3) the fee is fixed or determinable; and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. Determination of criteria (3) and (4) could require management’s judgments regarding the fixed nature of the fee charged for services rendered and products delivered and the collectability of those fees. While the majority of our sales agreements contain standard terms and conditions, we do enter into agreements that contain multiple elements or non-standard terms and conditions. Sometimes interpretation of the sales agreement or contract for multiple-element arrangements is complex in determining whether there is more than one unit of accounting and if so, how and when revenue should be

47

recognized for each element is subject to certain estimates or assumptions. We record revenue as the separate elements are delivered to the customer if the delivered item has value on a stand-alone basis and delivery or performance of the undelivered item is probable and substantially in our control. Revenue is allocated according to the relative selling price method. Should changes in conditions cause management to determine that these criteria are not met for certain future transactions, revenue recognized for any reporting period could be adversely affected.
Share-Based Compensation . Our stock plan, the QIAGEN N.V. 2014 Stock Plan (the Plan), allows for the granting of stock rights, incentive stock options, as well as for non-qualified options, stock grants and stock-based awards. We grant performance-based stock units subject to performance periods of one-year up to three years. Thus the estimates of performance achieved during the performance period may be subject to significant changes from period to period as the performance is completed. We have used the Black-Scholes-Merton valuation model for estimating the fair value of our stock option grants. Option valuation models, including Black-Scholes-Merton, require the input of highly subjective assumptions, including the risk-free rate of interest, expected dividend yield, expected volatility, and the expected life of the award. Changes in the assumptions used can materially affect the grant date fair value of an award. For details on the assumptions and methodologies used in determining the fair value of stock options, refer to Note 20 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Income Taxes. Calculation of our tax provision is complex due to our international operations and the multiple taxing jurisdictions in which we operate. Some of our deferred tax assets relate to net operating losses (NOL). The utilization of NOLs is not assured and is dependent on generating sufficient taxable income in the future. Although management believes it is more likely than not that we will generate sufficient taxable income to utilize substantially all NOL carryforwards, evaluating the NOLs related to our newer subsidiaries requires us to make estimates that we believe are reasonable, but may also be highly uncertain given that we do not have direct experience with these subsidiaries or their products. Thus the estimates may be subject to significant changes from period to period as we gain that experience. To the extent that our estimates of future taxable income are insufficient to utilize all available NOLs, a valuation allowance will be recorded in the provision for income taxes in the period the determination is made, and the deferred tax assets will be reduced by this amount, which could be material. In the event that actual circumstances differ from management’s estimates, or to the extent that these estimates are adjusted in the future, any changes to the valuation allowance could materially impact our financial position and results of operations.
Investments. We have equity investments accounted for under the cost method. We periodically review the carrying value of these investments for permanent impairment, considering factors such as the most recent stock transactions, book values from the most recent financial statements, and forecasts and expectations of the investee. Estimating the fair value of these nonmarketable equity investments in biotech companies is inherently subjective, and if actual events differ from management’s assumptions, it could require a write-down of the investment that could materially impact our financial position and results of operations.
In addition, generally accepted accounting principles require different methods of accounting for an investment depending on the level of influence that we exert. Assessing the level of influence involves subjective judgments. If management’s assumptions with respect to its level of influence differ in future periods and we therefore have to account for these investments under a method other than the cost method, it could have a material impact to our financial statements.
Variable Interest Entities. We have made strategic investments in certain companies as more fully described in Note 10 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, some of which are variable interest entities. FASB ASC Topic 810 requires a company to consolidate a variable interest entity in which it holds a variable interest if it is designated as the primary beneficiary of that entity even if the company does not have a majority of voting interests. A variable interest entity is generally defined as an entity with insufficient equity to finance its activities or where the owners of the entity lack the risk and rewards of ownership. Assessing the requirements of ASC Topic 810 involves subjective judgments. If management’s assumptions with respect to the criteria differ in future periods, and we therefore have to account for these investments under a different method, it could have a material impact on our financial statements.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. We assess goodwill for impairment at least annually in the absence of an indicator of possible impairment and immediately upon an indicator of possible impairment. Goodwill is deemed to be impaired if we determine that the carrying value of our reporting unit is more than the fair value. Due to the numerous variables associated with our judgments and assumptions relating to the valuation of reporting units and the effects of changes in circumstances affecting these valuations, both the precision and reliability of the resulting estimates are subject to uncertainty. As additional information becomes known, we may change our estimates.
In the fourth quarter of 2015 , we performed our annual impairment assessment of goodwill (using data as of October 1, 2015 ). We performed our goodwill impairment testing on a single reporting unit basis which is consistent with our reporting structure. In testing for potential impairment, we measured the estimated fair value of our business based upon discounted future operating cash flows using a discount rate reflecting our estimated average cost of funds. Differences in assumptions used in projecting future operating cash flows and cost of funds could have a significant impact on the determination of impairment amounts. In estimating future cash flows, we used our internal budgets. Our budgets were based on recent sales data for existing

48

products, planned timing of new product launches or capital projects, and customer commitments related to new and existing products. These budgets also included assumptions of future production volumes and pricing. Based on the sensitivity analysis performed, we determined that in the event that our estimates of projected future cash flows were too high by 10%, there would still be no impact on the reported value of goodwill. We concluded that no impairment existed at October 1, 2015 or through December 31, 2015 .
Purchase Price Allocation . The purchase price allocation for acquisitions requires extensive use of accounting estimates and judgments to allocate the purchase price to the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired, including in-process research and development, and liabilities assumed based on their respective fair values. An acquisition may include contingent consideration as part of the purchase price. Contingent consideration is accounted for at fair value at the acquisition date with subsequent changes to the fair value being recognized in earnings. Additionally, we must determine whether an acquired entity is considered to be a business or a set of net assets, because a portion of the purchase price can only be allocated to goodwill in a business combination.
We have made several acquisitions in recent years. The purchase prices for the acquisitions were allocated to tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values at the acquisition dates. We engaged an independent third-party valuation firm to assist us in determining the estimated fair values of in-process research and development and identifiable intangible assets. Such a valuation requires significant estimates and assumptions, including but not limited to determining the timing and estimated costs to complete the in-process projects, projecting regulatory approvals, estimating future cash flows, and developing appropriate discount rates. We believe the estimated fair values of contingent consideration and assets acquired and liabilities assumed are based on reasonable assumptions. However, the fair value estimates for the purchase price allocations may change during the allowable allocation period, which is up to one year from the acquisition dates, if additional information becomes available.
Fair Value Measurements. We have categorized our assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value, based on the priority of the inputs to the valuation techniques, in a three-level fair value hierarchy: Level 1 - using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 - using observable inputs other than quoted prices; and Level 3 – using unobservable inputs. We primarily apply the market approach for recurring fair value measurements, maximize our use of observable inputs and minimize our use of unobservable inputs. We utilize the mid-point price between bid and ask prices for valuing the majority of our assets and liabilities measured and reported at fair value. In addition to using market data, we make assumptions in valuing assets and liabilities, including assumptions about risk and the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique.
Certain of our derivative instruments, which are classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, are valued using industry-standard models that consider various inputs, including time value, volatility factors, and current market and contractual prices for the underlying instruments, as well as other relevant economic measures. Substantially all of these inputs are observable in the marketplace throughout the full term of the instrument, can be derived from observable data or are supported by observable prices at which transactions are executed in the marketplace.
Certain of our acquisitions involve contingent consideration, the payment of which is contingent on the occurrence of future events. Contingent consideration is classified in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy and is initially recognized at fair value as a cost of the acquisition. After the acquisition, the contingent consideration liability is remeasured each reporting period. The fair value of contingent consideration is measured predominantly on unobservable inputs such as assumptions about the likelihood of achieving specified milestone criteria, projections of future financial performance, assumed discount rates and assumed weightings applied to potential scenarios in deriving a probability weighted fair value. Significant judgment is used in developing these estimates and assumptions both at the acquisition date and in subsequent periods. If actual events differ from management's estimates, or to the extent these estimates are adjusted in the future, our financial condition or results of operations could be affected in the period of any change.
For other fair value measurements, we generally use an income approach to measure fair value when there is not a market observable price for an identical or similar asset or liability. This approach utilizes management’s best assumptions regarding expectations of projected cash flows, and discounts the expected cash flows using a commensurate risk-adjusted discount rate.
The above listing is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all our accounting policies. In many cases, the accounting treatment of a particular transaction is specifically dictated by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, with limited or no need for management’s judgment. There are also areas in which management’s judgment in selecting available alternatives may or may not produce a materially different result. See our audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto in Item 18 of this Annual Report, containing a description of accounting policies and other disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
Recent Authoritative Pronouncements
For information on recent accounting pronouncements impacting our business see Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 18.

49


Item 6.
Directors, Senior Management and Employees
Managing Directors and Supervisory Directors are appointed annually for the period beginning on the date following the Annual General Meeting of our shareholders up to and including the date of the Annual General Meeting held in the following year.
Our Supervisory Directors and Managing Directors for the year ended December 31, 2015 and their ages as of January 31, 2016 , are as follows:
Managing Directors:
Name
Age
Position
Peer M. Schatz
50
Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer
Roland Sackers
47
Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer
Supervisory Directors:
Name (1)
Age
Position
Dr. Werner Brandt
62
Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Supervisory Director and Chairman of the Selection and Appointment Committee
Stéphane Bancel
43
Supervisory Director, Member of the Compensation Committee, Audit Committee and Science and Technology Committee
Dr. Metin Colpan
61
Supervisory Director, Chairman of the Science and Technology Committee and Member of the Selection and Appointment Committee
Prof. Dr. Manfred Karobath
75
Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Supervisory Director, Chairman of the Compensation Committee, Member of the Science and Technology Committee and Member of the Selection and Appointment Committee
Prof. Dr. Elaine Mardis
53
Supervisory Director and Member of the Science and Technology Committee
Lawrence A. Rosen
58
Supervisory Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee
Elizabeth E. Tallett
66
Supervisory Director, Member of the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee
____________________
(1) Prof. James E. Bradner, M.D. was elected at the Company's Annual General Meeting in June 2015 and Dr. Bradner declared his resignation from the Supervisory Board as of December 31, 2015.

The following is a brief summary of the background of each of the Supervisory Directors and Managing Directors. References to “QIAGEN” and the “Company” in relation to periods prior to April 29, 1996 mean QIAGEN GmbH and its consolidated subsidiaries:
Managing Directors
Peer M. Schatz , 50, joined QIAGEN in 1993, when the Company had just 30 employees and revenues of approximately $2 million, and has been Chief Executive Officer since January 1, 2004. He was Chief Financial Officer between 1993 and 2003 and became a member of the Managing Board in 1998. Mr. Schatz was previously a partner in a private management buyout group in Switzerland, worked in finance and systems positions in Sandoz, Ltd. and Computerland AG, and participated in the founding of start-up companies in the computer and software trading industry in Europe and the United States. Mr. Schatz graduated from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, with a Master's degree in Finance in 1989 and obtained an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business in 1991. Mr. Schatz served as a member of the German Corporate Governance Commission from 2002 to 2012. He is a board member of AdvaMedDx, an advocacy dedicated to issues facing the in vitro diagnostics industry in the United States and Europe, and ALDA (the Analytical, Life Science and Diagnostics Association), a trade association of developers and suppliers in these fields.
Roland Sackers , 47, joined the Company in 1999 as Vice President Finance and has been Chief Financial Officer since 2004. In 2006, Mr. Sackers became a member of the Managing Board. Between 1995 and 1999, he served as an auditor with Arthur Andersen Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft Steuerberatungsgesellschaft. Mr. Sackers earned his Master Degree Business Administration (Diplom-Kaufmann) from University of Münster, Germany. He is a former member of the Supervisory Board and Audit Committee of IBS AG and a former member of the board of directors of Operon Biotechnologies, Inc. Mr. Sackers is

50

a board member of the industry association BIO Deutschland. He is also a non-executive director and chair of the audit committee of Immunodiagnostic Systems Holding PLC (IDS), a leading producer of immunological tests for research and diagnostic applications publicly listed in the United Kingdom.
Supervisory Directors
Stéphane Bancel, 43, joined the Company's Supervisory Board as well as the Compensation Committee in 2013 and joined the Audit Committee and Science and Technology Committee in 2014. He is President and Founding Chief Executive Officer of Moderna Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is advancing multiple drug development programs involving messenger RNA therapeutics. Before joining Moderna, Mr. Bancel served for five years as Chief Executive Officer of the French diagnostics company bioMérieux SA. Prior to bioMérieux, he was Managing Director of Eli Lilly in Belgium and Executive Director of Global Manufacturing Strategy and Supply Chain at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, Indiana, after having started at Lilly in Great Britain. Before joining Eli Lilly, Mr. Bancel served as Asia-Pacific Sales and Marketing Director for bioMérieux while based in Tokyo, Japan. He holds a Master of Engineering degree from École Centrale Paris (ECP), a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Dr. Werner Brandt , 62, joined the Company’s Supervisory Board in 2007 and is Chairman of the Supervisory Board. He is also Chairman of the Selection and Appointment Committee, and he served from 2007 to 2014 as Chairman of the Audit Committee. Dr. Brandt was a member of the Executive Board and the Chief Financial Officer of SAP SE from 2001 until his retirement from SAP in 2014. For some years from 2010 onwards he also held the position of Labor Relations Director. From 1999 to 2001, he was a member of the Executive Board and Chief Financial Officer of the German-American healthcare company, Fresenius Medical Care AG, where he also served as Labor Relations Director. From 1992 to 1999, Dr. Brandt was a member of the Managing Board of Baxter Deutschland GmbH and Vice President for European Operations. Dr. Brandt began his career in 1981 at the former Price Waterhouse GmbH (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) in Frankfurt. Dr. Brandt completed his doctorate in business administration from the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany in 1991, after studying business administration at the University of Nuremberg-Erlangen, Germany from 1976 to 1981. Dr. Brandt is currently Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, a member of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, a member of the Supervisory Board of RWE AG and a member of the Supervisory Board of OSRAM Licht AG (where he is Chairman of the Audit Committee).
Dr. Metin Colpan , 61, is a co-founder of QIAGEN and was the Company's Chief Executive Officer and a Managing Director from 1985 through 2003. Dr. Colpan has been a member of the Supervisory Board since 2004 and has served as Chairman of the Science and Technology Committee since 2014. He has been a member of the Selection and Appointment Committee since 2015. Dr. Colpan obtained his Ph.D. and M.S. in Organic Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from the Darmstadt Institute of Technology in 1983. Prior to founding QIAGEN, Dr. Colpan was an Assistant Investigator at the Institute for Biophysics at the University of Düsseldorf. Dr. Colpan has had wide experience in separation techniques and in the separation and purification of nucleic acids in particular, and has filed many patents in the field. Dr. Colpan also serves as a Supervisory Board member of Qalovis Farmer Automatic Energy GmbH, Laer, Germany. Dr. Colpan previously served as a Supervisory Board member of Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG, GenPat77 Pharmacogenetics AG, GPC Biotech AG and Morphosys AG, each in Munich, Germany.
Professor Dr. Manfred Karobath , 75, has been a member of the Supervisory Board since 2000 and joined the Compensation Committee in 2005. He has served as a member of our Science and Technology Committee since 2014 and he is also a member of the Selection and Appointment Committee. Prof. Dr. Karobath studied medicine, and from 1967 to 1980 he worked first in the Dept. of Biochemistry of the University of Vienna and, after a stage as postdoctoral fellow, he joined the Dept. of Psychiatry where he became Professor of Biological Psychiatry. In 1980, he joined Sandoz Pharma in Basel, first in drug discovery, and later becoming Senior Vice President and head of R&D. In 1992, Prof. Dr. Karobath joined Rhone Poulenc Rorer (RPR) as President of R&D and Executive Vice President, and later, he became a member of the boards of directors of RPR, Pasteur Mérieux Connought, Centeon and Rhone Poulenc Pharma. He has received several scientific awards and has published 92 scientific papers.
Professor Dr. Elaine Mardis, 53, joined the Company’s Supervisory Board and its Science and Technology Committee in 2014. Since 2014 she has served on the Scientific Advisory Board of Ingenuity Systems, Inc. Dr. Mardis holds over two decades experience in DNA preparation and sequencing-based research. She is the Robert E. and Louise F. Dunn Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Washington University and also serves as Co-Director of its McDonnell Genome Institute where she has worked since 1993. Prof. Dr. Mardis serves on several study sections of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is an editorial board member of Molecular Cancer Research, Annals of Oncology , and Disease Models and Mechanisms and acts as a reviewer for Nature and The New England Journal of Medicine. Prof. Dr. Mardis also serves on the scientific advisory boards of QIAGEN Silicon Valley (formerly Ingenuity) and Regeneron Genomics Center. Between 2008 and 2009 she served on the board of directors of Applied Biosytems, Inc. Prof. Dr. Mardis is also Professor in the Department of Genetics, with an adjunct appointment in the Department of Molecular Microbiology at Washington University. Prior to joining the Washington

51

University faculty, she was a senior research scientist at Bio-Rad Laboratories in Hercules, California. Prof. Dr. Mardis received her Bachelor of Science in Zoology in 1984 and her Ph.D. in Chemistry and Biochemistry in 1989 from the University of Oklahoma.
Lawrence A. Rosen, 58, joined the Company's Supervisory Board as well as the Audit Committee in 2013 and has served as the committee's chairman since 2014. Mr. Rosen is a member of the Board of Management and Chief Financial Officer of Deutsche Post DHL. Holding this position since 2009, Mr. Rosen is in charge of controlling, corporate accounting and reporting, investor relations, corporate finance, corporate internal audit and security, taxes, as well as the group’s global business services. Prior to joining Deutsche Post DHL, Mr. Rosen served as Chief Financial Officer of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA in Germany from 2003 to 2009. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President and Treasurer for Aventis SA in Strasbourg, France. Between 1984 and 2000, Mr. Rosen held different positions at the Aventis predecessor companies Hoechst AG and American Hoechst/Hoechst Celanese Inc. Mr. Rosen, who is a U.S. citizen, holds a Bachelor in Business Administration from the State University of New York and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan.
Elizabeth E. Tallett, 66, joined the Company's Supervisory Board as well as the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee in 2011. Ms. Tallett was a Principal of Hunter Partners, LLC, a management company for early to mid-stage pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, from 2002 until February 2015. Ms. Tallett will continue to consult with early stage health care companies. Her senior management experience includes President and CEO of Transcell Technologies Inc., President of Centocor Pharmaceuticals, member of the Parke-Davis Executive Committee, and Director of Worldwide Strategic Planning for Warner-Lambert Company. Ms. Tallett graduated from Nottingham University, England with dual Bachelor's degrees with honors in mathematics and economics. She is a member of the board of directors of Principal Financial Group, Inc. (where she is currently the Lead Director), Anthem, Inc. and Meredith Corp. She is a former director of Varian, Inc., Immunicon, Inc., Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc., Coventry Health Care, Inc. and IntegraMed America, Inc. Ms. Tallett was a founding board member of the Biotechnology Council of New Jersey and is a Trustee of Solebury School in Pennsylvania.
Professor James E. Bradner , M.D., 43, was selected as a member of the Supervisory Board as of January 2015, and was elected at the Company's Annual General Meeting in June 2015. Dr. Bradner is Associate Director of the Center for the Science of Therapeutics (CSofT) at the Broad Institute where he has worked since 2004, as well as an attending physician in the Department of Hematology-Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Among other roles, he also serves as an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is a founder of Acetylon Pharmaceuticals, SHAPE Pharmaceuticals, Tensha Therapeutics, and Syros Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Bradner received his A.B. in Biochemistry from Harvard University in 1994 and his M.D. from The University of Chicago in 1999. Dr. Bradner resigned from the Supervisory Board effective December 31, 2015.
Compensation of Managing Board Members and Supervisory Directors
Remuneration policy
The objective of our remuneration policy is to attract and retain the talented, highly qualified international leaders and skilled individuals, who enable QIAGEN to achieve its short and long term strategic initiatives and operational excellence. Our remuneration policy aligns remuneration with individual performance, corporate performance and fosters sustainable growth and long term value creation in the context of QIAGEN’s social responsibility and stakeholders’ interest.
The remuneration policy and overall remuneration levels are benchmarked regularly, against a selected group of companies and key markets in which QIAGEN operates, to ensure overall competitiveness. QIAGEN participates in various compensation benchmarking surveys that provide information on the level, as well as the structure, of compensation awarded by various companies and industries for a broad range of positions around the world. The companies in the peer group are selected on the basis of market capitalization, competitors for talent, similar complexity and international spread, operating in similar industries.
The performance of the Managing Board members is measured annually against a written set of goals. The remuneration of the Managing Board members is linked to the achievement of QIAGEN’s strategic and financial goals. To ensure that remuneration is linked to performance, a significant proportion of the remuneration package is variable and contingent on performance of the individual and the company. These goals are set at ambitious levels each year to motivate and drive performance, with a focus on achieving both long term strategic initiatives and short-term objectives based on the annual operative planning. Performance metrics used for these goals include the achievement of financial and non-financial targets.
The remuneration package of the Managing Board members consists of a combination of base salary, short term variable cash award and several elements of long term incentives (together, ‘total direct compensation’). In addition, the members of the Managing Board receive a pension arrangement and other benefits that are standard in our industry, such as a company car.

52

The total target remuneration package of the Managing Board members is appropriately set against a variety of factors which includes external and internal equity, experience, complexity of the position, scope and responsibilities. We aim to provide the members of the Managing Board a total direct compensation at market median level.
The structure of the remuneration package for the Managing Board is designed to balance short term operational excellence with long term sustainable value creation while taking into account the interests of its stakeholders. As such a significant part of the total remuneration of the Managing Board members consist of variable remuneration which can differ substantially from year to year depending on our corporate results and individual performance and may include equity-based compensation which may be subject to vesting conditions over a period of 10 years.
The remuneration policies for the Managing Board and for other senior management members of QIAGEN are generally aligned and consistent.
Managing Board compensation
The compensation granted to the members of the Managing Board in 2015 consisted of a fixed salary and variable components, with the significant majority of compensation awarded in the form of QIAGEN share units that are restricted for a long multi-year period to align management with the interests of shareholders and other stakeholders. Variable compensation included annual payments linked to business performance (annual bonus), as well as long-term equity incentives that were awarded based on individual performance.
Stock options granted to the Managing Board members must have an exercise price that is higher than the market price at the time of grant. Restricted Stock Units granted to the Managing Board members, vest over a 10-year period. Performance Stock Units are subject to long-term vesting periods and contingent upon the achievement of several financial goals over a multi-year period.
In 2013, QIAGEN issued Performance Stock Units that are directly linked with the future achievement of QIAGEN’s five-year business plan as well as implemented mandatory minimum holding levels of QIAGEN shares for a group of approximately 50 managers. The financial targets for vesting of the new Performance Stock Units are based on three-year goals as defined within QIAGEN’s five-year business plan covering the period from 2014 until the end of 2016. The targets for vesting were set and approved by the Supervisory Board, and they consist of specific quantitative goals for net sales, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), return on invested capital (ROIC) and QIAGEN Value Added (QVA), a new steering metric that measures the ability of QIAGEN to generate returns and exceed its cost of capital.
In 2014, the General Meeting of Shareholders approved a new remuneration policy for the Managing Board which states that future annual regular equity-based compensation grants to members of the Managing Board shall primarily consist of performance stock units. Grants of stock options and restricted stock units which are based on time vesting only shall no longer be granted on a regular basis and shall be reserved for use as special equity incentive rewards in certain situations.
For the year ended December 31, 2015 , the Managing Board members received the following compensation:
Annual Compensation
Long-Term Compensation
Name
Fixed Salary
Variable Cash
Bonus (1)
Other (2)
Total
Defined
Contribution
Benefit Plan
Performance
Stock Units
Managing Board
Peer M. Schatz
$
1,149,000

90,000

10,000

$
1,249,000

$
72,000

378,811

Roland Sackers
$
500,000

49,000

50,000

$
599,000

$
74,000

105,654

____________________
(1)
Amount does not include cash bonus amounts which were converted to equity-based compensation. In lieu of cash bonus, each Managing Board member elected to receive the value earned in 2015 in restricted stock units to be granted in 2016 which will vest over two years from the grant date. Mr. Schatz will receive a grant of 21,081 restricted stock units and Mr. Sackers will receive a grant of 7,153 restricted stock units.
(2)
Amounts include, among others, reimbursed personal expenses such as tax consulting. We also occasionally reimburse our Managing Directors' personal expenses related to attending out-of-town meetings but not directly related to their attendance. Amounts do not include the reimbursement of certain expenses relating to travel incurred at the request of QIAGEN, other reimbursements or payments that in total did not exceed $10,000 or tax amounts paid by the Company to tax authorities in order to avoid double-taxation under multi-tax jurisdiction employment agreements.


53

Supervisory Board compensation
In early 2014, we conducted a board remuneration benchmark review of 36 peer companies of similar size and complexity in similar industries, including biotechnology, life science supplies, diagnostics and pharmaceuticals. Based on the results of this review, the Supervisory Board remuneration was aligned to the applicable market standards to reflect our nexus to the European Markets as a Dutch company as well as our U.S. focus as a NASDAQ listed company subject to U.S. regulations and the fact that three of the seven Supervisory Board members are residing in the United States.
The Supervisory Board compensation for 2015 consists of fixed retainer compensation and additional retainer amounts for Chairman and Vice Chairman. Annual remuneration of the Supervisory Board members is as follows:
Fee payable to the Chairman of the Supervisory Board
$150,000
Fee payable to the Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board
$90,000
Fee payable to each member of the Supervisory Board
$57,500
Additional compensation payable to members holding the following positions:
Chairman of the Audit Committee
$25,000
Chairman of the Compensation Committee
$18,000
Chairman of the Selection and Appointment Committee and other board committees
$12,000
Fee payable to each member of the Audit Committee
$15,000
Fee payable to each member of the Compensation Committee
$11,000
Fee payable to each member of the Selection and Appointment Committee and other board committees
$6,000
Further, the Supervisory Board members will be reimbursed for tax consulting costs incurred in connection with the preparation of their tax returns up to an amount of €5,000 per person per fiscal year.
Supervisory board members also receive a variable component, in the form of share-based compensation. We did not pay any agency or advisory service fees to members of the Supervisory Board.
For the year ended December 31, 2015 , the Supervisory Board members received the following compensation:
Name
Fixed
Remuneration
Chairman/
Vice-
Chairman
Committee
Committee
Membership
Total (2)
Restricted
Stock Units
Supervisory Board (1)
Stéphane Bancel
$
57,500

—

32,000

$
89,500

11,241

Dr. James E. Bradner
$
52,708

—

5,500

$
58,208

—

Dr. Werner Brandt
$
150,000

12,000

—

$
162,000

11,241

Dr. Metin Colpan
$
57,500

12,000

3,000

$
72,500

11,241

Prof. Dr. Manfred Karobath
$
90,000

18,000

12,000

$
120,000

11,241

Prof. Dr. Elaine Mardis
$
57,500

—

6,000

$
63,500

11,241

Lawrence A. Rosen
$
57,500

25,000

—

$
82,500

11,241

Elizabeth E. Tallett
$
57,500

—

26,000

$
83,500

11,241

____________________
(1) Prof. James E. Bradner, M.D. was elected at the Company's Annual General Meeting in June 2015 and Dr. Bradner declared his resignation from the Supervisory Board as of December 31, 2015.
(2) Supervisory Directors are reimbursed for travel costs and for any value-added tax to be paid on their remuneration. These reimbursements are excluded from the amounts presented herein.

54

The following table sets forth the vested and unvested options and stock awards of our officers and directors as of January 31, 2016 :
Name (1)
Total Vested
Options
Total Unvested
Options
Expiration Dates
Exercise Prices
Total Unreleased
Restricted and
Performance Stock Units
Peer M. Schatz
799,756

45,953

2/28/2017 to 2/28/2023

$15.59 to $22.43

2,659,594

Roland Sackers
181,661

14,460

2/28/2018 to 2/28/2023

$15.59 to $22.43

725,218

Stéphane Bancel
—

—

—

—

21,241

Dr. Werner Brandt
7,893

—

4/29/2018 to 2/28/2022

$15.59 to $22.43

41,373

Dr. Metin Colpan
9,835

—

4/25/2017 to 2/28/2022

$15.59 to $22.43

41,911

Prof. Dr. Manfred Karobath
9,835

—

4/25/2017 to 2/28/2022

$15.59 to $22.43

41,911

Prof. Dr. Elaine Mardis
—

—

—

—

11,241

Lawrence A. Rosen
—

—

—

—

21,241

Elizabeth E. Tallett
1,563

—

2/28/2022

$15.59

37,242

____________________
(1) Prof. James E. Bradner, M.D. was elected at the Company's Annual General Meeting in June 2015 and Dr. Bradner declared his resignation from the Supervisory Board as of December 31, 2015.
Committees of the Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board has established an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, a Selection and Appointment Committee and a Science and Technology Committee from among its members and can establish other committees as deemed beneficial. The Supervisory Board has approved charters under which each of the committees operates. These charters are published on our website www.qiagen.com. The committees are comprised of the following members:
Name of Supervisory Director (1)
Member of Audit
Committee
Member of
Compensation Committee
Member of Selection
and Appointment
Committee
Member of Science
and Technology Committee
Dr. Werner Brandt
Ÿ
(Chairman)
Stéphane Bancel
Ÿ
Ÿ
Ÿ
Prof. Dr. Elaine Mardis
Ÿ
Dr. Metin Colpan
Ÿ
Ÿ
(Chairman)
Prof. Dr. Manfred Karobath
Ÿ
(Chairman)
Ÿ
Ÿ
Lawrence A. Rosen
Ÿ
(Chairman)
Elizabeth E. Tallett
Ÿ
Ÿ
____________________
(1) Prof. James E. Bradner, M.D. was elected at the Company's Annual General Meeting in June 2015 and Dr. Bradner declared his resignation from the Supervisory Board as of December 31, 2015.

We believe that all of our Supervisory Directors meet the independence requirements set forth in the Dutch Corporate Governance Code (the Dutch Code). We further believe that all Supervisory Board Directors qualify as independent under the Marketplace Rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market. Pursuant to the NASDAQ rules, a majority of the Supervisory Directors must qualify as independent, as defined in the Rules.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee currently consists of three members, Mr. Rosen (Chairman), Ms. Tallett and Mr. Bancel, and meets at least quarterly. The Audit Committee members are appointed by the Supervisory Board and serve for a term of one year. We

55

believe that all members of our Audit Committee meet the independence requirements as set forth in Rule 10A-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Marketplace Rules of the NASDAQ. The Board has designated Mr. Rosen as an “audit committee financial expert” as that term is defined in the United States Securities and Exchange Commission rules adopted pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and as defined in provisions III.3.2 and III.5.7 of the Dutch Code. The Audit Committee performs a self-evaluation of its activities on an annual basis.
The Audit Committee's primary duties and responsibilities include, among other things, to serve as an independent and objective party to monitor QIAGEN's accounting and financial reporting process and internal risk management, control and compliance systems. The Audit Committee also is directly responsible for proposing the external auditor to the Supervisory Board, which then proposes the appointment of the external auditor to the General Meeting. Further, the Audit Committee is responsible for the compensation and oversight of QIAGEN’s external auditor and for providing an open avenue of communication among the external auditor as well as the Management Board and the Supervisory Board. Our Internal Audit department operates under the direct responsibility of the Audit Committee. Further, the Audit Committee is responsible to establish complaint procedures, including confidential, anonymous submission by employees of concerns, for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters. The Audit Committee discusses our financial accounting and reporting principles and policies and the adequacy of our internal accounting, financial and operating controls and procedures with the external auditor and management; considers and approves any recommendations regarding changes to our accounting policies and processes; reviews with management and the external auditor our quarterly earnings reports prior to their release to the press; and reviews the quarterly and annual reports (reported on Forms 6-K and 20-F) to be furnished to or filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Deutsche Boerse. The Audit Committee met eight times in 2015 and met with the external auditor excluding members of the Managing Board in July 2015. The Audit Committee reviews major financial risk exposures, pre-approves related-party transactions, and reviews any legal matter including compliance topics that could have a significant impact on the financial statements.
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee’s primary duties and responsibilities include, among other things, the preparation of a proposal for the Supervisory Board concerning the Remuneration Policy for the Managing Board to be adopted by the General Meeting, the preparation of a proposal concerning the individual compensation of Managing Board members to be adopted by the Supervisory Board and the preparation of the Remuneration Report on compensation policies for the Managing Board to be adopted by the Supervisory Board. The Compensation Committee reviews and approves all equity-based compensation, reviews and approves the annual salaries, bonuses and other benefits of executive officers, and reviews general policies relating to employee compensation and benefits. The Remuneration Report reviews the implementation of the Remuneration Policy in the most recent year and provides an outline of the Remuneration Policy for the future. The Compensation Committee currently consists of three members, Professor Karobath (Chairman), Ms. Tallett and Mr. Bancel. Members are appointed by the Supervisory Board and serve for a term of one year. The Compensation Committee met four times in 2015 .
Selection and Appointment Committee
The Selection and Appointment (Nomination) Committee is primarily responsible for the preparation of selection criteria and appointment procedures for members of the Supervisory Board and Managing Board as well as the periodic evaluation of the scope and composition of the Managing Board and the Supervisory Board, including the profile of the Supervisory Board. Additionally, the Selection and Appointment Committee periodically evaluates the functioning of individual members of the Managing Board and Supervisory Board, reporting these results to our Supervisory Board. It also proposes the (re-)appointments of members of our Managing Board and Supervisory Board and supervises the policy of our Managing Board in relation to selection and appointment criteria for senior management. Current members of the Selection and Appointment Committee are Dr. Brandt (Chairman), Dr. Colpan and Professor Karobath. Members are appointed by the Supervisory Board and serve for a one-year term. The Selection and Appointment Committee met three times in 2015 .
Science and Technology Committee
The Science and Technology Committee is primarily responsible for reviewing and monitoring research and development projects, programs, budgets, infrastructure management and overseeing the management risks related to the Company's portfolio and information technology platforms. The Science and Technology Committee provides understanding, clarification and validation of the fundamental technical basis of the Company's businesses in order to enable the Supervisory Board to make informed, strategic business decisions and vote on related matters, and to guide the Managing Board to ensure that powerful, global, world-class science is developed, practiced and leveraged throughout the Company to create shareholder value. The current members of the Science and Technology Committee are Dr. Colpan (Chairman), Professor Karobath, Stéphane Bancel and Professor Elaine Mardis and formerly Professor James Bradner. Members are appointed by the Supervisory Board and serve for a term of one year. The Science and Technology Committee met four times in 2015 .

56

Share Ownership
The following table sets forth certain information as of January 31, 2016 concerning the ownership of Common Shares by our directors and officers. In preparing the following table, we have relied on information furnished by such persons.
Shares Beneficially Owned (1)
Name and Country of Residence
Number (2)
Percent Ownership
Peer M. Schatz, Germany
2,128,664

(3)
0.91
%
Roland Sackers, Germany
20,000

(4)
*

Stéphane Bancel, United States
—

—

Dr. Werner Brandt, Germany
22,427

(5)
*

Dr. Metin Colpan, Germany
3,655,951

(6)
1.57
%
Prof. Dr. Manfred Karobath, Austria
15,683

(7)
*

Prof. Dr. Elaine Mardis, United States
—

—

Lawrence A. Rosen, Germany
—

—

Elizabeth Tallett, United States
2,524

(8)
*

____________________
* Indicates that the person beneficially owns less than 0.5% of the Common Shares issued and outstanding as of January 31, 2016 .
(1)
The number of Common Shares outstanding as of January 31, 2016 was 233,049,238. The persons and entities named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares shown as beneficially owned by them and have the same voting rights as shareholders with respect to Common Shares.
(2)
Does not include Common Shares subject to options or awards held by such persons at January 31, 2016 . See footnotes below for information regarding options now exercisable or that could become exercisable within 60 days of the date of this table.
(3)
Does not include 845,709 shares issuable upon the exercise of options now exercisable or that could become exercisable within 60 days from the date of this table having exercise prices ranging from $15.59 to $22.43 per share. Options expire in increments during the period between 2/2017 and 2/2023.
(4)
Does not include 196,121 shares issuable upon the exercise of options now exercisable or that could become exercisable within 60 days from the date of this table having exercise prices ranging from $15.59 to $22.43 per share. Options expire in increments during the period between 2/2018 and 2/2023. Does not include 118,018 shares issuable upon the release of unvested stock awards that could become releasable within 60 days from the date of this table.
(5)
Does not include 7,893 shares issuable upon the exercise of options now exercisable or that could become exercisable within 60 days from the date of this table having exercise prices ranging from $15.59 to $22.43 per share. Options expire in increments during the period between 4/2018 and 2/2022. Does not include 6,335 shares issuable upon the release of unvested stock awards that could become releasable within 60 days from the date of this table.
(6)
Does not include 9,835 shares issuable upon the exercise of options now exercisable or that could become exercisable within 60 days from the date of this table having exercise prices ranging from $15.59 to $22.43 per share. Options expire in increments during the period between 4/2017 and 2/2022. Includes 2,847,025 shares held by CC Verwaltungs GmbH, of which Dr. Colpan is the sole stockholder and 800,000 shares held by Colpan GbR. Does not include 6,335 shares issuable upon the release of unvested stock awards that could become releasable within 60 days from the date of this table.
(7)
Does not include 9,835 shares issuable upon the exercise of options now exercisable or that could become exercisable within 60 days from the date of this table having exercise prices ranging from $15.59 to $22.43 per share. Options expire in increments during the period between 4/2017 and 2/2022. Does not include 6,335 shares issuable upon the release of unvested stock awards that could become releasable within 60 days from the date of this table.
(8)
Does not include 1,563 shares issuable upon the exercise of options now exercisable or that could become exercisable within 60 days from the date of this table having exercise prices of $15.59 per share. Options expire on 2/2022. Does not include 4,000 shares issuable upon the release of unvested stock awards that could become releasable within 60 days from the date of this table.

57

Employees
As of December 31, 2015 , we employed 4,559 individuals, of which 22% worked in research and development, 39% in sales, 22% in production/logistics, 7% in marketing and 10% in administration.
Region
Research &
Development
Sales
Production
Marketing
Administration
Total
Americas
235

622

268

79

106

1,310

Europe, Middle East & Africa
685

634

626

164

294

2,403

Asia Pacific & Rest of World
99

506

106

71

64

846

December 31, 2015
1,019

1,762

1,000

314

464

4,559

At December 31, 2014 and 2013 , we employed 4,339 and 4,015 individuals, respectively. Management believes that its relations with regional labor unions and employees are good.
Stock Plans
We adopted the QIAGEN N.V. Amended and Restated 2005 Stock Plan (the 2005 Plan) which was approved by our shareholders on June 14, 2005. It expired by its terms in April 2015, at which time no further awards will be able to be granted under the 2005 Plan. On June 25, 2014, our shareholders approved the QIAGEN N.V. 2014 Stock Plan (the 2014 Plan), which replaced the 2005 Plan in April 2015. An aggregate of 9.1 million Common Shares were reserved for issuance pursuant to the 2014 Stock Plan, subject to certain antidilution adjustments.
Pursuant to the 2014 Plan, stock rights, which include options to purchase our Common Shares, stock grants and stock-based awards, may be granted to employees and consultants of QIAGEN and its subsidiaries and to Supervisory Directors. Options granted pursuant to the 2014 Plan may either be incentive stock options within the meaning of Section 422 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), or non-qualified stock options. Options granted to members of the Supervisory Board and the Managing Board must have an exercise price that is higher than the market price at the time of grant. Generally, each of the options has a term of ten years, subject to earlier termination in the event of death, disability or other termination of employment. The vesting and exercisability of certain stock rights will be accelerated in the event of a Change of Control, as defined in the agreements under the 2014 Plan.
The Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Supervisory Board, which selects participants from among eligible employees, consultants and directors and determines the number of shares subject to the stock-based award, the length of time the award will remain outstanding, the manner and time of the award's vesting, the price per share subject to the award and other terms and conditions of the award consistent with the Plan. The Compensation Committee's decisions are subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board.
In connection with the acquisition of Digene Corporation during the third quarter of 2007, the Company assumed three additional equity incentive plans and exchanged Digene stock options and awards into the Company's Common Shares. No new grants will be made under these plans.
The Compensation Committee has the power, subject to Supervisory Board approval, to interpret the plans and to adopt such rules and regulations (including the adoption of “sub plans” applicable to participants in specified jurisdictions) as it may deem necessary or appropriate. The Compensation Committee or the Supervisory Board may at any time amend the plans in any respect, subject to Supervisory Board approval, and except that (i) no amendment that would adversely affect the rights of any participant under any option previously granted may be made without such participant's consent and (ii) no amendment shall be effective prior to shareholder approval to the extent such approval is required to ensure favorable tax treatment for incentive stock options or to ensure compliance with Rule 16b-3 under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act) at such times as any participants are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
As of January 31, 2016 , there were 1.8 million options outstanding with exercise prices ranging between $13.44 and $23.54 and expiring between October 26, 2016 and October 31, 2023. The exercise price of the options is the fair market value of the Common Shares as of the date of grant or a premium above fair market value. Additionally, there were 8.9 million stock unit awards outstanding as of January 31, 2016 . These awards will be released between February 28, 2016 and February 27, 2025. As of January 31, 2016 , options to purchase 1.1 million Common Shares and 3.6 million stock unit awards were held by the officers and directors of QIAGEN, as a group.

Item 7.
Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions

58

The following table sets forth certain information as of December 31, 2015 , concerning the ownership of Common Shares of each holder of greater than 5% ownership. None of these holders have any different voting rights than other holders of our Common Shares.
Shares Beneficially Owned
Name and Country of Residence
Number
Percent Ownership (1)
PRIMECAP Management Company, United States
20,532,325

(2)
8.81
%
BlackRock, Inc., United States
19,333,391

(3)
8.30
%
Franklin Resources, Inc., United States
26,066,835

(4)
11.19
%
____________________
(1)
The percentage ownership was calculated based on 233,005,776 Common Shares outstanding as of December 31, 2015 .
(2)
Of the 20,532,325 shares attributed to PRIMECAP Management Company, it has sole voting power and sole dispositive power over all 20,532,325 shares. This information is based solely on the Schedule 13G filed by PRIMECAP Management Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 12, 2016, which reported ownership as of December 31, 2015 .
(3)
Of the 19,333,391 shares attributed to BlackRock, Inc., it has sole voting power and sole dispositive power over all 19,333,391 shares. This information is based solely on the Schedule 13G filed by BlackRock, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 10, 2016, which reported ownership as of December 31, 2015 .
(4)
Of the 26,066,835 shares attributed to Franklin Resources, Inc., it has sole voting power and sole dispositive power over all 26,066,835 shares. This information is based solely on the Schedule 13G filed by Franklin Resources Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 9, 2016, which reported ownership as of December 31, 2015 .
Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market in the United States and on the Prime Standard Segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in Germany. A significant portion of our shares are held electronically in the account of a stockbroker, therefore we generally have no way of determining who our shareholders are, their geographical location or how many shares a particular shareholder owns. As of January 31, 2016 there were 146 shareholders of record of our Common Shares.
Control of Registrant
To our knowledge, we are not directly or indirectly owned or controlled by another corporation, by any foreign government, or by any other natural or legal person. As of January 31, 2016, the officers and directors of QIAGEN as a group beneficially owned 5.8 million Common Shares, or 2.51% of the then outstanding Common Shares.
Related Party Transactions
For information on related party transactions, see Note 22 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Item 8.
Financial Information
See Item 18.
Legal Proceedings
For information on legal proceedings, see Note 19 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
While no assurances can be given regarding the outcome of proceedings described in Note 19, based on information currently available, we believe that the resolution of these matters is unlikely to have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of future operations for QIAGEN N.V. as a whole. However, because of the nature and inherent uncertainties of litigation, should the outcomes be unfavorable, certain aspects of our business, financial condition, and results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.
Statement of Policy on Dividend Distribution
We have not paid any dividends on our Common Shares since our inception and do not intend to pay any dividends on our Common Shares in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain our earnings, if any, for the development of our business.
Disclosure pursuant to Section 219 of the Iran Threat Reduction & Syria Human Rights Act (ITRA)

59

We conduct limited business with certain Iranian entities which contributed $1.5 million or approximately 0.1% of our consolidated net sales in 2015. Although these activities are compliant with applicable law and not financially material, the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (the "Act") requires us to include the following disclosures in this report. Sales consisted of our consumables and instrumentation products. U.S. affiliates, or foreign affiliates controlled by U.S. affiliates, are not involved in these sales activities and we have not knowingly conducted a transaction or dealt with a person or entity designated in U.S. Executive Orders No. 13224 and 13382. No business has been transacted with the Government of Iran as defined in the Act. We do not believe any of our activities are sanctionable under the Iran Sanctions Act or the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010. In light of the nature of the products concerned, we do not currently intend to cease our commercial operations with Iranian entities.

Item 9.
The Offer and Listing
Effective July 3, 2006, our Common Shares began trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol QGEN. Previously, since February 15, 2005, our Common Shares had been quoted on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol QGEN. Prior to that, since June 27, 1996, our Common Shares had been quoted on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol QGENF. The following tables set forth the annual high and low sale prices for the last five years, the quarterly high and low sale prices for the last two years, and the monthly high and low sale prices for the last six months of our Common Shares on the NASDAQ Global Select and NASDAQ National Market, as applicable.
High ($)
Low ($)
Annual:
2011
22.20

12.47

2012
19.41

14.05

2013
24.74

18.30

2014
25.32

19.46

2015
28.53

22.11


60

High ($)
Low ($)
Quarterly 2014:
First Quarter
24.82

20.33

Second Quarter
24.83

19.46

Third Quarter
25.32

22.66

Fourth Quarter
24.29

20.73

Quarterly 2015:
First Quarter
25.91

22.11

Second Quarter
25.74

23.63

Third Quarter
28.53

24.38

Fourth Quarter
28.04

23.80

Quarterly 2016:
First Quarter (through February 24, 2016)
26.89

20.10

High ($)
Low ($)
Monthly:
September 2015
28.53

24.91

October 2015
26.83

23.80

November 2015
27.04

24.60

December 2015
28.04

25.54

January 2016
26.89

21.37

February 2016
22.74

20.10

From September 25, 1997, to December 31, 2002, our Common Shares were traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange Neuer Markt under the symbol QIA and with the security code number 901626. As of January 1, 2003, the trading of our Common Shares was transferred to the Prime Standard Segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, where QIAGEN is a member of the TecDAX, an index of the 30 leading technology companies in Germany not included in the benchmark DAX index. The following table sets forth the annual high and low sale prices for the last five years, the quarterly high and low sale prices for the last two years, and the monthly high and low sale prices for the last six months of our Common Shares on the Prime Standard.
High (EUR)
Low (EUR)
Annual:
2011
15.25

9.07

2012
15.05

10.69

2013
18.15

13.67

2014
19.64

14.38

2015
26.05

18.72


61

High (EUR)
Low (EUR)
Quarterly 2014:
First Quarter
18.20

14.76

Second Quarter
18.15

14.38

Third Quarter
18.90

17.30

Fourth Quarter
19.64

16.15

Quarterly 2015:
First Quarter
24.00

18.72

Second Quarter
24.14

20.77

Third Quarter
26.05

21.19

Fourth Quarter
25.54

21.73

Quarterly 2016:
First Quarter (through February 24, 2016)
25.12

17.76

High (EUR)
Low (EUR)
Monthly:
September 2015
24.83

22.24

October 2015
23.90

21.73

November 2015
25.53

25.53

December 2015
25.54

23.27

January 2016
25.12

19.41

February 2016
21.02

17.76


Item 10.
Additional Information
Memorandum and Articles of Association
We are a public company with limited liability ( naamloze vennootschap ) incorporated under Dutch law and registered with the Dutch Trade Register under file number 12036979. Set forth below is a summary of certain provisions of our full Articles of Association, as lastly amended on June 30, 2011 (the Articles), and Dutch law, where appropriate. The Dutch Corporate Governance Code, (the Dutch Code), that was published on December 9, 2003 (and revised on December 10, 2008) contains principles of good corporate governance and best practice provisions. The Dutch Code contains the principles and concrete provisions which the persons involved in a listed company (including Managing Board members and Supervisory Board members) and stakeholders should observe in relation to one another. A listed company should either comply with, or if not, explain in its annual report why and to what extent it does not comply, with the best practice provisions of the Dutch Code. The Dutch Code has been taken into account in the summary below.
This summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Articles, Dutch Law and the Dutch Code.
Corporate Purpose
Our objectives include, without limitation, the performance of activities in the biotechnology industry, as well as incorporating, acquiring, participating in, financing, managing and having any other interest in companies or enterprises of any nature, raising and lending funds and such other acts as may be conducive to our business.
Managing Directors
QIAGEN shall be managed by a Managing Board consisting of one or more Managing Directors under the supervision of the Supervisory Board. The Managing Directors must take into account our interests and our business and the interests of all stakeholders (which includes but is not limited to our shareholders). Managing Directors shall be appointed by the General Meeting of our shareholders upon the joint meeting of the Supervisory Board and the Managing Board, or Joint Meeting, having made a binding nomination for each vacancy. However, the General Meeting may at all times overrule the binding nature of such a nomination by a resolution adopted by at least a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, if such majority represents more than half the issued share capital. This is different from the provisions of many American corporate statutes,

62

including the Delaware General Corporation Law, which give the directors of a corporation greater authority in choosing the executive officers of a corporation. Under our Articles, the General Meeting may suspend or dismiss a managing director at any time. The Supervisory Board shall also at all times be entitled to suspend (but not to dismiss) a Managing Director. The Articles provide that the Supervisory Board may adopt management rules governing the internal organization of the Managing Board.
Furthermore, the Supervisory Board shall determine the salary, the bonus, if any, and the other compensation terms and conditions of employment of the Managing Directors within the scope of the remuneration policy. The remuneration policy of the Managing Board has been adopted in our Annual General Meeting on June 25, 2014.
Under Dutch law, in the event that there is a conflict of interest between a Managing Director and us on a certain matter, that Managing Director shall not participate in the discussions and voting on that matter. If all our managing directors have a conflict of interest, such resolution shall be adopted by the Supervisory Board. If all Supervisory Directors have a conflict of interest as well, the General Meeting will be authorized to resolve on such matter. According to the Dutch Code, any conflict of interest or apparent conflict of interest between the company and Managing Directors should be avoided. Decisions to enter into transactions under which Managing Directors would have conflicts of interest that are of material significance to the Company and/or to the relevant Managing Director require the approval of the Supervisory Board.
Supervisory Directors
The Supervisory Board shall be responsible for supervising the policy pursued by the Managing Board and our general course of affairs. Under our Articles, the Supervisory Directors are required to serve our interests and our business and the interest of all stakeholders (which includes but is not limited to our shareholders) in fulfilling their duties. The Supervisory Board shall consist of such number of members as the Joint Meeting may from time to time determine, with a minimum of three members. The Supervisory Directors shall be appointed by the General Meeting upon the Joint Meeting having made a binding nomination for each vacancy. If during a financial year a vacancy occurs in the Supervisory Board, the Supervisory Board may appoint a Supervisory Director who will cease to hold office at the next Annual General Meeting. Under Dutch law and the Dutch Code, a Supervisory Director must excuse him or herself in the case of any conflict of interest. If all Supervisory Directors have a conflict of interest, the relevant resolution shall be adopted by the General Meeting. Decisions to enter into transactions under which a Supervisory Director would have a conflict of interest that are of material significance to QIAGEN and/or to the Supervisory Director concerned, require the approval of the Supervisory Board.
Under Dutch law and the Dutch Code, the General Meeting determines the compensation of the Supervisory Directors upon the proposal of the Compensation Committee. Any shares held by a Supervisory Director in the company on whose board he sits should be long-term investments.
Under our Articles, the General Meeting may suspend or dismiss a Supervisory Director at any time. This is different from the provisions of many American corporate statutes, including the Delaware General Corporation Law, which provides that directors may vote to fill vacancies on the board of directors of a corporation.
Liability of Managing Directors and Supervisory Directors
Under Dutch law, as a general rule, Managing Directors and Supervisory Directors are not liable for obligations we incur. Under certain circumstances, however, they may become liable, either towards QIAGEN (internal liability) or to others (external liability), although some exceptions are described below.
Liability towards QIAGEN
Failure of a Managing or Supervisory Director to perform his or her duties does not automatically lead to liability. Liability is only incurred in the case of a clear, indisputable shortcoming about which no reasonably judging business-person would have any doubt. In addition, the Managing or Supervisory Director must be deemed to have been grossly negligent. Managing Directors are jointly and severally liable for failure of the Managing Board as a whole, but an individual Managing Director will not be held liable if he or she is determined not to have been responsible for the mismanagement and has not been negligent in preventing its consequences. Supervisory Directors are jointly and severally liable for failure of the Supervisory Board as a whole, but an individual Supervisory Director will not be held liable if he or she is determined not to have been responsible for the mismanagement and has not been negligent in preventing its consequences.
Liability for Misrepresentation in Annual Accounts
Managing and Supervisory Directors are also jointly and severally liable to any third party for damages suffered as a result of misrepresentation in the annual accounts, management commentary or interim statements of QIAGEN, although a Managing or Supervisory Director will not be held liable if found not to be personally responsible for the misrepresentation. Moreover, a Managing or Supervisory Director may be found to be criminally liable if he or she deliberately publishes false annual accounts or deliberately allows the publication of such false annual accounts.
Tort Liability

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Under Dutch law, there can be liability if one has committed a tort ( onrechtmatige daad ) against another person. Although there is no clear definition of “tort” under Dutch law, breach of a duty of care towards a third party is generally considered to be a tort. Therefore, a Dutch corporation may be held liable by any third party under the general rule of Dutch laws regarding tort claims. In exceptional cases, Managing Directors and Supervisory Directors have been found liable on the basis of tort under Dutch common law, but it is generally difficult to hold a Managing or Supervisory Director personally liable for a tort claim. Shareholders cannot base a tort claim on any losses which derive from and coincide with losses we suffered. In such cases, only we can sue the Managing or Supervisory Directors.
Criminal Liability
Under Dutch law, if a legal entity has committed a criminal offence, criminal proceedings may be instituted against the legal entity itself as well as against those who gave order to or were in charge of the forbidden act. As a general rule, it is held that a Managing Director is only criminally liable if he or she played a reasonably active role in the criminal act.
Indemnification
Article 27 of our Articles provides that we shall indemnify every person who is or was a Managing Director or Supervisory Director against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any threatened pending or completed action, suit or proceeding as well as against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of an action or proceeding, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably could believe to be in or not opposed to our best interests. An exception is made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of his or her duty to us.
Classes of Shares
The authorized classes of our shares consist of Common Shares, Financing Preference Shares and Preference Shares. No Financing Preference Shares or Preference Shares have been issued.
Common Shares
Common Shares are issued in registered form only. Common Shares are available either without issue of a share certificate, or Type I shares, or with issue of a share certificate, or Type II shares, in either case in the form of an entry in the share register. At the discretion of the Supervisory Board, Type I shares may be issued and the holders of such Type I shares will be registered in either our shareholders register with American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, or New York Transfer Agent, our transfer agent and registrar in New York, or our shareholder register with TMF FundServices B.V., Westblaak 89, NL-3012 KG Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The Type II shares are registered with our New York Transfer Agent.
The transfer of registered shares requires that we issue a written instrument of transfer and the written acknowledgment of such transfer (or, in the case of Type II shares, the New York Transfer Agent (in our name)), and surrender of the share certificates, if any, to us or (in our name) to the New York Transfer Agent. Upon surrender of a share certificate for the purpose of transfer of the relevant shares, we (or the New York Transfer Agent in our name) acknowledge the transfer by endorsement on the share certificate or by issuance of a new share certificate to the transferee, at the discretion of the Managing Board.
Financing Preference Shares
No Financing Preference Shares are currently issued or outstanding. If issued, Financing Preference Shares will be issued in registered form only. No share certificates are issued for Financing Preference Shares. Financing Preference Shares must be fully paid up upon issue. The preferred dividend rights attached to Financing Preference Shares are described under “Dividends” below. We have no present plans to issue any Financing Preference Shares.
Preference Shares
No Preference Shares are currently issued or outstanding. If issued, Preference Shares will be issued in registered form only. No share certificates are issued for Preference Shares. Only 25% of the nominal value thereof is required to be paid upon subscription for Preference Shares. The obligatory payable part of the nominal amount (or the call) must be equal for each Preference Share. The Managing Board may, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, resolve on which day and up to which amount a further call must be paid on Preference Shares which have not yet been paid up in full. The preferred dividend rights attached to Preference Shares are described under “Dividends” below.
Pursuant to our Articles, QIAGEN’s Supervisory Board is entitled, if and in so far as the Supervisory Board has been designated by our General Meeting, to resolve to issue Preference Shares in case of an intended take-over of our Company by (i) any person who alone or with one or more other persons, directly or indirectly, have acquired or given notice of an intent to acquire (beneficial) ownership of an equity stake which in aggregate equals 20% or more of our share capital then outstanding or (ii) an “adverse person” as determined by the Supervisory Board. For this purpose, an “adverse person” is generally any (legal) person, alone or together with affiliates or associates, with an equity stake in our Company which the

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Supervisory Board considers to be substantial and where the Supervisory Board is of the opinion that this (legal) person has engaged in an acquisition that is intended to cause or pressure QIAGEN to enter into transactions intended to provide such person with short-term financial gain under circumstances that would not be in the interest of QIAGEN and our shareholders or whose ownership is reasonably likely to cause a material adverse impact on our business prospects. Currently the Supervisory Board has not been designated to issue Preference Shares.
On August 2, 2004, we entered into an agreement (Option Agreement) with Stichting Preferente Aandelen QIAGEN (SPAQ) which was most recently amended on June 4, 2012. Pursuant to the Option Agreement, SPAQ was granted an option to acquire such number of Preference Shares as are equal to the total number of all outstanding Common Shares minus one in our share capital at the time of the relevant exercise of the right. SPAQ may exercise its right to acquire the Preference Shares in all situations that it believes that our interest or our stakeholders is at risk (which situations include but are not limited to (i) receipt of a notification from the Managing Board that a takeover is imminent and (ii) receipt of a notification from the Managing Board that one or more activist shareholders take a position that is not in the interest of QIAGEN, our shareholders or our other stakeholders), provided that the conditions mentioned in the previous paragraph have been met. Due to the implementation of the EC Directive on Takeover Bids in Dutch legislation, the exercise of the option to acquire Preference Shares by SPAQ and the subsequent issuance of Preference Shares to SPAQ needs to be done with due observance and in consideration of the restrictions imposed by the Public Offer Rules.
SPAQ was incorporated on August 2, 2004. Its principal office is located at Hulsterweg 82, 5912 PL Venlo, The Netherlands. Its statutory objectives are to protect our interests and our enterprise and the enterprises of companies which are linked to us. SPAQ shall attempt to accomplish its objectives by way of acquiring Preference Shares in the share capital of QIAGEN and to exercise the voting rights in our interests and the interests of our stakeholders.
The board of SPAQ shall consist of at least two directors. Upon incorporation of SPAQ, two members were appointed to the board of SPAQ. Additional board members shall be appointed by the board of SPAQ. Board resolutions will be adopted by unanimity of the votes cast. SPAQ will be represented either by its board or by the chairman of its board.
Pre-emptive Rights
Under our Articles, existing holders of Common Shares will have pre-emptive rights in respect of future issuances of Common Shares in proportion to the number of Common Shares held by them, unless limited or excluded as described below. Holders of Common Shares shall not have pre-emptive rights in respect of future issuances of Financing Preference Shares or Preference Shares. Holders of Financing Preference Shares and Preference Shares shall not have pre-emptive rights in respect of any future issuances of share capital. Pre-emptive rights do not apply with respect to shares issued against contributions other than in cash or shares issued to our employees or one of our group companies. Under our Articles, the Supervisory Board has the power to limit or exclude any pre-emptive rights to which shareholders may be entitled, provided that it has been authorized by the General Meeting to do so. The authority of the Supervisory Board to limit or exclude pre-emptive rights can only be exercised if at that time the authority to issue shares is in full force and effect. The authority to limit or exclude pre-emptive rights may be extended in the same manner as the authority to issue shares. If there is no designation of the Supervisory Board to limit or exclude pre-emptive rights in force, the General Meeting shall have authority to limit or exclude such pre-emptive rights, but only upon the proposal of the Supervisory Board.
Resolutions of the General Meeting (i) to limit or exclude pre-emptive rights or (ii) to designate the Supervisory Board as the corporate body that has authority to limit or exclude pre-emptive rights, require a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes cast in a meeting of shareholders if less than 50% of the issued share capital is present or represented. For these purposes, issuances of shares include the granting of rights to subscribe for shares, such as options and warrants, but not the issue of shares upon exercise of such rights.
On June 23, 2015, the General Meeting resolved to authorize the Supervisory Board until December 26, 2016 to issue Common Shares and Financing Preference Shares or grant rights to subscribe for such shares, the aggregate par value of which shall be equal to the aggregate par value of all shares issued and outstanding in the capital of the Company as of December 31, 2014 as included in the Annual Accounts for Fiscal Year 2014.
The General Meeting subsequently resolved to grant the authority to exclude or limit any pre-emptive rights until December 23, 2016. However, the General Meeting has limited this authority in a way that the Supervisory Board can only exclude or limit the pre-emptive rights in relation to no more than 20% of the aggregate number of all shares issued and outstanding in the capital of the Company as of December 31, 2014.
Acquisition of Our Own Shares
We may acquire our own shares, subject to certain provisions of Dutch law and our Articles, if (i) shareholders’ equity less the payment required to make the acquisition does not fall below the sum of paid-up and called-up capital and any reserves required by Dutch law or the Articles and (ii) we and our subsidiaries would not thereafter hold shares with an aggregate nominal value exceeding half of our issued share capital. Shares that we hold in our own capital or shares held by one of our

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subsidiaries may not be voted. The Managing Board, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, may affect our acquisition of shares in our own capital. Our acquisitions of shares in our own capital may only take place if the General Meeting has granted to the Managing Board the authority to effect such acquisitions. Such authority may apply for a maximum period of 5 years and must specify the number of shares that may be acquired, the manner in which shares may be acquired and the price limits within which shares may be acquired. Dutch corporate law allows for the authorization of the Managing Board to purchase a number of shares equal to up to 50% of the Company’s issued share capital on the date of the acquisition. On June 23, 2015, the General Meeting resolved to extend the authorization of the Managing Board in such manner that the Managing Board may cause us to acquire shares in our own share capital, up to 10% of the outstanding shares, for an 18-month period beginning June 23, 2015 until December 23, 2016, without limitation at a price between one Euro cent (Euro 0.01) and one hundred ten percent (110%) of the price for such shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market for the five trading days prior to the day of purchase, or, with respect to Preference and Finance Preference shares, against a price between one Euro cent (Euro 0.01) and three times the issuance price and in accordance with applicable provisions of Dutch law and our Articles.
Capital Reduction
Subject to the provisions of Dutch law and our Articles, the General Meeting may, upon the proposal of the Supervisory Board, resolve to reduce the issued share capital by (i) canceling shares or (ii) reducing the nominal value of shares through an amendment of our Articles. Cancellation with repayment of shares or partial repayment on shares or release from the obligation to pay up may also be made or given exclusively with respect to Common Shares, Financing Preference Shares or Preference Shares.
Financial Year, Annual Accounts and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Our financial year coincides with the calendar year. Dutch law and our Articles require that within four months after the end of the financial year, the Managing Board must make available a report with respect to such financial year, including our financial statements for such year prepared under International Financial Reporting Standards and accompanied by a report of an Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. The annual report is submitted to the Annual General Meeting for adoption.
The General Meeting appoints the external auditor of our statutory financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and to issue a report thereon. On June 23, 2015, our shareholders appointed KPMG Accountants N.V. to serve as our external auditor for our statutory consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards for the year ending December 31, 2015.
Dividends and Other Distributions
Subject to certain exceptions, dividends may only be paid out of profits as shown in our annual financial statements as adopted by the General Meeting. Distributions may not be made if the distribution would reduce shareholders’ equity below the sum of the paid-up capital and any reserves required by Dutch law or our Articles.
Out of profits, dividends must first be paid on any outstanding Preference Shares (the Preference Share Dividend) in a percentage (the Preference Share Dividend Percentage) of the obligatory call amount paid up on such shares at the beginning of the financial year in respect of which the distribution is made. The Preference Share Dividend Percentage is equal to the average main refinancing rates during the financial year for which the distribution is made. Average main refinancing rate shall be understood to mean the average value on each individual day during the financial year for which the distribution is made of the main refinancing rates prevailing on such day. The main refinancing rate shall be understood to mean the rate of the Main Refinancing Operation as determined and published from time to time by the European Central Bank. If and to the extent that profits are not sufficient to pay the Preference Share Dividend in full, the deficit shall be paid out of the reserves, with the exception of any reserve, which was formed as share premium reserve upon the issue of Financing Preference Shares. If in any financial year the profit is not sufficient to make the distributions referred to above and if no distribution or only a partial distribution is made from the reserves referred to above, such that the deficit is not fully made good, no further distributions will be made as described below until the deficit has been made good.
Out of profits remaining after payment of any dividends on Preference Shares, the Supervisory Board shall determine such amounts as shall be kept in reserve as determined by the Supervisory Board. Out of any remaining profits not allocated to reserve, a dividend (the Financing Preference Share Dividend) shall be paid on the Financing Preference Shares equal to a percentage (the Financing Preference Share Dividend Percentage) over the nominal value of the Financing Preference Shares, increased by the amount of share premium that was paid upon the first issue of Financing Preference Shares. The Financing Preference Shares Dividend Percentage which percentage is related to a fixed average effective yield on the prime interest rate on corporate loans in the United States as quoted in the Wall Street Journal as set forth in article 40.4 of our Articles. If and to the extent that the profits are not sufficient to pay the Financing Preference Share Dividend in full, the deficit may be paid out of the reserves if the Managing Board so decides with the approval of the Supervisory Board, with the exception of the reserve which was formed as share premium upon the issue of Financing Preference Shares.

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Insofar as the profits have not been distributed or allocated to reserves as specified above, the General Meeting may act to allocate such profits, provided that no further dividends will be distributed on the Preference Shares or the Financing Preference Shares.
The General Meeting may resolve, on the proposal of the Supervisory Board, to distribute dividends or reserves, wholly or partially, in the form of QIAGEN shares.
Distributions as described above are payable as from a date to be determined by the Supervisory Board. The date of payment on Type I shares may differ from the date of payment on Type II shares. Distributions will be made payable at an address or addresses in The Netherlands to be determined by the Supervisory Board, as well as at least one address in each country where the shares are listed or quoted for trading. The Supervisory Board may determine the method of payment of cash distributions, provided that cash distributions in respect of Type II shares will, subject to certain exceptions, be paid in the currency of a country where our shares are listed or quoted for trading, converted at the close of business on a day to be determined for that purpose by the Supervisory Board. Distributions in cash that have not been collected within five years and two days after they have become due and payable shall revert to QIAGEN.
Dutch law provides that the declaration of dividends out of the profits that are at the free disposal of the General Meeting is the exclusive right of the General Meeting. This is different from the corporate law of most jurisdictions in the United States, which permit a corporation’s board of directors to declare dividends.
Shareholder Meetings, Voting Rights and Other Shareholder Rights
The annual General Meeting is required to be held within six months after the end of each financial year for the purpose of, among other things, adopting the annual accounts and filling of any vacancies on the Managing and Supervisory Boards.
Extraordinary General Meetings are held as often as deemed necessary by the Managing Board or Supervisory Board, or upon the request of one or more shareholders and other persons entitled to attend meetings jointly representing at least 40% of our issued share capital or by one or more shareholders jointly representing at least 10% of our issued share capital as provided for and in accordance with the laws of The Netherlands.
General Meetings are held in Amsterdam, Haarlemmermeer (Schiphol Airport), Arnhem, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Venlo or The Hague. The notice convening a General Meeting must be given in such manner as shall be authorized by law including but not limited to an announcement published by electronic means no later than the forty-second day prior to day of the general meeting. The notice will contain the agenda for the meeting or state that the agenda can be obtained at our offices.
The agenda shall contain such subjects to be considered at the General Meeting, as the persons convening or requesting the meeting shall decide. Under Dutch law, holders of shares representing solely or jointly at least three hundredth part of the issued share capital may request QIAGEN not later than on the sixtieth day prior to the day of the General Meeting, to include certain subjects on the notice convening a meeting. No valid resolutions can be adopted at a General Meeting in respect of subjects which are not mentioned in the agenda.
Dutch corporate law sets a mandatory (participation and voting) record date for Dutch listed companies fixed at the twenty-eighth day prior to the day of the shareholders’ meeting. Shareholders registered at such record date are entitled to attend and exercise their rights as shareholders at the General Meeting, regardless of a sale of shares after the record date.
General Meetings are presided over by the chairman of the Supervisory Board or, in his absence, by any person nominated by the Supervisory Board.
At the General Meeting, each share shall confer the right to cast one vote, unless otherwise provided by law or our Articles. No votes may be cast in respect of shares that we or our subsidiaries hold, or by usufructuaries and pledgees. All shareholders and other persons entitled to vote at General Meetings are entitled to attend General Meetings, to address the meeting and to vote. They must notify the Managing Board in writing of their intention to be present or represented not later than on the third day prior to the day of the meeting, unless the Managing Board permits notification within a shorter period of time prior to any such meeting. Subject to certain exceptions, resolutions may be passed by a simple majority of the votes cast.
Except for resolutions to be adopted by the meeting of holders of Preference Shares, our Articles do not allow the adoption of shareholders resolutions by written consent (or otherwise without holding a meeting).
A resolution of the General Meeting to amend our Articles, dissolve QIAGEN, issue shares or grant rights to subscribe for shares or limit or exclude any pre-emptive rights to which shareholders shall be entitled is valid only if proposed to the General Meeting by the Supervisory Board.
A resolution of the General Meeting to amend our Articles is further only valid if the complete proposal has been made available for inspection by the shareholders and the other persons entitled to attend General Meetings at our offices as from the day of notice convening such meeting until the end of the meeting. A resolution to amend our Articles to change the rights attached to the shares of a specific class requires the approval of the relevant class meeting.

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Resolutions of the General Meeting in a meeting that has not been convened by the Managing Board and/or the Supervisory Board, or resolutions included on the agenda for the meeting at the request of shareholders, will be valid only if adopted with a majority of two-thirds of votes cast representing more than half the issued share capital, unless our Articles require a greater majority or quorum.
A resolution of the General Meeting to approve a legal merger or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets is valid only if adopted by a vote of at least two-thirds of the issued share capital, unless proposed by the Supervisory Board, in which case a simple majority of the votes cast shall be sufficient.
A shareholder shall upon request be provided, free of charge, with written evidence of the contents of the share register with regard to the shares registered in its name. Furthermore, any shareholder shall, upon written request, have the right, during normal business hours, to inspect our share register and a list of our shareholders and their addresses and shareholdings, and to make copies or extracts therefrom. Such request must be directed to our Managing Directors at our registered office in The Netherlands or at our principal place of business. Financial records and other company documents (other than those made public) are not available in this manner for shareholder review, but an extract of the minutes of the General Meeting shall be made available.
According to Dutch law and our Articles, certain resolutions of the Managing Board regarding a significant change in the identity or nature of us or our enterprise are subject to the approval of the General Meeting. The following resolutions of the Managing Board require the approval of the General Meeting in any event:
(i)
the transfer of our enterprise or practically our entire enterprise to a third party;
(ii)
the entry into or termination of a long-term cooperation by us or one of our subsidiaries ( dochtermaatschappijen ) with another legal person or partnership or as a fully liable general partner of a limited partnership or a general partnership, if such cooperation or termination is of a far-reaching significance for us; and
(iii)
the acquisition or divestment by us or one of our subsidiaries ( dochtermaatschappijen ) of a participating interest in the capital of a company with a value of at least one-third of the sum of our assets according to our consolidated balance sheet and explanatory notes in our last adopted annual accounts.
No Derivative Actions; Right to Request Independent Inquiry
Dutch law does not afford shareholders the right to institute actions on behalf of us or in our interest. Shareholders holding at least one-tenth of our issued capital, or EUR 225,000, in nominal value of our shares may inform the Managing Board and the Supervisory Board of their objections as to our policy or the course of our affairs and, within a reasonable time thereafter, may request the Enterprises Division of the Court of Appeal in Amsterdam to order an inquiry into the policy and the course of our affairs by independent investigators. If such an inquiry is ordered and the investigators conclude that there has been mismanagement, the shareholders can request the Division to order certain measures such as a suspension or annulment of resolutions.
Dissolution and Liquidation
The General Meeting may resolve to dissolve QIAGEN. If QIAGEN is dissolved, the liquidation shall be carried out by the person designated for that purpose by the General Meeting, under the supervision of the Supervisory Board. The General Meeting shall upon the proposal of the Supervisory Board determine the remuneration payable to the liquidators and to the person responsible for supervising the liquidation.
During the liquidation process, the provisions of our Articles will remain applicable to the extent possible.
In the event of our dissolution and liquidation, the assets remaining after payment of all debts and liquidation expenses will be distributed among registered holders of Common Shares in proportion to the nominal value of their Common Shares, subject to liquidation preference rights of holders of Preference Shares and Financing Preference Shares, if any.
Restrictions on Transfer of Preference Shares
The Supervisory Board, upon application in writing, must approve each transfer of Preference Shares. If approval is refused, the Supervisory Board will designate prospective purchasers willing and able to purchase the shares, otherwise the transfer will be deemed approved.
Limitations in our Articles on Rights to Own Securities
Other than with respect to usufructuaries and pledgees who have no voting rights, our Articles do not impose limitations on rights to own our securities.
Provisions which May Defer or Prevent a Change in Control

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The Option Agreement and our Articles could, under certain circumstances, prevent a third party from obtaining a majority of the voting control of our shares by issuing Preference Shares. Under the Option Agreement, SPAQ could acquire Preference Shares subject to the provisions referred to under "Preference Shares".
If SPAQ acquires the Preference Shares, the bidder may withdraw its bid or enter into negotiations with the Managing Board and/or Supervisory Board and agree on a higher bid price for our shares.
Shareholders who obtain control of a company are obliged to make a mandatory offer to all other shareholders. The threshold for a mandatory offer is set at the ability to exercise 30% of the voting rights at the general meeting of shareholders in a Dutch public limited company ( naamloze vennootschap ) whose securities are admitted to trading on a regulated market in the EU, such as QIAGEN.
Ownership Threshold Requiring Disclosure
Our Articles do not provide an ownership threshold above which ownership must be disclosed. However there are statutory requirements to disclose share ownership above certain thresholds under Dutch law—see “Obligation of Shareholders to Disclose Major Holdings”.
Exchange Controls
There are currently no limitations either under the laws of The Netherlands or in our Articles, to the rights of shareholders from outside The Netherlands to hold or vote Common Shares. Under current foreign exchange regulations in The Netherlands, there are no material limitations on the amount of cash payments that we may remit to residents of foreign countries.
Obligation of Shareholders to Disclose Major Holdings
Certain holders of our shares or rights to acquire shares (which include options and convertible bonds - see also below) are subject to notification obligations under Chapter 5.3 of the Dutch Financial Markets Supervision Act (FMSA).
Under Chapter 5.3 of the FMSA, any person who, directly or indirectly, acquires or disposes of an interest (including potential interest, such as options and convertible bonds), in our capital or voting rights must immediately notify The Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) by means of a standard form, if as a result of such acquisition or disposal, the percentage of capital interest or voting rights held by such person in QIAGEN reaches, exceeds or falls below any of the following thresholds: 3%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 75% and 95% of the voting rights or capital interests in the issued capital of QIAGEN. This also applies if a short position exceeding aforementioned threshold is acquired. If both a (gross) short position and a long position exceeding the threshold are acquired, both provisions will need to be reported.
A notification requirement also applies if a person's capital interest or voting rights reach, exceed or fall below the above mentioned thresholds as a result of a change in our total share capital or voting rights. Such notification has to be made no later than the fourth trading day after the AFM has published our notification as described below. We are required to notify the AFM immediately of the changes to our total share capital or voting rights if our share capital or voting rights changes by 1% or more since our previous notification. We must furthermore quarterly notify the AFM within eight days after the end of the relevant quarter, in the event our share capital or voting rights changed by less than 1% in that relevant quarter since our previous notification.
Furthermore, every holder of 3% or more of our share capital or voting rights whose interest at December 31 at midnight differs from a previous notification to the AFM, as a result of certain acts (including but not limited to the exchange of our shares for depository receipts and the exercise of a right to acquire our shares) must notify the AFM within four weeks. Controlled entities, within the meaning of the FMSA, do not have notification obligations under the FMSA, as their direct and indirect interests are attributed to their (ultimate) parent. Any person may qualify as a parent for purposes of the FMSA, including an individual. A person who has a 3% or larger interest in our share capital or voting rights and who ceases to be a controlled entity for these purposes must immediately notify the AFM. As of the date of that notification, all notification obligations under the FMSA will become applicable to that entity. For the purpose of calculating the percentage of capital interest or voting rights, among other metrics, the following interests must be taken into account: (i) our shares or voting rights on our shares directly held (or acquired or disposed of) by a person, (ii) our shares or voting rights on our shares held (or acquired or disposed of) by such person's subsidiaries or by a third party for such person's account or by a third party with whom such person has concluded an oral or written voting agreement (including a discretionary power of attorney), and (iii) our shares or voting rights on our shares which such person, or any subsidiary or third party referred to above, may acquire pursuant to any option or other right held by such person (or acquired or disposed of, including, but not limited to, on the basis of convertible bonds). Special rules apply with respect to the attribution of our shares or voting rights on our shares which are part of the property of a partnership or other community of property. A holder of a pledge or right of usufruct ( vruchtgebruik ) in respect of our shares can also be subject to the notification obligations of the FMSA, if such person has, or can acquire, the right to vote on our shares or, in the case of depository receipts, our underlying shares. The acquisition of (conditional) voting rights by a

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pledgee or usufructuary may also trigger the notification obligations as if the pledgee or beneficial owner were the legal holder of our shares or voting rights on our shares. A holding in certain cash settled derivatives (such as cash settled call options and total equity return swaps) referencing to our shares should also be taken into account for the purpose of calculating the percentage of capital interest.
In addition, pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 236/2012, each person holding a net short position amounting to 0.2% of the issued share capital of a Dutch company that has shares admitted to trading on a European regulated market is required to report it to the AFM. Each subsequent increase of this position by 0.1% above 0.2% will also need to be reported. Each net short position equal to 0.5% of the issued share capital of a Dutch listed company and any subsequent increase of that position by 0.1% will be made public via the AFM short selling register. To calculate whether a natural person or legal person has a net short position, their short positions and long positions must be set-off. A short transaction in a share can only be contracted if a reasonable case can be made that the shares sold can actually be delivered, which requires confirmation of a third party that the shares have been located.
The AFM does not issue separate public announcements of these notifications. It does, however, keep a public register of all notifications under the FMSA on its website www.afm.nl. Third parties can request to be notified automatically by e-mail of changes to the public register in relation to a particular company’s shares or a particular notifying party.
Non-compliance with the notification obligations under the FMSA may lead to criminal fines, administrative fines, imprisonment or other sanctions. In addition, non-compliance with the shareholding disclosure obligations under the FMSA may lead to civil sanctions, including suspension of the voting rights relating to our shares held by the offender for a period of not more than three years and a prohibition applicable to the offender to acquire any of our shares or voting rights on our shares for a period of up to five years.
Taxation
The following is a general summary of certain material United States federal income tax consequences to holders of our Common Shares who are “U.S. Holders” (as such term is defined below) and certain material Netherlands tax consequences to holders of our Common Shares who are “non-resident Shareholders” or “Shareholders” (as each term is defined below). This summary does not discuss every aspect of such taxation that may be relevant to such holders. Therefore, all prospective purchasers of our Common Shares described above are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the United States federal, state and local tax consequences, as well as The Netherlands tax consequences, of the ownership of our Common Shares. This summary is based upon the advice of Blais, Halpert, Lieberman & Greene LLC with respect to tax consequences for U.S. Holders under United States law and Baker & McKenzie with respect to tax consequences for non-resident Shareholders or Shareholders under Netherlands law.
The statements of The Netherlands and United States tax laws set out below are based on the laws in force as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 20-F, and as a consequence are subject to any changes in United States or The Netherlands law, or in the double taxation conventions between the United States and The Netherlands, occurring after such date.
Netherlands Tax Considerations
The following describes the material tax consequences under Netherlands law of an investment in our Common Shares. Such description is based on current Netherlands law as interpreted under officially published case law, and is limited to the tax implications for an owner of our Common Shares who is not, or is not deemed to be, a resident of The Netherlands for purposes of the relevant tax codes (a “non-resident Shareholder” or “Shareholder”).
Dividend Withholding Tax
General. Upon distribution of dividends, we would be obligated to withhold 15% dividend tax at source and to pay the amount withheld to The Netherlands tax authorities. The term “dividends” means income from shares or other rights participating in profits, as well as income from other corporate rights that is subjected to the same taxation treatment as income from shares by the laws of The Netherlands. Dividends include dividends in cash or in kind, constructive dividends, certain repayments of capital qualified as dividends, interest on loans that are treated as equity for Netherlands corporate income tax purposes and liquidation proceeds in excess of, for Netherlands tax purposes, recognized paid-in capital. Stock dividends are also subject to withholding tax, unless derived from our paid-in share premium which is recognized as equity for Netherlands tax purposes.
No withholding tax applies on the proceeds resulting from the sale or disposition of our Common Shares to persons other than QIAGEN and our affiliates.
A Shareholder can be eligible for a reduction or a refund of Netherlands dividend withholding tax under a tax convention which is in effect between the country of residence of the Shareholder and The Netherlands. The Netherlands has concluded such conventions with, among others, the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Japan and virtually all EU Member States.

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U.S. Shareholders. Under the Tax Convention between The Netherlands and the United States (the “Convention”), the regular 15% withholding tax on dividends we pay to a resident of the United States (as defined in the Convention) who is entitled to the benefits of the Convention, may be reduced to 5% (in the case of a corporate U.S. Shareholder that holds 10% or more of the voting power of a Netherlands company) unless such U.S. shareholder has a permanent establishment in The Netherlands with which the shares are effectively connected.
A full exemption from Netherlands withholding tax may apply to certain U.S. corporate shareholders owning at least 80% of QIAGEN voting power for a period of at least twelve months prior to the distribution.
Dividends we pay to U.S. pension funds and U.S. tax exempt organizations may be eligible for an exemption from dividend withholding tax.
Dividend Stripping. A refund, reduction, exemption, or credit of Netherlands dividend withholding tax on the basis of Netherlands tax law or on the basis of a tax treaty between The Netherlands and another state, will only be granted if the dividends are paid to the beneficial owner (“ uiteindelijk gerechtigde ”) of the dividends. A recipient of a dividend is not considered to be the beneficial owner of a dividend in an event of “dividend stripping,” in which he has paid a consideration related to the receipt of such dividend. In general terms, “dividend stripping” can be described as the situation in which a foreign or domestic person (usually, but not necessarily, the original shareholder) has transferred his shares or his entitlement to the dividend distributions to a party that has a more favorable right to a refund or reduction of Netherlands dividend withholding tax than the foreign or domestic person. In these situations, the foreign or domestic person (usually the original shareholder) avoids Netherlands dividend withholding tax while retaining his “beneficial” interest in the shares and the dividend distributions, by transferring his shares or his entitlement to the dividend distributions.
Income Tax and Corporate Income Tax
General. A non-resident Shareholder will not be subject to Netherlands income tax or corporate income tax with respect to dividends we distribute on our Common Shares or with respect to capital gains derived from the sale or disposition of our Common Shares, provided that:
(a) the non-resident Shareholder does not carry on or have an interest in a business in The Netherlands through a permanent establishment or a permanent representative to which or to whom the Common Shares are attributable or deemed to be attributable;
(b) the non-resident Shareholder does not have a direct or indirect substantial or deemed substantial interest ( “aanmerkelijk belang,” as defined in The Netherlands tax code) in our share capital or, in the event the Shareholder does have such a substantial interest, such interest is a “business asset”, or, in case of a corporate Shareholder, the arrangement or a series of arrangements are not put in place with the main purpose or one of the main purposes to avoid Dutch income tax or dividend tax for another person or otherwise cannot be considered artificial. An arrangement or series of arrangements are considered artificial to the extent not put in place for valid commercial reasons that reflect economic reality; and
(c) the non-resident Shareholder is not entitled to a share in the profits of an enterprise, to which our Common Shares are attributable and that is effectively managed in The Netherlands, other than by way of securities or through an employment contract.
In general terms, a substantial interest ( “aanmerkelijk belang” ) in our share capital does not exist if the Shareholder (individuals as well as corporations), alone or together with his partner, does not own, directly or indirectly, 5% or more of the nominal paid-in capital of, or any class of our shares, does not have the right to acquire 5% or more of the nominal paid-in capital of, or any class of our shares (including a call option) and does not have the right to share in our profit or liquidation revenue amounting to 5% or more of the annual profits or liquidation revenue.
There is no all-encompassing definition of the term “business asset”; whether this determination can be made in general depends on the facts presented and in particular on the activities performed by the Shareholder. If the Shareholder materially conducts a business activity, while the key interest of his investment in our Shares will not be his earnings out of the investment in our Shares but our economic activity, an investment in our Shares will generally be deemed to constitute a business asset, in particular if the Shareholder’s involvement in our business will exceed regular monitoring of his investment in our Shares.
U.S. Shareholders. Pursuant to the Convention, the gain derived by a U.S. Shareholder from an alienation of our Common Shares constituting a substantial interest of the Shareholder in QIAGEN, not effectively connected or deemed connected with a permanent establishment or permanent representative of the Shareholder in The Netherlands, is not subject to Netherlands income tax or corporate income tax, provided that the gain from the alienation of our Common Shares is not derived by an individual Shareholder who has, at any time during the five-year period preceding such alienation, been a resident of The Netherlands according to Netherlands tax law and who owns, at the time of the alienation, either alone or together with close relatives, at least 25% of any class of our shares.

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Gift and Inheritance Tax
A gift or inheritance of our Common Shares from a non-resident Shareholder will generally not be subject to a Netherlands gift and inheritance tax, provided that the Shareholder does not own a business which is, in whole or in part, carried on through a permanent establishment or a permanent representative in The Netherlands to which or to whom our Common Shares are attributable. The Netherlands has concluded a tax convention with the United States based on which double taxation on inheritances may be avoided if the inheritance is subject to Netherlands and/or U.S. inheritance tax and the deceased was a resident of either The Netherlands or the United States.
United States Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and sale of our Common Shares by an investor that purchases such Common Shares and that will hold the Common Shares as capital assets. This summary does not purport to be a complete analysis or listing of all potential tax considerations and does not address holders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws (including insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, regulated investment companies, financial institutions, broker dealers, U.S. expatriates, persons subject to alternative minimum tax, or holders that own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of our voting shares).
As used herein, references to a “U.S. Holder” are to a holder of our Common Shares that is (i) a citizen or resident for tax purposes of the United States, (ii) a corporation, limited liability company or partnership organized under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof, (iii) any estate (other than an estate the income of which, from sources outside the United States that is not effectively connected with a trade or business within the United States, is not includible in its gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes), and (iv) any trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust; and references to a “non-U.S. Holder” are to a holder of our Common Shares that is not a U.S. Holder.
Taxation of Dividends
To the extent paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles, distributions, if any, made with respect to our Common Shares will be includable for U.S. federal income tax purposes in the income of a U.S. Holder as ordinary dividend income in an amount equal to the sum of any cash and the fair market value of any property that we distribute, before reduction for Netherlands withholding tax. Such dividends will be eligible to be treated by U.S. Holder individuals, trusts and estates as “qualified dividend income” subject to a maximum tax rate of 20 percent (plus possibly an additional 3.8 percent on net investment income; see “Taxation — United States Federal Income Tax Considerations — Surtax on Net Investment Income”), if the shareholder receiving the dividend satisfies the holding period requirements, does not treat the dividends as "investment income" for purposes of the investment interest deduction, is not under any obligation to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, and if we are not treated for our taxable year in which the dividend is paid, or our preceding taxable year, as a passive foreign investment company (see “Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Passive Foreign Investment Company Status”). To the extent that such distribution exceeds our current or accumulated earnings and profits, it will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in our Common Shares and thereafter as taxable capital gain. Dividends generally will be treated as income from sources outside the United States and generally will be passive category income (or, in the case of certain holders, “financial services income”) for purposes of the foreign tax credit limitation. Dividends we pay will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction allowed to corporations in certain circumstances under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). A U.S. Holder may elect annually to either deduct The Netherlands withholding tax (see “Taxation—Netherlands Tax Considerations—Dividend Withholding Tax”) against their income (in which case, the election will apply to all foreign income taxes such U.S. Holder paid in that year) or take the withholding taxes as a credit against their U.S. tax liability, subject to U.S. foreign tax credit limitation rules. If the dividends are qualified for the lower applicable capital gains rate (as discussed above), the amount of the dividend income taken into account for calculating the foreign tax credit limitation will in general be limited to the gross amount of the dividend, multiplied by the reduced rate, divided by the highest rate of tax normally applicable to dividends. The rules governing the foreign tax credit are complex. We urge you to consult with your own tax advisors regarding the availability of the foreign tax credit in your particular circumstances.
A non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on distributions with respect to our Common Shares that are treated as dividend income for U.S. federal income tax purposes unless such dividends are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States by such non-U.S. Holder, (and are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained in the United States by such non-U.S. Holder, if an applicable income tax treaty so requires as a condition for such non-U.S. Holder to be subject to U.S. taxation on a net income basis in respect of income from our Common Shares), in which case the non-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to tax in respect of such dividends in the same manner as a U.S. Holder. Any such effectively connected income received by a non-U.S. Holder treated

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as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes may also, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. A non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on distributions with respect to our Common Shares that are treated as capital gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes unless such holder would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized on the sale or other disposition of our Common Shares, as discussed below.
Surtax on Net Investment Income
Certain U.S. Holders that are individuals, estates or trusts and whose income exceeds certain thresholds will be subject to an additional 3.8% surtax on some or all of their “net investment income” (or, in the case of certain estates or trust, their undistributed net investment income). Net investment income generally includes dividends paid on, and gain from the disposition of, our Common Shares unless such dividends or gain is derived in the ordinary course of the conduct of a trade or business (other than a trade or business that consists of certain passive or trading activities). You should consult your tax advisors regarding the effect this surtax may have, if any, on your acquisition, ownership or disposition of our Common Shares.
Taxation of Capital Gains
Subject to the "passive foreign investment company" (PFIC) rules discussed below, upon the sale or other disposition of our Common Shares, a U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the difference between the amounts realized on the disposition of our Common Shares and the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in our Common Shares. Such gain or loss generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax. An individual U.S. Holder is generally subject to a maximum capital gains rate of 20% for our Common Shares held for more than a year. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, capital losses are subject to limitations on deductibility. Gain realized by a U.S. Holder on the sale or other disposition of our Common Shares generally will be treated as income from sources within the United States for purposes of the foreign tax credit limitation.
A non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding tax on gain realized on the sale or other disposition of our Common Shares unless (i) the gain is effectively connected with a trade or business of the non-U.S. Holder in the United States (and is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained in the United States by such non-U.S. Holder, if an applicable income tax treaty so requires as a condition for such non-U.S. Holder to be subject to U.S. taxation on a net income basis in respect of gain from the sale or other disposition of our Common Shares) or (ii) such holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the sale, and certain other conditions are met. Effectively connected gains realized by a corporate Non-U.S. Holder may also, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
Passive Foreign Investment Company Status
We may be classified as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes if certain tests are met. We will be a PFIC with respect to a U.S. Holder if for any taxable year in which the U.S. Holder held our Common Shares, either (i) 75% or more of our gross income for the taxable year is passive income; or (ii) the average value of our assets (during the taxable year) which produce or are held for the production of passive income is at least 50% of the average value of all assets for such year. Passive income means, in general, dividends, interest, royalties, rents (other than rents and royalties derived in the active conduct of a trade or business and not derived from a related person), annuities, and gains from assets which would produce such income other than sales of inventory. For the purpose of the PFIC tests, if a foreign corporation owns at least 25% by value of the stock of another corporation, the foreign corporation is treated as owning its proportionate share of the assets of the other corporation, and as if it had received directly its proportionate share of the income of such other corporation. The effect of this special provision with respect to QIAGEN and our ownership of our subsidiaries is that we, for purposes of the income and assets tests described above, will be treated as owning directly our proportionate share of the assets of our subsidiaries and of receiving directly our proportionate share of each of those companies’ income, if any, so long as we own, directly or indirectly, at least 25% by value of the particular company’s stock. Active business income of our subsidiaries will be treated as our active business income, rather than as passive income. Based on our income, assets and activities, we do not believe that we were a PFIC for our taxable years ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2015 and do not expect to be a PFIC for the current taxable year. No assurances can be made, however, that the IRS will not challenge this position or that we will not subsequently become a PFIC. Following the close of any tax year, we intend to promptly send a notice to all shareholders of record at any time during such year, if we determine that we are a PFIC.
Prospective purchasers of our Common Shares are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the PFIC rules and their effect on an investment in our Common Shares, with particular regard to (i) the advisability of making the qualified election in the event that we notify the shareholders that we have become a PFIC in any taxable year, or (ii) the advisability of making the mark-to-market election provided in the tax law.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

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In general, dividend payments, or other taxable distributions, paid within the United States or through certain U.S.-related financial intermediaries on our Common Shares will be subject to information reporting requirements and backup withholding tax at the rate of 28% for a non-corporate United States person and, who also:
•
fails to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number;
•
is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that the individual has failed to report all interest or dividends required to be shown on the Federal income tax returns; or
•
in certain circumstances, fails to comply with applicable certification requirements.
Certain corporations and persons that are not United States persons may be required to establish their exemption from information reporting and backup withholding by certifying their status on Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 or applicable Form W-8.
If a United States person sells our Common Shares to or through a United States office of a broker, the payment of the proceeds is subject to both United States backup withholding and information reporting unless the individual can certify that they are a non-U.S. person, under penalties of perjury, or they otherwise establish an exemption. If a United States person sells our Common Shares through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker and the sale proceeds are paid to the person outside the United States then information reporting and backup withholding generally will not apply to that payment. However, United States information reporting requirements, but not backup withholding, will apply to a payment of sales proceeds, even if that payment is made to the United States person outside the United States, if the person sells our Common Shares through a non-U.S. office of a broker that is a U.S. person or has certain other contacts with the United States.
A holder generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules that exceed such holder’s income tax liability by filing a refund claim with the United States Internal Revenue Service.
Foreign Currency Issues
If dividends are paid in euros, the amount of the dividend distribution included in the income of a U.S. Holder will be the U.S. dollar value of the payments made in euros, determined at a spot, euro/U.S. dollar rate applicable to the date such dividend is includible in the income of the U.S. Holder, regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted into U.S. dollars. Generally, gain or loss (if any) resulting from currency exchange fluctuations during the period from the date the dividend is paid to the date such payment is converted into U.S. dollars will be treated as ordinary income or loss. We have never paid cash dividends on our share capital and do not intend to do so for the foreseeable future.
Certain Information Reporting Requirements
Individuals who are U.S. Holders (and to the extent specified in applicable Treasury regulations, certain individual non-U.S. Holders and certain U.S. Holders that are entities), and who hold “specified foreign financial assets” (as defined in section 6038D of the Code), including stock of a non-U.S. corporation that is not held in an account maintained by a U.S. “financial institution” (as defined in section 6038D of the Code), whose aggregate value exceeds $50,000 on the last day of the taxable year or $75,000 at any time during the tax year, may be required to attach to their tax returns for the year certain specified information (Form 8938). (Higher thresholds apply to married individuals filing a joint return and certain individuals residing outside of the United States.) An individual who fails to timely furnish the required information may be subject to a penalty, unless the failure is shown to be due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect. Additionally, in the event a U.S. Holder does not file such a report, the statute of limitations on the assessment and collection of U.S. federal income taxes of such U.S. Holder for the related tax year may not close before such report is filed. Under certain circumstances, an entity may be treated as an individual for purposes of the foregoing rules. U.S. holder (including entities) should consult their own tax advisors regarding their reporting obligations under this legislation.
Documents on Display
Documents referred to in this Annual Report may be inspected at our principal executive office located at Hulsterweg 82, 5912 PL Venlo, The Netherlands.

Item 11.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Our market risk relates primarily to interest rate exposures on cash, short-term investments and borrowings and foreign currency exposures. Financial risk is centrally managed and is regulated by internal guidelines which require a continuous internal risk analysis. The overall objective of our risk management is to reduce the potential negative earnings effects from changes in interest and foreign exchange rates. Exposures are managed through operational methods and financial instruments relating to interest rate and foreign exchange risks. In the ordinary course of business, we use derivative instruments, including swaps, forwards and/or options, to manage potential losses from foreign currency exposures and interest rates. The principal objective of such derivative instruments is to minimize the risks and/or costs associated with global financial and operating

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activities. We do not utilize derivative or other financial instruments for trading or other speculative purposes. All derivatives are recognized as either assets or liabilities in the balance sheet and are measured at fair value with any change in fair value recognized in earnings in the period of change, unless the derivative qualifies as an effective hedge that offsets certain exposures. In determining fair value, we consider both the counterparty credit risk and our own creditworthiness.
Foreign Currency Derivatives. As a globally active enterprise, we are subject to risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currencies in our ordinary operations. This includes foreign currency-denominated receivables, payables, debt, and other balance sheet positions. We manage our balance sheet exposure on a group-wide basis primarily using foreign exchange forward contracts, options and cross-currency swaps.
Interest Rate Derivatives. We are using interest rate derivatives to align our portfolio of interest bearing assets and liabilities with our risk management objectives. We have entered into interest rate swaps in which we agreed to exchange, at specified intervals, the difference between fixed and floating interest amounts calculated by reference to an agreed-upon notional principal amount.
Further details of our derivative and hedging activities can be found in Note 13 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
Interest Rate Risk
At December 31, 2015 , we had $ 290.0 million in cash and cash equivalents as well as $130.8 million in short-term investments. Interest income earned on our cash investments is affected by changes in the relative levels of market interest rates. We only invest in high-grade investment instruments. A hypothetical adverse 10% movement in market interest rates would not have materially impacted our financial statements.
Borrowings against lines of credit are at variable interest rates. We had no amounts outstanding against our lines of credit at December 31, 2015 . A hypothetical adverse 10% movement in market interest rates would not have materially impacted our financial statements.
At December 31, 2015 , we had $1.1 billion in long-term debt, none of which is at a variable rate. Through the use of interest rate derivatives we have swapped $200 million of our fixed rate debt into a variable interest rate based on the 3-months LIBOR. A hypothetical adverse 10% movement in market interest rates would not have materially impacted our financial statements, as the increased interest expense would have been off-set by increased interest income from our variable rate financial assets.
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk
As a global enterprise, we are subject to risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currencies with regard to our ordinary operations. This includes foreign currency-denominated receivables, payables, debt, and other balance sheet positions as well as future cash flows resulting from anticipated transactions including intra-group transactions.
A significant portion of our revenues and expenses are earned and incurred in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. The euro is the most significant such currency, with others including the British pound, Japanese yen, Chinese renminbi, Swiss franc, and Canadian and Australian dollars. Fluctuations in the value of the currencies in which we conduct our business relative to the U.S. dollar have caused and will continue to cause U.S. dollar translations of such currencies to vary from one period to another. Due to the number of currencies involved, the constantly changing currency exposures, and the potential substantial volatility of currency exchange rates, we cannot predict the effect of exchange rate fluctuations upon future operating results. In general terms, depreciation of the U.S. dollar against our other foreign currencies will increase reported net sales. However, this effect is, at least partially, offset by the fact that we also incur substantial expenses in foreign currencies.
We have significant production and manufacturing facilities located in Germany and intercompany sales of inventory also expose us to foreign currency exchange rate risk. Intercompany sales of inventory are generally denominated in the local currency of the subsidiary purchasing the inventory in order to centralize foreign currency risk with the manufacturing subsidiary. We use an in-house bank approach to net and settle intercompany payables and receivables as well as intercompany foreign exchanged swaps and forward contracts in order to centralize the foreign exchange rate risk to the extent possible. We have entered in the past and may enter in the future into foreign exchange derivatives including forwards, swaps and options to manage the remaining foreign exchange exposure.

Item 12.
Description of Securities Other than Equity Securities
Not applicable.


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PART II

Item 13.
Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies
Not applicable.

Item 14.
Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds
Not applicable.

Item 15.
Controls and Procedures
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our Managing Directors, with the assistance of other members of management, performed an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as that term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, within 90 days of the date of this report. Based on that evaluation, they concluded that as of December 31, 2015 , our disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Managing Directors, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
There are inherent limitations to the effectiveness of any system of disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well designed, such as the possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of the controls and procedures. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective may not prevent or detect misstatements and can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their control objectives. In addition, any determination of effectiveness of controls is not a projection of any effectiveness of those controls to future periods, as those controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Report of Management on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company’s system of internal controls over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements and even when determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Our management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015 . In making this assessment, management used the updated criteria set forth in 2013 by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control-Integrated Framework.
Based on our assessment under the COSO Internal Control-Integrated Framework, management believes that, as of December 31, 2015 , our internal control over financial reporting is effective .
Attestation Report of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, the independent registered public accounting firm that audited our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) as of and for the year ended December 31, 2015, has also audited the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015 . Their report is included in this Annual Report on Form 20-F on page F-3.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting during 2015 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.


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Item 16A.
Audit Committee Financial Expert
The Supervisory Board has designated Mr. Lawrence Rosen as an “audit committee financial expert” as that term is defined in the SEC rules adopted pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Mr. Rosen is “independent” as defined in the Marketplace Rules of the NASDAQ as applicable to Audit Committees.

Item 16B.
Code of Ethics
QIAGEN has in place a Code of Conduct which qualifies as a code of ethics, as required by SEC and NASDAQ Marketplace Rules. The Code of Conduct applies to all of QIAGEN’s employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller and other persons performing similar functions. The full text of the Code of Conduct is available on our website at www.qiagen.com.

Item 16C.
Principal Accountant Fees and Services
Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The Audit Committee has adopted a pre-approval policy that requires the pre-approval of all services performed for us by our independent registered public accounting firm. Additionally, the Audit Committee has delegated to the Committee Chairman full authority to approve any management request for pre-approval, provided the Chairman presents any approval given at its next scheduled meeting. All audit-related services, tax services and other services rendered by our independent registered public accounting firm or their affiliates were pre-approved by the Audit Committee and are compatible with maintaining the auditor’s independence.
Set forth below are the total fees billed (or expected to be billed), on a consolidated basis, by the independent registered public accounting firm or their affiliates for providing audit and other professional services in each of the last two years:
KPMG
Ernst & Young
(in millions)
2015
2014
Audit fees
$
1.9

$
0.9

-consolidated financial statements
1.3

0.9

-statutory financial statements
0.6

—

Audit-related fees
0.1

0.5

Tax fees
—

0.2

All other fees
—

0.4

Total
$
2.0

$
2.0

Audit fees consist of fees and expenses billed for the annual audit and quarterly review of QIAGEN’s consolidated financial statements. They also include fees billed for other audit services, which are those services that only the statutory auditor can provide, and include the review of documents filed with the Securities Exchange Commission.
Audit-related fees consist of fees and expenses billed for assurance and related services that are related to the performance of the audit or review of QIAGEN’s financial statements and include consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards and review of the opening balance sheets of newly acquired companies. In 2014, $0.4 million of audit-related fees are related to the convertible bond issuance in the first quarter 2014.
Tax fees include fees and expenses billed for tax compliance services, including assistance on the preparation of tax returns and claims for refund; tax consultations, such as assistance and representation in connection with tax audits and appeals.
All other fees include various fees and expenses billed for services as approved by the Audit Committee and as permitted by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Item 16D.
Exemptions From the Listing Standards for Audit Committees
Not applicable.

Item 16E.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
The following table sets out information concerning repurchases of our common shares, which we intend to use to serve our exchangeable debt instruments and employee share-based remuneration plans.

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Purchases between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015 were made in accordance with the authorization to acquire and use treasury shares granted at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on June 25, 2014 (the 2014 program), pursuant to which the Managing Board was authorized to acquire up to $100 million of QIAGEN common shares of the 2014 program. The 2014 program expired in December 2015. No further amounts are available for purchase under the 2014 program as of December 31, 2015 .
Period
(a)Total Number of Shares Purchased
(b)Average Price Paid per Share in $ (1)
(c) Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans and Programs
(d) Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under these Plans and Programs
(in millions) (2)
January 1 to April 30, 2015
—
—
—
$50.9
May 1-31, 2015
152,495
$24.51
152,495
$47.1
June 1-30, 2015
458,200
$24.56
458,200
$35.9
July 1-31, 2015
153,600
$24.72
153,600
$32.1
August 1-31, 2015
12,200
$26.94
12,200
$31.7
September 1-30, 2015
65,066
$26.12
65,066
$30.1
October 1 to December 31, 2015
—
—
—
$0.0
Total
841,561
$24.74
841,561
(1) The average price paid per share of stock repurchased under the stock repurchase program includes the commissions paid to the brokers.
(2) The approximate value of shares that may yet be purchased under these plans and programs does not include commissions that may be paid to brokers in connection with such purchases.

Item 16F.
Change in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant
In accordance with Dutch law, the external auditor of our statutory consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and filed with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM), is appointed by our general meeting of shareholders on the proposal of the Supervisory Board, after the Supervisory Board has been advised by the Audit Committee. Further, under the Dutch Audit Profession Act we are required to rotate our external audit firm at least every eight years, which would require us to change our external auditor for the year ended 2016. The Audit Committee advised the Supervisory Board to recommend that our shareholders approve KPMG Accountants N.V. as our statutory auditor at the 2015 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. At our 2015 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on June 23, 2015, our shareholders appointed KPMG Accountants N.V.
Following the appointment of KPMG Accountants N.V. for the audit of our statutory consolidated financial statements, the external auditor for our consolidated financial statements prepared under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles was changed to KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft who audited the consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2015 contained in this annual report.
The reports on our financial statements for the past two years did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.
In connection with the audits of our financial statements for each of the two years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, and in the subsequent interim period through February 27, 2015, (i) there were no disagreements with Ernst & Young on any matters of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope and procedures which, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Ernst & Young would have caused Ernst & Young to make reference to the matter in their report; and (ii) there were no "reportable events" as that term is described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K. The Company has requested Ernst & Young to furnish a letter addressed to the Commission stating whether it agrees with the above statements. A copy of that letter dated February 26, 2016 is filed as Exhibit 15.3 to this Form 20-F.

Item 16G.
Corporate Governance
We recognize the importance of clear and straightforward rules on corporate governance and, where appropriate, have adapted our internal organization and processes to these rules. This section provides an overview of QIAGEN’s corporate governance structure and includes details of the information required under the Dutch Corporate Governance Code (the Dutch Code). The Dutch Code is applicable to QIAGEN N.V. (in the following also referred to as the “Company”), as it is a publicly listed company incorporated under the laws of The Netherlands with a registered seat in Venlo, The Netherlands. The Dutch Code

78

contains the principles and concrete provisions which the persons involved in a listed company (including Managing Board members and Supervisory Board members) and stakeholders should observe in relation to one another.
Our corporate governance practices generally derive from the provisions of the Dutch Civil Code and the Dutch Corporate Governance Code. Further, due to our listing at the NASDAQ exchange in the U.S., the Managing Board and the Supervisory Board of QIAGEN N.V. declared their intention to disclose in QIAGEN’s Annual Reports the Company’s compliance with the corporate governance practices followed by U.S. companies under the NASDAQ listing standards or state the deviations recorded in the period.
A brief summary of the principal differences follows.
Corporate Structure
QIAGEN is a ‘Naamloze Vennootschap,’ or N.V., a Dutch limited liability company similar to a corporation in the United States. QIAGEN has a two-tier board structure. QIAGEN is managed by a Managing Board consisting of executive management acting under the supervision of a Supervisory Board (non-executives), similar to a Board of Directors in a U.S. corporation. It is in the interest of QIAGEN and all its stakeholders that each Board performs its functions appropriately and that there is a clear division of responsibilities between the Managing Board, the Supervisory Board, the general meeting of shareholders (General Meeting) and the external auditor in a well-functioning system of checks and balances.
Managing Board
General
The Managing Board manages QIAGEN and is responsible for defining and achieving QIAGEN’s aims, strategy, policies and results. The Managing Board is also responsible for complying with all relevant legislation and regulations as well as for managing the risks associated with the business activities and the financing of QIAGEN. It reports related developments to and discusses the internal risk management and control systems with the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee. The Managing Board is accountable for the performance of its duties to the Supervisory Board and the General Meeting of Shareholders (General Meeting). The Managing Board provides the Supervisory Board with timely information necessary for the exercise of the duties of the Supervisory Board. In discharging its duties, the Managing Board takes into account the interests of QIAGEN, its enterprises and all parties involved in QIAGEN, including shareholders and other stakeholders.
Composition and Appointment
The Managing Board consists of one or more members as determined by the Supervisory Board. The members of the Managing Board are appointed by the General Meeting upon the joint meeting of the Supervisory Board and the Managing Board (the Joint Meeting) having made a binding nomination for each vacancy. However, the General Meeting may at all times overrule the binding nature of such a nomination by a resolution adopted by at least a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, if such majority represents more than half the issued share capital. Managing Directors are appointed annually for the period beginning on the date following the Annual General Meeting up to and including the date of the Annual General Meeting held in the following year.
Members of the Managing Board may be suspended and dismissed by the General Meeting by a resolution adopted by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, if such majority represents more than half of the issued share capital, unless the proposal was made by the Joint Meeting, in which case a simple majority of votes cast is sufficient. Furthermore, the Supervisory Board may at any time suspend (but not dismiss) a member of the Managing Board.
Conflicts of Interest, Loans or Similar Benefits
Resolutions to enter into transactions under which members of the Managing Board could have a conflict of interest with QIAGEN, and which are of material significance to QIAGEN and/or the relevant member of the Managing Board, require the approval of the Supervisory Board. QIAGEN has not entered into any such transactions in 2015 . No credit, loans or similar benefits were granted to members of the Managing Board. Additionally, the Managing Board Members did not receive any benefits from third parties that were either promised or granted in view of their position as members of the Managing Board.
Further information on our Managing Directors can be found in Item 6 of this Annual Report.
Supervisory Board
General
The Supervisory Board supervises the policies of the Managing Board, the general course of QIAGEN’s affairs and strategy and the business enterprises which we operate. The Supervisory Board assists the Managing Board by providing advice relating to the business activities of QIAGEN. In 2015 , the Supervisory Board had five regular meetings that were held with the attendance of the Managing Board, while certain agenda items were discussed exclusively between the Supervisory Board members. In discharging its duties, the Supervisory Board takes into account the interests of QIAGEN, its enterprise and all

79

parties involved in QIAGEN, including shareholders and other stakeholders. The Supervisory Board is responsible for the quality of its own performance. In this respect, the Supervisory Board conducts a self-evaluation on an annual basis. Our Supervisory Board has specified matters requiring its approval, including decisions and actions which would fundamentally change the company’s assets, financial position or results of operations. The Supervisory Board has appointed an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, a Selection and Appointment (Nomination) Committee and a Science and Technology Committee from among its members and can appoint other committees as deemed beneficial. The Supervisory Board has approved charters pursuant to which each of the committees operates.
Composition and Appointment
The Supervisory Board consists of at least three members, or a larger number as determined by the Joint Meeting. Members of the Supervisory Board are appointed by the General Meeting upon the Joint Meeting having made a binding nomination for each vacancy. However, the General Meeting may at all times overrule the binding nature of such a nomination by a resolution adopted by at least a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, if such majority represents more than half the issued share capital.
The Supervisory Board shall be composed in a way that enables it to carry out its duties properly and enables its members to act critically and independently of one another and of the Managing Board and any particular interests. To that effect, the Supervisory Board has adopted a profile of its size and composition that takes into account the nature of our business, our activities and the desired expertise and background of the members of the Supervisory Board. The current profile of the Supervisory Board can be found on our website. The Supervisory Board has appointed a chairman from its members who has the duties assigned to him by the Articles of Association and the Dutch Code.
Members of the Supervisory Board are appointed annually for the period beginning on the date following the General Meeting up to and including the date of the General Meeting held in the following year. Members of the Supervisory Board may be suspended and dismissed by the General Meeting by a resolution adopted by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, if such majority represents more than half of the issued share capital, unless the proposal was made by the Managing Board and the Supervisory Board in which case a simple majority of votes cast is sufficient.
Conflicts of Interest, Loans or Similar Benefits
Resolutions to enter into transactions under which members of the Supervisory Board could have a conflict of interest with QIAGEN, and which are of material significance to QIAGEN and/or the relevant member of the Supervisory Board, require the approval of the Supervisory Board plenum. In 2015 , neither QIAGEN nor its Supervisory Board members have entered into any such transactions. No credit, loans or similar benefits were granted to members of the Supervisory Board. Additionally, the Supervisory Board Members did not receive any benefits from third parties that were either promised or granted in view of their position as members of the Supervisory Board.
Further information on our Supervisory Directors can be found in Item 6 of this Annual Report.
Additional Information
Shareholders
Our shareholders exercise their voting rights through Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings. Resolutions of the General Meeting are adopted by an absolute majority of votes cast, unless a different majority of votes or quorum is required by Dutch law or the Articles of Association. Each common share confers the right to cast one vote.
Furthermore, the Managing Board, or where appropriate, the Supervisory Board, shall provide all shareholders and other parties in the financial markets with equal and simultaneous information about matters that may influence QIAGEN's share price.
QIAGEN is required to convene an Annual General Meeting in the Netherlands no later than six months following the end of each year. The agenda for the Annual General Meeting must contain certain matters as specified in QIAGEN's Articles of Association and under Dutch law, including, among other things, the adoption of QIAGEN's annual financial statements.
Additional Extraordinary General Meetings may be convened at any time by the Managing Board, the Supervisory Board or by one or more shareholders jointly representing at least 40% of QIAGEN's issued share capital. Furthermore, one or more shareholders, who jointly represent at least 10% of QIAGEN's issued share capital may, on their application, be authorized by the district court judge having applications for interim relief, to convene a General Meeting. Shareholders are entitled to propose items for the agenda of the General Meeting provided that they hold at least 3% of the issued share capital. Proposals for agenda items for the General Meeting must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the meeting date. The notice convening a General Meeting, accompanied by the agenda, shall be sent no later than 42 days prior to the meeting. QIAGEN informs the General Meeting by means of explanatory notes to the agenda, providing all facts and circumstances relevant to the proposed resolutions.
Independence

80

Unlike the NASDAQ listing standards which require a majority of the Supervisory Board members to be independent, the Dutch Corporate Governance Code recommends that all Supervisory Board members, with the exception of not more than one person, shall be independent within the meaning of its “best practice” provision. In some cases the Dutch independence requirement is more stringent, such as by requiring a longer “look back” period (five years) for former executive directors. In other cases, the NASDAQ rules are more stringent, such as a broader definition of disqualifying affiliations. Currently, a majority of our Supervisory Board are “independent” under both the NASDAQ and Dutch definitions.
Independent Auditors
In accordance with the requirements of Dutch law, our independent registered public accounting firm for our statutory consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and filed with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM), is appointed, and may be removed by, the General Meeting. The Supervisory Board nominates a candidate for the appointment as external auditor, for which purpose both the Audit Committee and the Managing Board advise the Supervisory Board. At the Annual General Meeting in 2015 , KPMG Accountants N.V. was appointed as external auditor for the Company for 2015 year. The external auditor is invited to attend the meeting of the Supervisory Board at which the statutory financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and filed with the AFM shall be approved and is furthermore invited to attend the General Meeting at which the statutory financial statements are adopted and may be questioned by the General Meeting on its statement on the fairness of our annual accounts prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards.
Following the appointment of KPMG Accountants N.V. for the audit of our statutory consolidated financial statements, the external auditor for our consolidated financial statements prepared under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles was changed to KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft who audited the consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2015 contained in this annual report.
The remuneration of the external auditor, and instructions to the external auditor to provide non-audit services, shall be approved by the Supervisory Board on the recommendation of the Audit Committee and after consultation with the Managing Board. At least once every four years, the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee shall conduct a thorough assessment of the functioning of the external auditor. The main conclusions of this assessment shall be communicated to the General Meeting for the purposes of assessing the nomination for the appointment of the external auditor.
Whistleblower Policy and Code of Conduct
We have a formal Whistleblower Policy concerning the reporting of alleged irregularities within QIAGEN of a general, operational or financial nature. Furthermore, we have a published Code of Conduct that outlines business principles for our employees and rules of conduct. The Code of Conduct can be found on our website at www.qiagen.com.
Anti-Takeover Measures
In 2004, the Supervisory Board granted an option to the Dutch Foundation Stichting Preferente Aandelen QIAGEN that allows the Foundation to acquire preference shares from QIAGEN if (i) a person has (directly or indirectly) acquired or has expressed a desire to acquire more than 20% of our issued share capital, or (ii) a person holding at least a 10% interest in the share capital has been designated as a hostile person by our Supervisory Board. The option enables the Foundation to acquire preference shares equal to the number of our outstanding common shares at the time of the relevant exercise of the right, less one share. When exercising the option and exercising its voting rights on these shares, the Foundation must act in the interest of QIAGEN and the interests of our stakeholders. No preference shares are currently outstanding.
Dutch Corporate Governance Code--Comply or Explain
The corporate governance structure and compliance with the Dutch Code is the joint responsibility of the Managing Board and the Supervisory Board. They are accountable for this responsibility to the General Meeting. We continue to seek ways to improve our corporate governance by measuring itself against international best practice. The Dutch Code was last amended on December 10, 2008, and can be found at www.commissiecorporategovernance.nl .
Non-application of a specific best practice provision is not in itself considered objectionable by the Dutch Code and may well be justified because of particular circumstances relevant to a company. In accordance with Dutch law, we disclose in our Annual Report the application of the Dutch Code's principles and best practice provisions.
To the extent that we do not apply certain principles and best practice provisions, or do not intend to apply these in the current or the subsequent year, we state the reasons.
We take a positive view of the Dutch Code and apply nearly all of the best practice provisions. However, we prefer not to apply some provisions due to the international character of our business as well as the fact - acknowledged by the Commission that drafted the Dutch Code - that existing contractual agreements between QIAGEN and individual members of the Managing Board cannot be set aside at will.

81

The following provides an overview of exceptions that we have identified:
1.
Best practice provision II.1.1 recommends that a management board member is appointed for a maximum period of four years. A member may be reappointed for a term of not more than four years at a time.
Members of the Managing Board are appointed annually for a one-year period beginning on the day following the General Meeting up to and including the day of the General Meeting held in the following year.
2.
Best practice provision II.2.4 recommends that the number of granted options shall be dependent on the achievement of challenging targets specified beforehand.
In the past, members of our Managing Board were granted options to acquire common shares at an exercise price higher than the market price on the grant date (as determined by reference to an organized trading market or association). Our view is that the “challenging target” has been set at the time of granting the options since the holder cannot realize any value from these options unless the price of our common shares has risen above the exercise price. On June 25, 2014 the Annual General Meeting approved amendments to the remuneration policy of the Managing Board which state that g rants of stock options and restricted stock units which are based on time vesting only shall no longer be made on a regular basis and shall be reserved for use as special equity incentive rewards in certain situations. No stock options were granted to the members of the Managing Board in 2015.
3.
Best practice provision II.2.5 recommends that shares granted to management board members without financial consideration shall be retained for a period of at least five years or until at least at the end of the employment, if this period is shorter. The number of shares to be granted shall be dependent on the achievement of clearly quantifiable and challenging targets specified beforehand.
Members of the Managing Board are granted restricted stock units and performance stock units from time to time. Restricted stock units represent rights to receive common shares at a future date. The number of granted restricted stock units is dependent upon the achievement of pre-defined performance goals. Restricted stock units are structured so that 40% of a grant vests after three years, 50% after five years and the remaining 10% after ten years. Performance stock units have performance conditions in addition to time-vesting.
4.
Best practice provision II.2.8 recommends that the maximum remuneration in the event of dismissal of a management board member may not exceed one year's salary (the ”fixed” remuneration component). If the maximum of one year's salary would be manifestly unreasonable for a management board member who is dismissed during his first term of office, such board member shall be eligible for a severance pay not exceeding twice the annual salary.
Our Managing Board members have entered into employment agreements with QIAGEN N.V. and some QIAGEN affiliates for which they hold managing positions. In case of termination of an agreement without serious cause as defined by the applicable law, the respective affiliate would remain obliged to compensate the Managing Board member for the remaining term of the employment agreement. QIAGEN believes that these contractual arrangements are well justified due to the long tenures of the Managing Board members.
5 .
Best practice provision III.3.5 recommends that a person may be appointed to the supervisory board for a maximum of three 4-year terms.
Prof. Karobath has been a member of the Supervisory Board of QIAGEN N.V. since 2000. Prof. Karobath contributes profound scientific and industry experience from various management positions in the pharmaceutical industry to the board profile. He has a unique knowledge about QIAGEN which is considered to be highly valuable. As a result, QIAGEN strongly supports the reappointment Prof. Karobath beyond the 12-year term as recommended by the Dutch Code.
6.
Best practice provision III.7.1 recommends that a supervisory board member may not be granted any shares and/or rights to shares by way of remuneration.
QIAGEN has granted stock options to the members of the Supervisory Board as a remuneration component since its establishment. Since 2007, Supervisory Board members have also been granted restricted stock units. We believe that the reasonable level of equity based compensation which we practice allows a positive alignment of shareholder interests with the other duties of the Supervisory Board and that this practice is necessary to attract and retain Supervisory Board members as the granting of share-based compensation to Supervisory Board members is a common practice in our industry.
7.
B est practice provision IV.1.1 recommends that a general meeting of shareholders is empowered to cancel binding nominations of candidates for the management board and supervisory board, and to dismiss members of either board by a simple majority of votes of those in attendance, although the company may require a quorum of at least one third of the voting rights outstanding for such vote to have force. If such quorum is not represented, but a majority of those

82

in attendance votes in favor of the proposal, a second meeting may be convened and its vote will be binding, even without a one-third quorum.
Our Articles of Association currently state that the General Meeting may at all times overrule a binding nomination by a resolution adopted by at least a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, if such majority represents more than half of the issued share capital. Although a deviation from provision IV.1.1 of the Dutch Code, the Supervisory Board and the Managing Board hold the view that these provisions will enhance the continuity of QIAGEN's management and policies.
NASDAQ Exemptions
Exemptions from the NASDAQ corporate governance standards are available to foreign private issuers, such as QIAGEN when those standards are contrary to a law, rule or regulation of any public authority exercising jurisdiction over such issuer or contrary to generally accepted business practices in the issuer’s country of domicile. In connection with QIAGEN’s initial public offering, NASDAQ granted QIAGEN exemptions from certain corporate governance standards that are contrary to the laws, rules, regulations or generally accepted business practices of The Netherlands. These exemptions and the practices followed by QIAGEN are described below:
•
QIAGEN is exempt from NASDAQ’s quorum requirements applicable to meetings of ordinary shareholders. In keeping with the law of The Netherlands and generally accepted business practices in The Netherlands, QIAGEN’s Articles of Association provide that there are no quorum requirements generally applicable to meetings of the General Meeting.
•
QIAGEN is exempt from NASDAQ’s requirements regarding the solicitation of proxies and provision of proxy statements for meetings of the General Meeting. QIAGEN does furnish proxy statements and solicit proxies for meetings of shareholders. Dutch corporate law sets a mandatory (participation and voting) record date for Dutch listed companies fixed at the twenty-eighth day prior to the day of the shareholders’ meeting. Shareholders registered at such record date are entitled to attend and exercise their rights as shareholders at the General Meeting, regardless of a sale of shares after the record date.
•
QIAGEN is exempt from NASDAQ’s requirements that shareholder approval be obtained prior to the establishment of, or material amendments to, stock option or purchase plans and other equity compensation arrangements pursuant to which options or stock may be acquired by directors, officers, employees or consultants. QIAGEN is also exempt from NASDAQ’s requirements that shareholder approval be obtained prior to certain issuances of stock resulting in a change of control, occurring in connection with acquisitions of stock or assets of another company or issued at a price less than the greater of book or market value other than in a public offering. QIAGEN’s Articles of Association do not require approval of the General Meeting prior to the establishment of a stock plan. The Articles of Association also permit the General Meeting to grant the Supervisory Board general authority to issue shares without further approval of the General Meeting. QIAGEN’s General Meeting has granted the Supervisory Board general authority to issue up to a maximum of our authorized capital without further approval of the General Meeting. QIAGEN plans to seek approval of the General Meetings for stock plans and stock issuances only where required under the law of The Netherlands or under QIAGEN’s Articles of Association.
Further Information
For additional information regarding our Boards, including the Audit and other Committees of our Supervisory Board, please refer to the discussion in Item 6 above.

Item 16H.
Mine Safety Disclosure
Not applicable.


83

PART III

Item 17.
Financial Statements
See Item 18.

Item 18.
Financial Statements
See pages F-1 through F-45 included herein.

(A)
The following financial statements, together with the reports of KPMG and Ernst & Young thereon, are filed as part of this annual report:

Item 19.
Exhibits

84

1.1
Articles of Association as confirmed by notorial deed as of June 30, 2011 (English translation) (Filed as Exhibit 4.1) (1)
2.4
$400 Million Note Purchase Agreement dated as of October 16, 2012 (filed as Exhibit 2.9) (2)
2.5
2019 Bonds Indenture dated March 19, 2014 (Filed as Exhibit 2.7) (5)
2.6
2021 Bonds Indenture dated March 19, 2014 (Filed as Exhibit 2.8) (5)
2.7
2019 Form of Warrant Confirmation dated March 12, 2014 (Filed as Exhibit 2.9) (5)
2.8
2021 Form of Warrant Confirmation dated March 12, 2014 (Filed as Exhibit 2.10) (5)
2.9
2019 Form of Bond Hedge Confirmation dated March 12, 2014 (Filed as Exhibit 2.11) (5)
2.10
2021 Form of Bond Hedge Confirmation dated March 12, 2014 (Filed as Exhibit 2.12) (5)
4.1
Lease Between QIAGEN GmbH and Gisantus Grundstuecksverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, dated January 13, 1997 (the “Max-Volmer-Strasse 4 Lease”) (Filed as Exhibit 10.3) (3)
4.2
The Max-Volmer-Strasse 4 Lease Summary (Filed as Exhibit 10.3(a)) (3)
4.3
QIAGEN N.V. Amended and Restated 2005 Stock Plan (Filed as Exhibit 99.1) (1)
4.4
Digene Corporation Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan (Filed as Exhibit 99.3) (4)
4.5
QIAGEN N.V. 2014 Stock Plan (Filed as Exhibit 99.1) (6)
*8.1
List of Subsidiaries
*12.1
Certification under Section 302; Peer M. Schatz, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
*12.2
Certification under Section 302; Roland Sackers, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer
*13.1
Certifications under Section 906; Peer M. Schatz, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer and Roland Sackers, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer
*15.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
*15.2
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
*15.3
Letter from Ernst & Young Regarding Item 16F
†*101
XBRL Interactive Data File
____________________
*
Filed herewith.
†
Pursuant to Rule 406(T) of Regulation S-T, the Interactive Data Files on Exhibit 101 hereto are deemed not filed or part of a registration statement or prospectus for purposes of Sections 11 or 12 of the Securities Act of 1933 as amended, are deemed not filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and otherwise are not subject to liability under those sections.
(1)
Incorporated by reference to Registration Statement of QIAGEN N.V. on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 17, 2011.
(2)
Incorporated by reference to Form 20-F Annual Report of QIAGEN N.V. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 2013.
(3)
Incorporated by reference to Form 20-F Annual Report of QIAGEN N.V. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2000.
(4)
Incorporated by reference to Registration Statement of QIAGEN N.V. on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 7, 2007.
(5)
Incorporated by reference to Form 20-F Annual Report of QIAGEN N.V. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 2, 2015.
(6)
Incorporated by reference to Registration Statement of QIAGEN N.V. on Form S-8 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 2, 2015.



85

SIGNATURES
The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.
QIAGEN N.V.
Dated: February 26, 2016
By:
/s/ Peer M. Schatz
Peer M. Schatz, Chief Executive Officer
/s/ Roland Sackers
Roland Sackers, Chief Financial Officer


86


QIAGEN N.V. AND SUBSIDIARIES
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


87


REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM


The Supervisory Board of QIAGEN N.V.:

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of QIAGEN N.V. and subsidiaries (“the Company”) as of December 31, 2015, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income (loss), changes in equity, and cash flows for the year then ended. In connection with our audit of the consolidated financial statements, we have also audited the financial statement schedule as listed in Item 18 (A). These consolidated financial statements and the financial statement schedule are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements and the financial statement schedule based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of QIAGEN N.V. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the year then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also in our opinion, the related financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), QIAGEN N.V.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), and our report dated February 26, 2016 expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.


/s/ KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
Düsseldorf, Germany
February 26, 2016


F- 1

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Supervisory Board and Shareholders of QIAGEN N.V. and Subsidiaries
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of QIAGEN N.V. and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2014, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income (loss), changes in equity and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2014. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 18(A). These financial statements and schedule are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and schedule based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of QIAGEN N.V. and Subsidiaries at December 31, 2014, and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2014, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also, in our opinion, the related financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein.

February 27, 2015
Ernst & Young GmbH
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
Düsseldorf, Germany
/s/ Hendrik Hollweg
/s/ Tobias Schlebusch
Wirtschaftsprüfer
Wirtschaftsprüfer
[German Public Auditor]
[German Public Auditor]



F- 2

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Supervisory Board of QIAGEN N.V.:

We have audited QIAGEN N.V.’s (“QIAGEN” or “the Company”) internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying ‘Report of Management on Internal Control over Financial Reporting’. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
In our opinion, QIAGEN N.V. maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet of QIAGEN N.V. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income (loss), changes in equity, and cash flows for the year then ended and the related financial statement schedule as listed in Item 18(A), and our report dated February 26, 2016 expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements and the related financial statement schedule as listed in Item 18(A).


/s/ KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
Düsseldorf, Germany
February 26, 2016




F- 3


QIAGEN N.V. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands)
As of December 31,
Note
2015
2014
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
(3)
$
290,011

$
392,667

Short-term investments
(7)
130,817

184,036

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $7,255 and $8,847 in 2015 and 2014, respectively
(3)
273,853

265,231

Income taxes receivable
26,940

29,312

Inventories, net
(3)
136,586

132,276

Prepaid expenses and other current assets
(8)
70,339

113,771

Deferred income taxes
(16)
33,068

31,457

Total current assets
961,614

1,148,750

Long-term assets:
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $409,634 and $392,563 in 2015 and 2014, respectively
(9)
442,944

428,093

Goodwill
(11)
1,875,698

1,887,963

Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $827,084 and $726,273 in 2015 and 2014, respectively
(11)
636,421

726,914

Deferred income taxes
(16)
2,036

4,298

Other long-term assets (of which $7,472 in 2015 due from related parties)
(10, 13, 22)
270,965

258,354

Total long-term assets
3,228,064

3,305,622

Total assets
$
4,189,678

$
4,454,372


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

























F- 4

QIAGEN N.V. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except par value)
As of December 31,
Note
2015
2014
Liabilities and equity
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt (of which $130,451 in 2014 due to related parties)
(15)
$
—

$
131,119

Accounts payable
52,306

46,124

Accrued and other liabilities (of which $3,884 in 2014 due to related parties)
(12, 22)
192,069

224,203

Income taxes payable
21,515

28,935

Deferred income taxes
(16)
2,463

1,245

Total current liabilities
268,353

431,626

Long-term liabilities:
Long-term debt, net of current portion
(15, 22)
1,059,587

1,040,960

Deferred income taxes
(16)
75,726

117,264

Other liabilities
(13)
224,058

206,523

Total long-term liabilities
1,359,371

1,364,747

Commitments and contingencies
(19)




Equity:
Preference shares, 0.01 EUR par value, authorized—450,000 shares, no shares issued and outstanding
—

—

Financing preference shares, 0.01 EUR par value, authorized—40,000 shares, no shares issued and outstanding
—

—

Common Shares, 0.01 EUR par value, authorized—410,000 shares, issued — 239,707 shares in 2015 and 2014
2,812

2,812

Additional paid-in capital
1,741,167

1,823,171

Retained earnings
1,227,509

1,125,686

Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(17)
(259,156
)
(134,735
)
Less treasury shares, at cost—6,702 and 7,684 shares in 2015 and 2014, respectively
(17)
(152,412
)
(167,190
)
Equity attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V.
2,559,920

2,649,744

Noncontrolling interest
2,034

8,255

Total equity
2,561,954

2,657,999

Total liabilities and equity
$
4,189,678

$
4,454,372


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

F- 5

QIAGEN N.V. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(in thousands, except per share data)
Years ended December 31,
Note
2015
2014
2013
Net sales
(3)
$
1,280,986

$
1,344,777

$
1,301,984

Cost of sales
454,611

479,839

486,494

Gross profit
826,375

864,938

815,490

Operating expenses:
Research and development
(3)
147,180

163,627

146,070

Sales and marketing
360,962

376,873

371,523

General and administrative, restructuring, integration and other
(3, 6)
103,874

126,550

199,072

Acquisition-related intangible amortization
38,666

37,070

35,495

Total operating expenses
650,682

704,120

752,160

Income from operations
175,693

160,818

63,330

Other income (expense):
Interest income
4,753

3,964

2,299

Interest expense
(37,396
)
(39,330
)
(30,882
)
Other (expense) income, net
(10,552
)
(6,938
)
2,591

Total other expense, net
(43,195
)
(42,304
)
(25,992
)
Income before income taxes
132,498

118,514

37,338

Income taxes
(3, 16)
5,641

1,312

(31,760
)
Net income
126,857

117,202

69,098

Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest
(246
)
568

25

Net income attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V.
$
127,103

$
116,634

$
69,073

Basic net income per common share attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V.
$
0.54

$
0.50

$
0.30

Diluted net income per common share attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V.
$
0.54

$
0.48

$
0.29

Weighted-average common shares outstanding
Basic
(18)
233,483

232,644

234,000

Diluted
(18)
237,158

241,538

242,175





The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

F- 6

QIAGEN N.V. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
(in thousands)
Years ended December 31,
Note
2015
2014
2013
Net income
$
126,857

$
117,202

$
69,098

Other comprehensive income (loss) to be reclassified to profit or loss in subsequent periods:
Gains on cash flow hedges, before tax
(13)
5,337

—

—

Reclassification adjustments on cash flow hedges, before tax
(13)
(5,273
)
—

—

Cash flow hedges, before tax
64

—

—

Gains on marketable securities, before tax
1,215

—

—

(Losses) gains on pensions, before tax
(1,809
)
(687
)
117

Foreign currency translation adjustments, before tax
(124,639
)
(131,326
)
(45,807
)
Other comprehensive loss, before tax
(125,169
)
(132,013
)
(45,690
)
Income tax relating to components of other comprehensive loss
1,140

(57
)
(2,151
)
Total other comprehensive loss, after tax
(124,029
)
(132,070
)
(47,841
)
Comprehensive income (loss)
2,828

(14,868
)
21,257

Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
(146
)
959

(367
)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V.
$
2,682

$
(13,909
)
$
20,890


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

F- 7

QIAGEN N.V. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
(in thousands)
Note
Common Shares
Additional
Paid-In
Capital
Retained
Earnings
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
Treasury Shares
Equity Attributable to the Owners of QIAGEN N.V.
Non-controlling Interest
Total
Equity
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
BALANCE AT
DECEMBER 31, 2012
236,487

$
2,769

$
1,718,163

$
985,434

$
43,991

(1,943
)
$
(35,653
)
$
2,714,704

$
9,659

$
2,724,363

Acquisition of QIAGEN Marseille S.A. shares from noncontrolling interests
—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(487
)
(487
)
Net income
—

—

—

69,073

—

—

—

69,073

25

69,098

Unrealized gain, net on pension
(17)
—

—

—

—

82

—

—

82

—

82

Translation adjustment, net
(17)
—

—

—

—

(48,265
)
—

—

(48,265
)
342

(47,923
)
Purchase of treasury shares
(17)
—

—

—

—

—

(4,149
)
(86,029
)
(86,029
)
—

(86,029
)
Common stock issuances under employee stock plans
(20)
3,220

43

20,301

(76
)
—

275

5,069

25,337

—

25,337

Excess tax benefit of employee stock plans
—

—

433

—

—

—

—

433

—

433

Share-based compensation
(20)
—

—

37,935

—

—

—

—

37,935

—

37,935

Proceeds from subscription receivables
—

—

1,062

—

—

—

—

1,062

—

1,062

BALANCE AT
DECEMBER 31, 2013
239,707

$
2,812

$
1,777,894

$
1,054,431

$
(4,192
)
(5,817
)
$
(116,613
)
$
2,714,332

$
9,539

$
2,723,871

Acquisition of QIAGEN Marseille S.A. shares from noncontrolling interests
—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(325
)
(325
)
Net income
—

—

—

116,634

—

—

—

116,634

568

117,202

Issuance of warrants
(17)
—

—

68,900

—

—

—

—

68,900

—

68,900

Unrealized loss, net on pension
(17)
—

—

—

—

(481
)
—

—

(481
)
—

(481
)
Translation adjustment, net
(17)
—

—

—

—

(130,062
)
—

—

(130,062
)
(1,527
)
(131,589
)
Purchase of treasury shares
(17)
—

—

—

—

—

(5,558
)
(126,889
)
(126,889
)
—

(126,889
)
Issuance of common shares in connection with warrant exercise
(15)
—

—

—

(12,115
)
—

1,373

30,917

18,802

—

18,802

Issuance of common shares in connection with stock plan
(20)
—

—

—

(33,264
)
—

2,318

45,395

12,131

—

12,131

Excess tax benefit of employee stock plans
—

—

1,596

—

—

—

—

1,596

—

1,596

Share-based compensation
(20)
—

—

42,188

—

—

—

—

42,188

—

42,188

Proceeds from subscription receivables
—

—

536

—

—

—

—

536

—

536

Redemption of subscription receivables
(15)
—

—

(67,943
)
—

—

—

—

(67,943
)
—

(67,943
)
BALANCE AT
DECEMBER 31, 2014
239,707

$
2,812

$
1,823,171

$
1,125,686

$
(134,735
)
(7,684
)
$
(167,190
)
$
2,649,744

$
8,255

$
2,657,999

Acquisition of QIAGEN Marseille S.A. shares from noncontrolling interests
—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(6,367
)
(6,367
)
Net income
—

—

—

127,103

—

—

—

127,103

(246
)
126,857

Unrealized loss, net on pension
(17)
—

—

—

—

(1,266
)
—

—

(1,266
)
—

(1,266
)
Unrealized gain, net on hedging contracts
(13)
—

—

—

—

4,003

—

—

4,003

—

4,003

Realized gain, net on hedging contracts
(13)
—

—

—

—

(3,955
)
—

—

(3,955
)
—

(3,955
)
Unrealized gain, net on marketable securities
(10)
—

—

—

—

1,215

—

—

1,215

—

1,215

Translation adjustment, net
(17)
—

—

—

—

(124,418
)
—

—

(124,418
)
392

(124,026
)
Purchase of treasury shares
(17)
—

—

—

—

—

(842
)
(20,818
)
(20,818
)
—

(20,818
)
Issuance of common shares in connection with stock plan
(20)
—

—

—

(25,280
)
—

1,824

35,596

10,316

—

10,316

Excess tax benefit of employee stock plans
—

—

3,328

—

—

—

—

3,328

—

3,328

Share-based compensation
(20)
—

—

27,566

—

—

—

—

27,566

—

27,566

Proceeds from subscription receivables
—

—

97

—

—

—

—

97

—

97

Redemption of subscription receivables
(15)
—

—

(112,995
)
—

—

—

—

(112,995
)
—

(112,995
)
BALANCE AT
DECEMBER 31, 2015
239,707

$
2,812

$
1,741,167

$
1,227,509

$
(259,156
)
(6,702
)
$
(152,412
)
$
2,559,920

$
2,034

$
2,561,954


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

F- 8

QIAGEN N.V. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
Years ended December 31,
(in thousands)
Note
2015
2014
2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income
$
126,857

$
117,202

$
69,098

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities, net of effects of businesses acquired:
Depreciation and amortization
191,473

200,782

199,355

Non-cash impairments
5,471

34,297

42,768

Amortization of debt discount and issuance costs
19,955

15,392

—

Share-based compensation expense
(20)
27,565

42,188

37,935

Excess tax benefits from share-based compensation
(3,328
)
(1,596
)
(3,130
)
Deferred income taxes
(16)
(37,194
)
(41,291
)
(68,086
)
Loss on early redemption of debt
(15)
7,564

4,560

—

Loss on marketable securities
6,039

3,914

—

Changes in fair value of contingent consideration
(14)
(5,225
)
(1,165
)
(11,127
)
Other items, net including fair value changes in derivatives
2,609

(7,509
)
(13,611
)
Net changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable
(3)
(24,764
)
(16,561
)
(14,921
)
Inventories
(3)
(33,194
)
(41,792
)
(17,499
)
Prepaid expenses and other
(8)
52,315

(2,273
)
(7,923
)
Other long-term assets
2,730

(13,090
)
257

Accounts payable
7,732

(5,495
)
(6,793
)
Accrued and other liabilities
(12)
(25,570
)
(21,482
)
24,655

Income taxes
(16)
(88
)
16,034

23,829

Other long-term liabilities
(3,450
)
5,850

4,150

Net cash provided by operating activities
317,497

287,965

258,957

Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property, plant and equipment
(97,778
)
(86,591
)
(84,468
)
Proceeds from sale of equipment
103

35

44

Purchases of intangible assets
(19,703
)
(10,412
)
(34,225
)
Purchases of investments
(6,053
)
(9,426
)
(4,319
)
Purchases of short-term investments
(7)
(317,570
)
(420,158
)
(20,346
)
Proceeds from sales of short-term investments
(7)
367,714

275,779

63,146

Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired
(5)
(66,930
)
(160,436
)
(170,546
)
Other investing activities
(5,983
)
3,608

(1,021
)
Net cash used in investing activities
(146,200
)
(407,601
)
(251,735
)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Purchase of call option related to cash convertible notes
(15)
—

(105,170
)
—

Proceeds from issuance of warrants, net of issuance costs
(17)
—

68,900

—

Net repayment/proceeds from short-term debt
(15)
—

—

(1,451
)
Net proceeds from issuance of cash convertible notes and cash paid for issuance costs
(15)
(86
)
716,967

13

Repayment of long-term debt
(15)
(251,868
)
(387,050
)
(2,285
)
Principal payments on capital leases
(1,079
)
(4,579
)
(4,215
)
Proceeds from subscription receivables
97

536

1,062

Excess tax benefits from share-based compensation
3,328

1,596

3,130

Proceeds from issuance of common shares
10,316

12,131

25,337

Purchase of treasury shares
(17)
(20,818
)
(126,889
)
(86,029
)
Other financing activities
1,497

16,401

(4,321
)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
(258,613
)
192,843

(68,759
)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
(15,340
)
(10,843
)
(2,197
)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
(102,656
)
62,364

(63,734
)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
392,667

330,303

394,037

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
$
290,011

$
392,667

$
330,303

Supplemental cash flow disclosures:
Cash paid for interest
$
20,799

$
24,052

$
31,000

Cash paid for income taxes
$
34,441

$
12,539

$
14,518

Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Equipment purchased through capital lease
$
231

$
342

$
449

Intangible assets acquired in non-monetary exchange
$
5,900

$
—

$
—

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

F- 9

QIAGEN N.V. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2015

1. Corporate Information and Basis of Presentation
QIAGEN N.V. is a public limited liability company ('naamloze vennootschap') under Dutch law with registered office at Hulsterweg 82, Venlo, The Netherlands. QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands holding company, and subsidiaries (we, our or the Company) is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions to transform biological materials into valuable molecular insights. Our sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from blood, tissue and other materials. Assay technologies make these biomolecules visible and ready for analysis. Bioinformatics software and knowledge bases interpret data to report relevant, actionable insights. Automation solutions tie these together in seamless and cost-effective molecular testing workflows. We provide these workflows to four major customer classes: Molecular Diagnostics (human healthcare), Applied Testing (forensics, veterinary testing and food safety), Pharma (pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies) and Academia (life sciences research). We market our products in more than 130 countries.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and all amounts are presented in U.S. dollars rounded to the nearest thousand, unless otherwise indicated. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a historical cost basis, except for derivative financial instruments, contingent consideration and available-for-sale financial instruments that have been measured at fair value.
Certain reclassifications of prior year amounts have been made to conform to the current year presentation in Note 16 "Income Taxes." Additionally, for the year ended December 31, 2014 , the amounts related to the amortization of debt issuance costs and loss on marketable securities have been reclassed from other items, net and are now stated separately in the consolidated statements of cash flows. These reclassifications had no effect on cash provided by operating activities or total cash flows.
On November 20, 2015, we acquired MO BIO Laboratories, located in Carlsbad, California. On December 16, 2014 we acquired Enzymatics, located in Beverly, Massachusetts and on April 3, 2014, we acquired BIOBASE, located in Wolfenbüttel, Germany. On August 22, 2013 we acquired CLC bio located in Aarhus, Denmark and on April 29, 2013, we acquired Ingenuity Systems, Inc. (Ingenuity), located in Redwood City, California. Accordingly, at the acquisition dates, all of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their respective fair values and our consolidated results of operations include the operating results from the acquired companies from the acquisition dates.

2. Effects of New Accounting Pronouncements
Adoption of New Accounting Standards
In April 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-08 (ASU 2014-08), Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant and Equipment (Topic 360): Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity , which raises the threshold for a disposal to qualify as a discontinued operation and requires new disclosures of both discontinued operations and certain other disposals that do not meet the definition of a discontinued operation. The ASU is aimed at reducing the frequency of disposals reported as discontinued operations by focusing on strategic shifts that have or will have a major impact on an entity's operations and financial results. For public entities, the amendments are effective on a prospective basis for all disposals of components of an entity and all businesses that, on acquisition, are classified as held for sale that occur within annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014 and interim period within those years. ASU 2014-08 became effective for us in the period beginning January 1, 2015 and its adoption did not have an effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
New Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted
In January 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01 (ASU 2016-01), Financial Instruments – Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. The new guidance is intended to improve the recognition and measurement of financial instruments. The new guidance makes targeted improvements to existing U.S. GAAP by:
•
Requiring equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting, or those that result in consolidation of the investee) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income;
•
Requiring public business entities to use the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes;

F- 10


•
Requiring separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form of financial asset (i.e., securities or loans and receivables) on the balance sheet or the accompanying notes to the financial statements;
•
Eliminating the requirement to disclose the fair value of financial instruments measured at amortized cost for organizations that are not public business entities;
•
Eliminating the requirement for public business entities to disclose the method(s) and significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value that is required to be disclosed for financial instruments measured at amortized cost on the balance sheet; and
•
Requiring a reporting organization to present separately in other comprehensive income the portion of the total change in the fair value of a liability resulting from a change in the instrument-specific credit risk (also referred to as “own credit”) when the organization has elected to measure the liability at fair value in accordance with the fair value option for financial instruments.
The amendments are effective for our financial statements beginning in the first quarter of 2018. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2016-01 on our consolidated financial statements.
In November 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes , which changes how deferred taxes are classified on organizations’ balance sheets. The ASU eliminates the current requirement for organizations to present deferred tax liabilities and assets as current and noncurrent in a classified balance sheet. Instead, organizations will be required to classify all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent. The amendments are effective for our financial statements and we will adopt beginning in the first quarter of 2017. As of December 31, 2015, we have current deferred tax assets of $33.1 million and current deferred tax liabilities of $2.5 million . We do not expect the adoption to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In September 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments . To simplify the accounting for adjustments made to provisional amounts recognized in a business combination, the amendments eliminate the requirement to retrospectively account for those adjustments. The amendments require that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. The amendments require that the acquirer record, in the same period’s financial statements, the effect on earnings of changes in depreciation, amortization, or other income effects, if any, as a result of the change to the provisional amounts, calculated as if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. The amendments are effective for our financial statements beginning in the first quarter of 2016. We do not expect the adoption to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In July 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-11 (ASU 2015-11), Inventory: (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory requiring in scope inventory, including inventory measured using first-in, first out (FIFO) or average cost, to be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. ASU 2015-11 is effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2017. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2015-11 on our consolidated financial statements.
In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-05 (ASU 2015-05), Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement . This amendment provides guidance to help entities determine whether a cloud computing arrangement contains a software license that should be accounted for as internal-use software or as a service contract. ASU 2015-05 is effective for our financial statements beginning in the first quarter of 2016. We do not expect the adoption to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-03 (ASU 2015-03) Interest: Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30) requiring that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. ASU 2015-03 does not address presentation or subsequent measurement of debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements. The FASB has issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-15, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements - Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcement at June 18, 2015 EITF Meeting. This ASU adds SEC paragraphs pursuant to the SEC Staff Announcement at the June 18, 2015, Emerging Issues Task Force meeting about the presentation and subsequent measurement of debt issuance costs associated with line-of-credit arrangements. Given the absence of authoritative guidance within ASU 2015-03 for debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements, the SEC staff would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs as an asset and subsequently amortizing the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. ASU 2015-03 will

F- 11


be effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2016 and shall be applied on a retrospective basis wherein the balance sheet of each individual period presented shall be adjusted to reflect the period-specific effects of applying the new guidance. As of December 31, 2015, we have deferred debt issuance costs of $0.7 million and $12.2 million recorded in other current and other long-term assets, respectively. We do not expect the adoption to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In February 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-02 (ASU 2015-02) Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. The new standard modifies current guidance on consolidation under the variable interest model and the voting model. ASU 2015-02 will be effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2016. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2015-02 on our consolidated financial statements.
In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (ASU 2014-09), Revenue from Contracts with Customers: (Topic 606) which affects any entity that either enters into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or enters into contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets unless those contracts are within the scope of other standards (e.g., insurance contracts or lease contracts). This ASU will supersede the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition , and most industry-specific guidance. This ASU also supersedes some cost guidance included in Subtopic 605-35, Revenue Recognition-Construction-Type and Production-Type Contracts . In addition, the existing requirements for the recognition of a gain or loss on the transfer of nonfinancial assets that are not in a contract with a customer (e.g., assets within the scope of Topic 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment , and intangible assets within the scope of Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other ) are amended to be consistent with the guidance on recognition and measurement (including the constraint on revenue) in this ASU. An entity should apply the amendments in this ASU either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented and the entity may elect certain practical expedients; or, retrospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying this ASU recognized at the date of initial application. In August 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date which defers the effective date of ASU 2014-09 to interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted only as of interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. We are currently evaluating the impact its adoption would have on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

3. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Critical Accounting Estimates
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of QIAGEN N.V. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Investments in either common stock or in-substance common stock of companies where we exercise significant influence over the operations but do not have control, and where we are not the primary beneficiary, are accounted for using the equity method. All other investments are accounted for under the cost method. When there is a portion of equity in an acquired subsidiary not attributable, directly or indirectly, to the Company, we record the fair value of the noncontrolling interests at the acquisition date and classify the amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests separately in equity in the consolidated financial statements. Any subsequent changes in the Company's ownership interest while the Company retains its controlling financial interest in its subsidiary are accounted for as equity transactions.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and disclosure of contingencies at the date of the financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Concentrations of Risk
We buy materials for products from many suppliers, and are not dependent on any one supplier or group of suppliers for the business as a whole. However, key components of certain products, including certain instrumentation components and chemicals, are available only from a single source. If supplies from these vendors were delayed or interrupted for any reason, we may not be able to obtain these materials timely or in sufficient quantities in order to produce certain products and sales levels could be negatively affected. Additionally, our customers include researchers at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions, and government and private laboratories. Fluctuations in the research and development budgets of these researchers and their organizations for applications in which our products are used could have a significant effect on the demand for our products.
The financial instruments used in managing our foreign currency, equity and interest rate exposures have an element of risk in that the counterparties may be unable to meet the terms of the agreements. We attempt to minimize this risk by limiting the

F- 12

counterparties to a diverse group of highly-rated international financial institutions. The carrying values of our financial instruments incorporate the non-performance risk by using market pricing for credit risk. However, we have no reason to believe that any counterparties will default on their obligations and therefore do not expect to record any losses as a result of counterparty default. In order to minimize our exposure with any single counterparty, we have entered into master agreements which allow us to manage the exposure with the respective counterparty on a net basis.
Other financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk are cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, and accounts receivable. We attempt to minimize the risks related to cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments by dealing with highly-rated financial institutions and investing in a broad and diverse range of financial instruments. We have established guidelines related to credit quality and maturities of investments intended to maintain safety and liquidity. Concentration of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is limited due to a large and diverse customer base, which is dispersed over different geographic areas. Allowances are maintained for potential credit losses and such losses have historically been within expected ranges.
Foreign Currency Translation
Our reporting currency is the U.S. dollar and our subsidiaries’ functional currencies are generally the local currency of the respective countries in which they are headquartered. All amounts in the financial statements of entities whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at exchange rates as follows: (1) assets and liabilities at period-end rates, (2) income statement accounts at average exchange rates for the period, and (3) components of equity at historical rates. Translation gains or losses are recorded in equity, and transaction gains and losses are reflected in net income as a component of other income (expense), net. Realized gains or losses on the value of derivative contracts entered into to hedge the exchange rate exposure of receivables and payables are also included in net income as a component of other income (expense), net. The net (loss) gain on foreign currency transactions in 2015 , 2014 and 2013 was $(0.5) million , $1.9 million , and $5.6 million , respectively, and is included in other income (expense), net.
The exchange rates of key currencies were as follows:
Closing rate at December 31,
Annual average rate
(US$ equivalent for one)
2015
2014
2015
2014
2013
Euro (EUR)
1.0887

1.2141
1.1100
1.3287
1.3281
Pound Sterling (GBP)
1.4833

1.5587
1.5286
1.6474
1.5642
Swiss Franc (CHF)
1.0048

1.0097
1.0406
1.0938
1.0791
Australian Dollar (AUD)
0.7308

0.8187
0.7522
0.9025
0.9683
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
0.7202

0.8633
0.7836
0.9059
0.9710
Japanese Yen (JPY)
0.0083

0.0084
0.0083
0.0095
0.0103
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
0.1542

0.1611
0.1592
0.1623
0.1626
Segment Information
We determined that we operate as one operating segment in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 280, Segment Reporting . Our chief operating decision maker (CODM) makes decisions based on the Company as a whole. In addition, we have a common basis of organization and types of products and services which derive revenues and consistent product margins. Accordingly, we operate and make decisions as one reporting unit.
Revenue Recognition
Our revenues are reported net of sales and value added taxes, discounts and sales allowances, and are derived primarily from the sale of consumable and instrumentation products, and to a much lesser extent, from the sale of services, intellectual property and technology. We recognize revenue when four basic criteria are met: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (2) delivery has occurred or services have been rendered; (3) the fee is fixed or determinable; and (4) collectability is reasonably assured.
Consumable and Related Products: In the last three years, revenue from consumable product sales has accounted for approximately 79% - 83% of our net sales and is generally recognized upon transfer of title consistent with the shipping terms. We maintain a small amount, on average less than $3.0 million in total, of consignment inventory at certain customer locations. Revenues for the consumable products which are consigned in this manner are recognized upon consumption. We generally allow returns of consumable products if the product is returned in a timely manner and in good condition. Allowances for returns are provided for based upon the historical pattern of returns and management’s evaluation of specific factors that impact the risk of returns.

F- 13

Revenues from related products include software-as-a-service (SaaS), license fees, intellectual property and patent sales, royalties and milestone payments and over the last three years has accounted for approximately 4% - 8% of our net sales. Revenue from SaaS arrangements has increased following our 2013 acquisition of Ingenuity discussed in Note 5, and is recognized ratably over the duration of the agreement unless the terms of the agreement indicate that revenue should be recognized in a different pattern, for example based on usage. License fees from research collaborations include payments for technology transfer and access rights. Non-refundable, up-front payments received in connection with collaborative research and development agreements are generally deferred and recognized on a straight-line basis over the contract period during which there is any continuing obligation. Revenue from intellectual property and patent sales is recognized when earned, either at the time of sale, or over the contract period when licensed. Payments for milestones, generally based on the achievement of substantive and at-risk performance criteria, are recognized in full at such time as the specified milestone has been achieved according to the terms of the agreement. Royalties from licensees are based on reported sales of licensed products and revenues are calculated based on contract terms when reported sales are reliably measurable, fees are fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured.
Instrumentation: Revenue from instrumentation includes the instrumentation equipment, installation, training and other instrumentation services, such as extended warranty services or product maintenance contracts and over the last three years has accounted for approximately 12% - 13% of net sales. Revenue from instrumentation equipment is recognized when title passes to the customer, upon either shipment or written customer acceptance after satisfying any installation and training requirements.
We offer our customers access to our instrumentation via reagent rental agreements which place instrumentation with customers without requiring them to purchase the equipment. Instead, we recover the cost of providing the instrumentation in the amount charged for consumable products. The instruments placed with customers under a reagent rental agreement are depreciated and charged to cost of sales on a straight-line basis over the estimated life of the instrument, typically 3 to 5 years. The costs to maintain these instruments in the field are charged to cost of sales as incurred. Revenue from these reagent rental agreements is allocated to the elements within the arrangement (the lease, the sale of consumables and/or services) in accordance with ASC 605-25, Revenue Recognition—Multiple-Element Arrangements and recognized for each unit of accounting as appropriate.
We have contracts with multiple elements which include instrumentation equipment, either leased under a reagent rental agreement or sold directly, together with other elements such as installation, training, extended warranty services or product maintenance contracts or consumable products. These contracts are accounted for under ASC 605-25, Revenue Recognition—Multiple-Element Arrangements. Multiple-element arrangements are assessed to determine whether there is more than one unit of accounting. In order for a deliverable to qualify as a separate unit of accounting, both of the following criteria must be met:
•
The delivered items have value to the client on a stand-alone basis;
•
If the arrangement includes a general right of return relative to the delivered item, delivery or performance of the undelivered item or items is considered probable and substantially in the control of the Company.
Arrangement consideration is allocated at the inception of the arrangement to all deliverables on the basis of their relative selling price. When applying the relative selling price method, the selling price for each deliverable is determined using (a) vendor-specific objective evidence (VSOE) of selling price, if it exists; or otherwise (b) third-party evidence of selling price. If neither VSOE nor third-party evidence of selling price exists for a deliverable, then the best estimated selling price for the deliverable is used. The arrangement consideration is allocated to the separate units of accounting based on each unit’s relative fair value. If these criteria are not met, deliverables included in an arrangement are accounted for as a single unit of accounting and revenues and costs are deferred until the period or periods in which the final deliverable is provided.
Deliverables in our multiple-element arrangements include instrumentation equipment, installation, training, extended warranty services or product maintenance contracts or consumable products. We have evaluated the deliverables in our multiple-element arrangements and concluded that they are separate units of accounting because the delivered item or items have value to the customer on a standalone basis and for an arrangement that includes a general right of return relative to the delivered item(s), delivery or performance of the undelivered item(s) is considered probable and substantially in our control. Revenues from installation and training are recognized as services are completed, based on VSOE, which is determined by reference to the price customers pay when the services are sold separately. Revenues from extended warranty services or product maintenance contracts are recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the contract, typically one year. VSOE of fair value of extended warranty services or product maintenance is determined based on the price charged for the maintenance and support when sold separately. Revenues from the instrumentation equipment and consumable products are recognized when the products are delivered and there are no further performance obligations. VSOE of fair value of instrumentation equipment and consumable products is determined based on the price charged for the instrument and consumables when sold separately. Certain of our reagent rental arrangements include termination provisions for breach of contract. However, these termination provisions would not impact recognized revenues. Our other arrangements do not include any provisions for cancellation or refunds.

F- 14

Warranty
We provide warranties on our products against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year. A provision for estimated future warranty costs is recorded in cost of sales at the time product revenue is recognized. Product warranty obligations are included in accrued and other liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The changes in the carrying amount of warranty obligations are as follows:
(in thousands)
Total
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2013
$
4,936

Provision charged to cost of sales
2,766

Usage
(3,504
)
Adjustments to previously provided warranties, net
(695
)
Currency translation
(224
)
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2014
$
3,279

Provision charged to cost of sales
2,202

Usage
(2,569
)
Adjustments to previously provided warranties, net
(91
)
Currency translation
(184
)
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2015
$
2,637

Research and Development
Research and product development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development expenses consist primarily of salaries and related expenses, facility costs and amounts paid to contract research organizations, and laboratories for the provision of services and materials as well as costs for internal use or clinical trials.
Government Grants
We recognize government grants when there is reasonable assurance that all conditions will be complied with and the grant will be received. Our government grants generally represent subsidies for specified activities and are therefore recognized when earned as a reduction of the expenses recorded for the activity that the grants are intended to compensate. Thus, when the grant relates to research and development expense, the grant is recognized over the same period that the related costs are incurred. Otherwise, amounts received under government grants are recorded as liabilities in the balance sheet. When the grant relates to an asset, the nominal amount of the grant is deducted from the carrying amount of the asset and recognized over the same period that the related asset is depreciated.
Borrowing Costs
Borrowing costs directly attributable to the acquisition, construction or production of an asset that takes a substantial period of time to get ready for its intended use or sale are capitalized as part of the cost of the respective assets (qualifying asset) when such borrowing costs are significant. All other borrowing costs are expensed in the period they occur.
Shipping and Handling Income and Costs
Shipping and handling costs charged to customers are recorded as revenue in the period that the related product sale revenue is recorded. Associated costs of shipping and handling are included in sales and marketing expenses. For the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , shipping and handling costs totaled $26.2 million , $26.8 million and $23.3 million , respectively.
Advertising Costs
The costs of advertising are expensed as incurred and are included as a component of sales and marketing expense. Advertising costs for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 were $7.2 million , $7.0 million and $7.6 million , respectively.
General and Administrative, Restructuring, Integration and Other
General and administrative expenses primarily represent the costs required to support administrative infrastructure. In addition, we incur indirect acquisition and business integration costs in connection with business combinations. These costs represent incremental costs that we believe would not have been incurred absent the business combinations. Major components of these costs include payroll and related costs for employees remaining with the Company on a transitional basis; public relations, advertising and media costs for re-branding of the combined organization; and, consulting and related fees incurred to integrate or restructure the acquired operations. Restructuring costs include personnel costs (principally termination benefits), facility closure and contract termination costs. Termination benefits are accounted for in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 712,

F- 15

Compensation - Nonretirement Postemployment Benefits, and are recorded when it is probable that employees will be entitled to benefits and the amounts can be reasonably estimated. Estimates of termination benefits are based on the frequency of past termination benefits, the similarity of benefits under the current plan and prior plans, and the existence of statutory required minimum benefits. Facility closure, some termination benefits and other costs are accounted for in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 420, Exit or Disposal Cost Obligations and are recorded when the liability is incurred. The specific restructuring measures and associated estimated costs are based on management's best business judgment under the existing circumstances at the time the estimates are made. If future events require changes to these estimates, such adjustments will be reflected in the period of the revised estimate.
Income Taxes
We account for income taxes under the liability method. Under this method, total income tax expense is the amount of income taxes expected to be payable for the current year plus the change from the beginning of the year for deferred income tax assets and liabilities established for the expected further tax consequences resulting from differences in the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and/or liabilities are determined by multiplying the differences between the financial reporting and tax reporting bases for assets and liabilities by the enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when such differences are recovered or settled. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
Tax benefits are initially recognized in the financial statements when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination by the tax authorities. Such tax positions are initially and subsequently measured as the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely of being realized upon settlement with the taxing authority using the cumulative probability method, assuming the tax authority has full knowledge of the position and all relevant facts. Our policy is to recognize interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense and penalties within the income tax provision.
Derivative Instruments
We enter into derivative financial instrument contracts to minimize the variability of cash flows or income statement impact associated with the anticipated transactions being hedged or to hedge fluctuating interest rates. As changes in foreign currency or interest rate impact the value of anticipated transactions, the fair value of the forward or swap contracts also changes, offsetting foreign currency or interest rate fluctuations. Derivative instruments are recorded on the balance sheet at fair value. Changes in fair value of derivatives are recorded in current earnings or other comprehensive income, depending on whether a derivative is designated as part of a hedge transaction.
Share-Based Payments
Compensation cost for all share-based payments is recorded based on the grant date fair value, less an estimate for pre-vesting forfeitures, recognized in expense over the service period.
Stock Options: We utilize the Black-Scholes-Merton valuation model for estimating the fair value of our stock options granted. Option valuation models, including Black-Scholes-Merton, require the input of highly subjective assumptions, and changes in the assumptions used can materially affect the grant date fair value of an award. These assumptions include the risk-free rate of interest, expected dividend yield, expected volatility, expected life of the award and forfeiture rate.
Risk-Free Interest Rate— This is the average U.S. Treasury rate (having a term that most closely resembles the expected life of the option) at the date the option was granted.
Dividend Yield— We have never declared or paid dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate declaring or paying any dividends in the foreseeable future.
Expected Volatility— Volatility is a measure of the amount by which a financial variable such as a share price has fluctuated (historical volatility) or is expected to fluctuate (expected volatility) during a period. We use a combination of the historical volatility of our stock price and the implied volatility of market-traded options of our stock to estimate the expected volatility assumption input to the Black-Scholes-Merton model. Our decision to use a combination of historical and implied volatility is based upon the availability of actively traded options of our stock and our assessment that such a combination is more representative of future expected stock price trends.
Expected Life of the Option— This is the period of time that the options granted are expected to remain outstanding. We estimated the expected life by considering the historical exercise behavior. We use an even exercise methodology, which assumes that all vested, outstanding options are exercised uniformly over the balance of their contractual life.
Forfeiture Rate— This is the estimated percentage of options granted that are expected to be forfeited or cancelled on an annual basis before becoming fully vested. We estimated the forfeiture rate based on historical forfeiture experience.

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Restricted Stock Units and Performance Stock Units: Restricted stock units and performance stock units represent rights to receive Common Shares at a future date. The fair market value of restricted and performance stock units is determined based on the number of stock units granted and the fair market value of our shares on the grant date. The fair market value at the time of the grant, less an estimate for pre-vesting forfeitures, is recognized in expense over the vesting period.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on deposit in banks and other cash invested temporarily in various instruments that are short-term and highly liquid, and having an original maturity of less than 90 days at the date of purchase.
(in thousands)
2015
2014
Cash at bank and on hand
$
217,644

$
260,830

Short-term bank deposits
72,367

131,837

Cash and Cash Equivalents
$
290,011

$
392,667

Short-Term Investments
Short-term investments are classified as “available for sale” and stated at fair value in the accompanying balance sheet. Interest income is accrued when earned and changes in fair market values are reflected as unrealized gains and losses, calculated on the specific identification method, as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. The amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity arising from acquisition is included in interest income. A decline in fair value that is judged to be other-than-temporary is accounted for as a realized loss and the write-down is included in the consolidated statements of income. Realized gains and losses, determined on a specific identification basis, on the sale of short-term investments are included in income.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents, notes receivable, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate their fair values because of the short maturities of those instruments. The carrying value of our variable rate debt and capital leases approximates their fair values because of the short maturities and/or interest rates which are comparable to those available to us on similar terms. The fair values of the Cash Convertible Notes are based on an estimation using available over-the-counter market information. The fair values of the Private Placement Senior Notes totaling $400.0 million issued in October 2012 and further described in Note 15 were estimated using the changes in the U.S. Treasury rates. The fair values of the notes payable to QIAGEN Finance, further discussed in Note 15, were estimated by using available over-the-counter market information on the convertible bonds which were issued by QIAGEN Finance, the values of which correlate to the fair value of the loan arrangements we had with QIAGEN Finance which include the notes payable, the guarantee and the warrant agreement (further discussed in Note 10).
Accounts Receivable
Our accounts receivable are unsecured and we are at risk to the extent such amounts become uncollectible. We continually monitor accounts receivable balances, and provide for an allowance for doubtful accounts at the time collection becomes questionable based on payment history or age of the receivable. Amounts determined to be uncollectible are written off against the reserve. For the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , write-offs of accounts receivable totaled $2.0 million , $2.3 million and $1.5 million , respectively, while provisions for doubtful accounts which were charged to expense totaled $2.1 million , $1.4 million and $6.9 million , respectively. For all years presented, no single customer represented more than ten percent of accounts receivable or consolidated net sales.
Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost, determined on a first-in, first-out basis, or market and include material, capitalized labor and overhead costs. Inventories consisted of the following as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 :
(in thousands)
2015
2014
Raw materials
$
27,051

$
24,781

Work in process
21,066

22,489

Finished goods
88,469

85,006

Total inventories, net
$
136,586

$
132,276

Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, plant and equipment, including equipment acquired under capital lease obligations, are stated at cost less accumulated amortization. Capitalized internal-use software costs include only those direct costs associated with the actual development or

F- 17

acquisition of computer software for internal use, including costs associated with the design, coding, installation and testing of the system. Costs associated with preliminary development, such as the evaluation and selection of alternatives, as well as training, maintenance and support are expensed as incurred. Costs for software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed that are related to the conceptual formulation and design are expensed as incurred. Costs incurred to produce the product after technological feasibility is established are capitalized and amortized in accordance with the accounting standards for the costs of software to be sold, leased, or otherwise marketed. All other depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets ( 3 to 40 years). Amortization of leasehold improvements is computed on a straight-line basis over the lesser of the remaining life of the lease or the estimated useful life of the improvement asset. We have a policy of capitalizing expenditures that materially increase assets’ useful lives and charging ordinary maintenance and repairs to operations as incurred. When property or equipment is disposed of, the cost and related accumulated depreciation and amortization are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss is included in earnings.
Acquired Intangibles and Goodwill
Acquired intangibles with alternative future uses are carried at cost less accumulated amortization and consist of licenses to technology held by third parties and other acquired intangible assets. Amortization is computed over the estimated useful life of the underlying patents, which has historically ranged from one to twenty years. Purchased intangible assets acquired in business combinations, other than goodwill, are amortized over their estimated useful lives unless these lives are determined to be indefinite. Intangibles are assessed for recoverability considering the contract life and the period of time over which the intangible will contribute to future cash flow. The unamortized cost of intangible assets, where cash flows are independent and identifiable from other assets, is evaluated periodically and adjusted, if necessary, if events and circumstances indicate that a decline in value below the carrying amount has occurred. In 2015 , we recorded intangible asset impairment of $0.2 million related to the abandonment of certain projects. For the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 , we recorded intangible asset impairments of $8.7 million and $19.7 million , respectively, as discussed in Note 6.
Amortization expense related to developed technology and patent and license rights which have been acquired in a business combination is included in cost of sales. Amortization of trademarks, customer base and non-compete agreements which have been acquired in a business combination is recorded in operating expense under the caption 'acquisition-related intangible amortization'. Amortization expenses of intangible assets not acquired in a business combination are recorded within either the cost of sales, research and development or sales and marketing line items based on the use of the asset.
The estimated fair values of acquired in-process research and development projects which have not reached technological feasibility at the date of acquisition are capitalized and subsequently tested for impairment through completion of the development process, at which point the capitalized amounts are amortized over their estimated useful life. If a project is abandoned rather than completed, all capitalized amounts are written-off immediately.
Goodwill represents the difference between the purchase price and the estimated fair value of the net assets acquired arising from business combinations. Goodwill is subject to impairment tests annually or earlier if indicators of potential impairment exist, using a fair-value-based approach. We have elected to perform our annual test for indications of impairment as of October 1 st of each year. Following the annual impairment tests for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , goodwill has not been impaired.
Investments
We have investments in non-marketable securities issued by privately held companies. These investments are included in other long-term assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets and are accounted for using the equity or cost method of accounting.
Investments are evaluated periodically, or when impairment indicators are noted, to determine if declines in value are other-than-temporary. In making that determination, we consider all available evidence relating to the realizable value of a security. This evidence includes, but is not limited to, the following:
•
adverse financial conditions of a specific issuer, segment, industry, region or other variables;
•
the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost; and
•
the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer.
We consider whether the fair values of any of our cost or equity method investments have declined below their carrying value whenever adverse events or changes in circumstances indicate that recorded values may not be recoverable. If any such decline is considered to be other than temporary (based on various factors, including historical financial results, product development activities and the overall health of the affiliate’s industry), then a write-down of the investment would be recorded in operating expense to its estimated fair value. In 2015 , we recorded total impairments to a cost method investment of $2.2 million , in other income (expense), net. For the year ended December 31, 2014 we recorded total impairments to a cost method investment of $6.0 million , of which $4.8 million was recorded in other expense, net and $1.2 million was recorded in research and

F- 18

development expense. For the year ended December 31, 2013 , we recorded an impairment of cost method investment of $3.4 million in other income (expense), net.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
We review our long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or a group of assets may not be recoverable. We consider, amongst other indicators, a history of operating losses or a change in expected sales levels to be indicators of potential impairment. Assets are grouped and evaluated for impairment at the lowest level for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets. If an asset is determined to be impaired, the loss is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds fair value which is determined by applicable market prices, when available. When market prices are not available, we generally measure fair value by discounting projected future cash flows of the asset. Considerable judgment is necessary to estimate discounted future cash flows. Accordingly, actual results could differ from such estimates. In 2015 , we recorded asset impairment charges of $3.1 million in general and administrative, restructuring, integration and other expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of income related to the abandonment of certain software projects following the acquisition of MO BIO. During the year ended December 31, 2014 , in connection with our internal and acquisition related restructuring, we recorded asset impairment charges of $19.6 million , of which $15.5 million is recorded in cost of sales, $2.4 million is recorded in sales and marketing expense, and $1.7 million in general and administrative, restructuring, integration and other expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of income. During the year ended December 31, 2013 we recorded asset impairment charges of $16.2 million in general and administrative, restructuring, integration and other expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of income related to the abandonment of certain projects.

4. Segment Information
Considering the acquisitions made during 2015 , we determined that we still operate as one business segment in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 280, Segment Reporting . As a result of our continued restructuring and streamlining of the growing organization, our chief operating decision maker (CODM) makes decisions with regards to business operations and resource allocation based on evaluations of QIAGEN as a whole. Accordingly, we operate as one business segment. Summarized product category and geographic information is shown in the tables below.
Product Category Information
Net sales for the product categories are attributed based on those revenues related to sample and assay products and similarly related revenues including bioinformatics solutions, and revenues derived from instrumentation sales.
(in thousands)
2015
2014
2013
Net Sales
Consumables and related revenues
$
1,114,580

$
1,172,728

$
1,140,203

Instrumentation
166,406

172,049

161,781

Total
$
1,280,986

$
1,344,777

$
1,301,984

Geographical Information
Net sales are attributed to countries based on the location of the customer. QIAGEN operates manufacturing facilities in Germany, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States that supply products to customers as well as QIAGEN subsidiaries in other countries. The sales from these manufacturing operations to other countries are included in the Net Sales of the countries in which the manufacturing locations are based. The intersegment portions of such net sales are excluded to derive consolidated net sales. No single customer represents more than ten percent of consolidated net sales. Our country of domicile is the Netherlands, which reported net sales of $11.3 million , $13.7 million and $14.4 million for the years ended 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , respectively, and these amounts are included in the line item Europe, Middle East and Africa as shown in the table below.

F- 19

(in thousands)
2015
2014
2013
Net Sales
Americas:
United States
$
525,532

$
543,877

$
545,600

Other Americas
79,578

75,974

80,299

Total Americas
605,110

619,851

625,899

Europe, Middle East and Africa
409,955

451,092

416,334

Asia Pacific and Rest of World
265,921

273,834

259,751

Total
$
1,280,986

$
1,344,777

$
1,301,984

Long-lived assets include property, plant and equipment. The Netherlands, which is included in the balances for Europe, reported long-lived assets of $0.3 million and $1.0 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , respectively.
(in thousands)
2015
2014
Long-lived assets
Americas:
United States
$
148,748

$
136,461

Other Americas
2,691

2,863

Total Americas
151,439

139,324

Germany
243,120

241,475

Other Europe
35,573

35,362

Asia Pacific and Rest of World
12,812

11,932

Total
$
442,944

$
428,093


5. Acquisitions
Acquisitions have been accounted for as business combinations, and the acquired companies’ results have been included in the accompanying consolidated statements of income from their respective dates of acquisition. Our acquisitions have historically been made at prices above the fair value of the acquired net assets, resulting in goodwill, due to expectations of synergies of combining the businesses. These synergies include use of our existing infrastructure, such as sales force, shared service centers, distribution channels and customer relations, to expand sales of the acquired businesses’ products; use of the infrastructure of the acquired businesses to cost-effectively expand sales of our products; and elimination of duplicative facilities, functions and staffing.
2015 Acquisitions
During 2015, we completed three acquisitions, including the acquisition of MO BIO Laboratories Inc., a privately-held U.S. company, that is considered a leader in sample technologies for metagenomics and microbiome analysis. Purchase consideration for these acquisitions totaled $66.9 million in cash, net of cash acquired, and as of December 31, 2015 , the purchase price allocations are preliminary. Each of these acquisitions did not have a material impact to net sales, net income or earnings per share and therefore no pro forma information has been provided herein.
Other Acquisition
During 2011, we acquired a majority shareholding in QIAGEN Marseille S.A., formerly Ipsogen S.A. (Marseille), a publicly listed company founded and based in Marseille, France. During 2014, we acquired additional Marseille shares for a total of $0.3 million and held 90.27% of the Marseille shares as of December 31, 2014 . In February 2015, QIAGEN Marseille, a fully consolidated entity, agreed to the sale of all its assets and liabilities, with the exception of its intellectual property portfolio. In addition, we made a tender offer to acquire the remaining Marseille shares. Per the terms of the tender offer, $2.5 million is set aside as of December 31, 2015 in restricted cash for the remaining shares which were finally acquired early in 2016. During 2015 , we acquired additional Marseille shares for a total of $8.0 million and held 97.22% of the Marseille shares as of December 31, 2015 .
2014 Acquisition
In December 2014, we acquired the enzyme solutions business of Enzymatics Inc. (Enzymatics), a U.S. company whose products are used in an estimated 80% of all next-generation sequencing (NGS) workflows. The comprehensive Enzymatics

F- 20

portfolio complements QIAGEN’s leading offering of universal NGS products, advancing our strategy to drive the adoption of NGS in clinical healthcare. The cash consideration totaled $114.2 million of which $5.8 million was retained in an escrow account as of December 31, 2015 to cover any claims for breach of any representations, warranties or indemnities. The acquisition of Enzymatics did not have a material business impact to net sales, net income or earnings per share, and therefore no pro forma financial information has been provided herein.
The final purchase price allocation of Enzymatics did not differ from the preliminary estimates other than an increase of $2.1 million in fair value of contingent consideration, a $0.4 million increase of long-term deferred tax liability and an additional $0.1 million increase of other opening balance sheet adjustments. The corresponding impact for these adjustments was an increase to goodwill of $2.4 million . These changes to arrive at the final purchase price allocation were not material to the consolidated financial statements.
The final purchase price allocation for Enzymatics was as follows:
(in thousands)
Enzymatics acquisition
Purchase Price:
Cash consideration
$
114,224

Fair value of contingent consideration
13,600

$
127,824

Final Allocation:
Cash and cash equivalents
$
1,178

Accounts receivable
2,813

Prepaid and other current assets
1,330

Fixed and other long-term assets
1,414

Accounts payable
(3,090
)
Accruals and other current liabilities
(1,940
)
Long term deferred tax liability
(21,558
)
Developed technology, licenses and know-how
28,600

Tradenames
6,600

Customer relationships
22,300

Goodwill
90,177

$
127,824

The weighted-average amortization period for the intangible assets is 11.1 years. The goodwill acquired is not deductible for tax purposes.
Certain acquisitions may include contingent consideration which is recorded as part of the purchase consideration based on the acquisition date fair value. The total fair value of the contingent consideration for Enzymatics of $13.6 million was recorded as purchase price using a probability-weighted analysis of the future milestones using discount rates between 0.70% and 2.20% . Under the purchase agreement, we could be required to make additional contingent cash payments totaling $17.0 million through 2017. This is discussed further in Note 14, "Fair Value Measurements," where we assess and adjust the fair value of the contingent consideration liabilities, if necessary, until the settlement or expiration of the contingency occurs.
Other 2014 Acquisitions
During 2014, we completed other acquisitions which individually were not significant to the overall consolidated financial statements. The cash paid for these acquisitions, net of cash acquired, totaled $47.4 million . Each of these acquisitions individually did not have a material impact to net sales, net income or earnings per share and therefore no pro forma information has been provided herein.

F- 21

2013 Acquisition
On April 29, 2013 , we acquired 100% of the outstanding common shares of Ingenuity Systems, Inc. (Ingenuity), a leading provider of software solutions that efficiently and accurately analyze and interpret the biological meaning of genomic data. The cash consideration totaled $106.9 million . The acquisition of Ingenuity did not have a material impact to net sales, net income or earnings per share and therefore no pro forma information has been provided herein.
The final purchase price allocation for Ingenuity was as follows:
(in thousands)
Ingenuity acquisition
Purchase Price:
Cash consideration
$
106,932

$
106,932

Final Allocation:
Cash and cash equivalents
$
4,449

Accounts receivable
2,018

Prepaid and other current assets
1,834

Current deferred tax asset
3,126

Fixed and other long-term assets
2,648

Long-term deferred tax asset
13,203

Accounts payable
(2,662
)
Accruals and other current liabilities
(14,558
)
Liabilities assumed
(557
)
Developed technology, licenses and know-how
37,903

Tradenames
3,359

In-process research and development
2,069

Customer relationships
1,023

Goodwill
69,479

Deferred tax liability on fair value of identifiable intangible assets acquired
(16,402
)
$
106,932

The weighted-average amortization period for the intangible assets is 14.1 years. The goodwill acquired is not deductible for tax purposes.
Since the acquisition date, the results of Ingenuity have been included in our consolidated results through December 31, 2013. Net sales totaled $14.7 million and net loss attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V. was $6.3 million for 2013. Acquisition-related costs for Ingenuity for 2013 amounted to $1.2 million .
Other 2013 Acquisitions
During 2013, we completed the acquisition of CLC bio, a privately-held company located in Aarhus, Denmark that has created the leading commercial data analysis solutions and workbenches for next-generation sequencing, used by top academic and pharmaceutical research as well as clinical institutions. Purchase consideration totaled $68.2 million in cash, net of cash acquired, and as of December 31, 2014, the purchase price allocation is final. The final purchase price allocation for CLC bio did not differ from the preliminary estimates. This acquisition was not significant to the overall consolidated financial statements.

6. Restructuring
2014 Restructuring
During the fourth quarter of 2014, we recorded pretax charges of $37.1 million in restructuring charges in connection with the acquisition of Enzymatics discussed in Note 5 "Acquisitions" and from the implementation of headcount reductions and facility consolidations to further streamline operations and various measures as part of a commitment to continuous improvement and related to QIAGEN's new strategic focus on its five growth drivers. Of these charges, $26.4 million is recorded in cost of sales,

F- 22


$2.4 million is recorded in sales and marketing, and $8.3 million is recorded in general, administrative, integration and other. The pretax charge consists of $6.4 million for workforce reductions, $19.6 million for fixed asset abandonment charges, $8.7 million for intangible asset abandonment charges in line with strategic initiatives to keep our activities technologically and competitively current. Additionally, we incurred contract termination and consulting costs of $2.4 million . No additional costs were incurred in 2015.
The following table summarizes the components of the 2014 restructuring costs. At December 31, 2015 , a restructuring accrual of $4.1 million was included in accrued and other liabilities. At December 31, 2014 , a restructuring accrual of $12.1 million was included in accrued and other liabilities and $2.6 million was included in other long term liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.
(in thousands)
Personnel Related
Facility Related
Contract and Other Costs
Total
Balance at December 31, 2014
$
6,341

$
7,627

$
652

$
14,620

Payments
(4,789
)
(4,199
)
(418
)
(9,406
)
Release of excess accrual
(453
)
—

(20
)
(473
)
Foreign currency translation adjustment
(630
)
—

—

(630
)
Balance at December 31, 2015
$
469

$
3,428

$
214

$
4,111

2011 Restructuring
Late in 2011, we began a project to enhance productivity by streamlining the organization and reallocating resources to strategic initiatives to help drive growth and innovation, strengthen our industry leadership position and improve longer-term profitability. This project eliminated organizational layers and overlapping structures, actions to enhance our processes, speed and productivity. The last group of initiatives included actions to focus research and development activities on higher-growth areas in all customer classes, concentrate operations at fewer sites, and realign sales and regional marketing teams in the U.S. and Europe to better address customer needs in a more streamlined manner across the continuum from basic research to translational medicine and clinical diagnostics. Restructuring charges were recorded in 2013 as part of this transformational project.
The following table summarizes the cash components of the restructuring costs. At December 31, 2015 , no restructuring accrual remained for this program. At December 31, 2014 , a restructuring accrual of $0.7 million was included in accrued and other liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
(in thousands)
Personnel Related
Facility Related
Contract and Other Costs
Total
Balance at December 31, 2013
$
9,782

$
313

$
511

$
10,606

Payments
(8,071
)
(313
)
(511
)
(8,895
)
Release of excess accrual
(775
)
—

—

(775
)
Foreign currency translation adjustment
(210
)
—

—

(210
)
Balance at December 31, 2014
$
726

$
—

$
—

$
726

Payments
(381
)
—

—

(381
)
Release of excess accrual
(340
)
—

—

(340
)
Foreign currency translation adjustment
(5
)
—

—

(5
)
Balance at December 31, 2015
$
—

$
—

$
—

$
—

The costs in the above table do not include consulting costs associated with third-party service providers that assisted with execution of the restructuring. We accrue for consulting costs as the services are provided.
Since 2011, we have incurred cumulative restructuring costs totaling $234.6 million which include $56.4 million for personnel related costs, $97.7 million of impairments, and $80.5 million of contract, consulting and other related costs. Of the $234.6 million cumulative restructuring costs since 2011, $188.5 million were recorded in general and administrative, restructuring, integration and other and $46.1 million were recorded in cost of sales. We did not record additional restructuring charges in 2015 or 2014 related to this program.

7. Short-Term Investments

F- 23

At December 31, 2015 and 2014 , we had $127.1 million and $180.2 million , respectively, of loan receivables and commercial paper due from financial institutions. These loan receivables and commercial paper are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market and are carried at fair market value, which is equal to the cost. At December 31, 2015 , these loans consist of $94.4 million and €30.0 million ( $32.7 million as of December 31, 2015 ) which mature at various dates through December 2018. All instruments that have an original tenor of more than 12 months include redemption rights on at least a quarterly basis. Interest income is determined using the effective interest rate method. These loans are classified as current assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets since we may redeem the loans at our discretion.
At December 31, 2015 and 2014 , we also had €3.4 million ( $3.7 million ) and €3.2 million ( $3.9 million ), respectively in term deposits with final maturities in August 2017 . The deposits can be withdrawn at the end of each quarter without penalty and are therefore classified as current assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
For the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 , proceeds from sales of short term investments totaled $367.7 million and $275.8 million , respectively. During the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 , realized losses totaled $6.0 million and $3.9 million , respectively. There were no realized gains or losses during 2013 .

8. Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets
Prepaid expenses and other current assets are summarized as follows as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 :
(in thousands)
2015
2014
Prepaid expenses
$
38,986

$
40,359

Value added tax
15,219

13,332

Other receivables
9,876

10,778

Fair value of derivative instruments
3,758

46,802

Amounts held in escrow in connection with acquisitions
2,500

2,500

$
70,339

$
113,771


9. Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, plant and equipment, including equipment acquired under capital lease obligations, are summarized as follows as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 :
(in thousands)
Estimated useful life
(in years)
2015
2014
Land
—

$
15,452

$
15,653

Buildings and improvements
5-40

302,068

300,131

Machinery and equipment
3-10

253,556

244,906

Computer software
3-7

125,396

102,835

Furniture and office equipment
3-10

92,281

86,556

Construction in progress
—

63,825

70,575

852,578

820,656

Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization
(409,634
)
(392,563
)
Property, plant and equipment, net
$
442,944

$
428,093

Amortization of assets acquired under capital lease obligations is included within accumulated depreciation and amortization above for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 , respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 depreciation and amortization expense totaled $59.5 million , $67.9 million and $72.5 million , respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 amortization related to computer software to be sold, leased or marketed totaled $5.1 million , $6.2 million and $4.8 million , respectively. In 2015 , we recorded asset impairment charges of $3.1 million , of which $1.0 million related to computer software to be sold, leased or marketed related to the abandonment of certain projects following the acquisition of MO BIO. In connection with the restructuring discussed more fully in Note 6, impairment charges of $19.6 million , of which $8.8 million related to computer software to be sold, leased or marketed, and $16.2 million were recorded related to discontinued projects in the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 , respectively.

F- 24

Repairs and maintenance expense was $15.4 million , $15.9 million and $14.0 million in 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 , construction in progress primarily includes amounts related to ongoing software development projects. For the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , interest capitalized in connection with construction projects was not significant.

10. Investments
We have made strategic investments in certain companies that are accounted for using the equity or cost method of accounting. The method of accounting for an investment depends on the level of influence. We monitor changes in circumstances that may require a reassessment of the level of influence. We periodically review the carrying value of these investments for impairment, considering factors such as the most recent stock transactions and book values from the recent financial statements. The fair value of cost and equity-method investments is estimated when there are identified events or changes in circumstances that may have an impact on the fair value of the investment. A summary of these equity method investments, which are included in other long-term assets in the consolidated balance sheets, is as follows:
Equity investments
as of December 31,
Share of income (loss)
for the years ended December 31,
($ in thousands)
Ownership
Percentage
2015
2014
2015
2014
2013
PreAnalytiX GmbH
50.00
%
$
10,627

$
18,954

$
1,878

$
3,557

$
2,044

Biotype Innovation GmbH
24.90
%
3,775

—

(595
)
—

—

Pyrobett
19.00
%
2,111

2,711

(600
)
(539
)
(265
)
QIAGEN (Suzhou) Institute of Translation Research Co., Ltd.
30.00
%
203

216

(107
)
(409
)
(112
)
QIAGEN Finance
100.00
%
—

414

85

147

93

QBM Cell Science
19.50
%
—

398

—

(2
)
(6
)
Dx Assays Pte Ltd
33.30
%
—

—

—

710

—

$
16,716

$
22,693

$
661

$
3,464

$
1,754

We had a 100% interest in QIAGEN Finance (Luxembourg) S.A. (QIAGEN Finance) which was established for the purpose of issuing convertible debt in 2004 . The proceeds of the 2004 Notes were loaned to subsidiaries within the consolidated QIAGEN N.V. group. QIAGEN N.V. had guaranteed the 2004 Notes, and had agreements with QIAGEN Finance to issue common shares to the investors in the event of conversion of the 2004 Notes. QIAGEN Finance was a variable interest entity. We did not hold any variable interests in QIAGEN Finance, and we were not the primary beneficiary, therefore QIAGEN Finance was not consolidated. Accordingly, the 2004 convertible debt was not included in the consolidated statements of QIAGEN N.V., though QIAGEN N.V. did report the full obligation of the debt through its liabilities to QIAGEN Finance. QIAGEN N.V. accounted for its investment in QIAGEN Finance as an equity investment until the first quarter of 2015 and accordingly recorded 100% of the profit or loss of QIAGEN Finance in the gain or loss from equity method investees. During the first quarter of 2015, we repaid the $250.9 million loan to QIAGEN Finance and repurchased the warrant agreement with QIAGEN Finance.
At December 31, 2015 and 2014 , we had a total of cost-method investments in non-publicly traded companies with carrying amounts of $17.2 million and $18.6 million , respectively, which are included in other long-term assets in the consolidated balance sheets. The fair-value of these cost-method investments are not estimated unless there are identified events or changes in circumstances that may have a significant adverse effect on the fair value of the investment. During the years ended December 31, 2015 , and 2014 , we made cost-method investments totaling $4.4 million , and $9.4 million , respectively. In 2015 , we recorded impairments to cost method investments of $2.2 million in other income (expense), net. In 2014 , we recorded total impairments to a cost method investment of $6.0 million , of which $4.8 million was recorded in other income (expense), net and $1.2 million was recorded in research and development expense. In the first quarter of 2016 we entered into a short-term agreement with one of the cost-method investees where they may receive up to $0.6 million .
During 2015, our former cost-method investment in Curetis AG was reclassified as a long-term marketable security upon the completed IPO of its Dutch holding company, Curetis N.V. At December 31, 2015 , we held 320,712 shares with a fair market value of $3.5 million and a cost of $2.3 million . We are restricted from selling our shares until May 2016. Long-term marketable securities are included in other long-term assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

F- 25


11. Goodwill and Intangible Assets
The following sets forth the intangible assets by major asset class as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 :
2015
2014
(in thousands)
Weighted Average Life
(in years)
Gross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Gross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Amortized Intangible Assets:
Patent and license rights
10.57
$
338,175

$
(205,880
)
$
312,224

$
(185,132
)
Developed technology
10.41
693,294

(409,374
)
708,509

(361,825
)
Customer base, trademarks, and non-compete agreements
10.52
432,036

(211,830
)
423,685

(179,316
)
10.48
$
1,463,505

$
(827,084
)
$
1,444,418

$
(726,273
)
Unamortized Intangible Assets:


In-process research and development
$
—

$
8,769

Goodwill
1,875,698

1,887,963

$
1,875,698

$
1,896,732


The changes in intangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 are as follows:
(in thousands)
Intangibles
Goodwill
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2013
$
790,405

$
1,855,691

Additions
9,677

—

Acquisitions
103,130

99,846

Amortization
(132,890
)
—

Impairment losses
(8,711
)
—

Foreign currency translation adjustments
(34,697
)
(67,574
)
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2014
$
726,914

$
1,887,963

Additions
45,575

—

Purchase adjustments
(8,200
)
1,656

Acquisitions
31,412

37,084

Amortization
(131,953
)
—

Impairment losses
(205
)
—

Foreign currency translation adjustments
(27,122
)
(51,005
)
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2015
$
636,421

$
1,875,698

Amortization expense on intangible assets totaled approximately $132.0 million , $ 132.9 million and $ 126.9 million , respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 .
In 2015 , we recorded intangible asset impairment of $0.2 million related to the abandonment of certain projects. In connection with the restructuring discussed more fully in Note 6, impairment charges of $8.7 million and $19.7 million related to discontinued projects were recorded in the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 , respectively.
Cash paid for purchases of intangible assets during the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 totaled $19.7 million and $10.4 million of which $6.4 million and $0.7 million , respectively, were not yet in service and are included in other long-term assets in the consolidated balance sheet. Intangible asset additions of $45.6 million includes $13.3 million of cash paid during the year ended December 31, 2015 , together with $12.1 million of additions which were previously recorded as prepayments, $10.0 million of additions which were previously included in other long-term assets, $5.9 million of non-cash additions and $4.4 million of additions which were accrued as of December 31, 2015 .

F- 26

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 resulted primarily from changes in foreign currency translation together with acquired goodwill from 2015 acquisitions and adjustments made in connection with 2014 purchase price allocation for the acquisition of Enzymatics discussed in Note 5. Accumulated goodwill impairment totaled $1.6 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 .
The estimated fair values of acquired in-process research and development projects which have not reached technological feasibility at the date of acquisition are capitalized and subsequently tested for impairment through completion of the development process, at which point the capitalized amounts are amortized over their estimated useful life. If a project is abandoned rather than completed, all capitalized amounts are written-off immediately. During 2015, two development projects were completed and $8.8 million of in-process research and development costs were reclassified into developed technology.
Amortization of intangibles for the next five years is expected to be approximately:
(in thousands)
Amortization
Years ended December 31:
2016
$
132,640

2017
$
114,512

2018
$
92,591

2019
$
74,479

2020
$
50,069


12. Accrued and Other Liabilities
Accrued and other liabilities at December 31, 2015 and 2014 consist of the following:
(in thousands)
2015
2014
Accrued expenses
$
55,928

$
79,120

Payroll and related accruals
52,036

54,768

Deferred revenue
49,812

49,190

Accrued royalties
13,786

13,855

Cash collateral
7,826

—

Accrued contingent consideration and milestone payments
6,995

7,477

Accrued interest on long-term debt
4,239

8,121

Current portion of capital lease obligations
922

1,125

Fair value of derivative instruments
525

10,547

Total accrued and other liabilities
$
192,069

$
224,203


13. Derivatives and Hedging
In the ordinary course of business, we use derivative instruments, including swaps, forwards and/or options, to manage potential losses from foreign currency exposures and interest bearing assets or liabilities. The principal objective of such derivative instruments is to minimize the risks and/or costs associated with our global financial and operating activities. We do not utilize derivative or other financial instruments for trading or other speculative purposes. We recognize all derivatives as either assets or liabilities on the balance sheet on a gross basis, measure those instruments at fair value and recognize the change in fair value in earnings in the period of change, unless the derivative qualifies as an effective hedge that offsets certain exposures. We do not offset any amounts under any master netting arrangements. During 2015 , we have agreed with almost all of our counterparties with whom we enter into cross-currency swaps, interest rate swaps or foreign exchange contracts, to enter into bilateral collateralization contracts under which we receive or provide cash collateral, as the case may be, for the net position with each of these counterparties . As of December 31, 2015 , we had a net liability position of $7.8 million recorded in accrued and other liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet, and we did not post any collateral to any of our counterparties. We do not offset the fair value of derivative instruments with cash collateral held or received from the same counterparty under a master netting arrangement.

F- 27

During 2015 , we held derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges where the effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative is reported as a component of other comprehensive income (loss) and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. Gains and losses on the derivative representing either hedge ineffectiveness or hedge components excluded from the assessment of effectiveness are recognized in current earnings. In 2015 , we did not record any hedge ineffectiveness related to any cash-flow hedges in earnings. Based on their valuation as of December 31, 2015 , we expect that no significant amount of derivative gains included in accumulated other comprehensive income will be reclassified into income during the next 12 months. The cash flows derived from derivatives are classified in the consolidated statements of cash flows in the same category as the consolidated balance sheet account of the underlying item.
As of December 31, 2014 , all derivatives that qualify for hedge accounting are fair value hedges. For derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as a fair value hedge, the effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative is reflected in earnings. This earnings effect is offset by the change in the fair value of the hedged item attributable to the risk being hedged that is also recorded in earnings. In 2015 and 2014 , there is no ineffectiveness. The cash flows derived from derivatives are classified in the consolidated statements of cash flows in the same category as the condensed consolidated balance sheet account of the underlying item.
Interest Rate Derivatives
We use interest rate derivative contracts to align our portfolio of interest bearing assets and liabilities with our risk management objectives. We have entered into interest rate swaps in which we have agreed to exchange, at specified intervals, the difference between fixed and floating interest amounts calculated by reference to an agreed-upon notional principal amount. During 2015 , we entered into five cross currency interest rate swaps through 2025 for a total notional amount of €180.0 million which qualify for hedge accounting as cash flow hedges. We determined that no ineffectiveness exists related to these swaps. As of December 31, 2015 , the €180.0 million notional swap amount had an aggregate fair value of $6.9 million , which is recorded in other long-term assets in the accompanying balance sheet.
During 2014 , we entered into interest rate swaps, which effectively fixed the fair value of $200.0 million of our fixed rate private placement debt and qualify for hedge accounting as fair value hedges. We determined that no ineffectiveness exists related to these swaps. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , the $200.0 million notional swap amount had an aggregate fair value of $5.8 million and $3.3 million , respectively, which is recorded in other long-term assets in the accompanying balance sheet.
Call Options
We entered into Call Options during 2014 which, along with the sale of the Warrants, represent the Call Spread Overlay entered into in connection with the Cash Convertible Notes and which are more fully described in Note 15. We used $105.2 million of the proceeds from the issuance of the Cash Convertible Notes to pay the premium for the Call Options, and simultaneously received $68.9 million (net of issuance costs) from the sale of the Warrants, for a net cash outlay of $36.3 million for the Call Spread Overlay. The Call Options are intended to address the equity price risk inherent in the cash conversion feature by offsetting cash payments in excess of the principal amount due upon any conversion of the Cash Convertible Notes.
Aside from the initial payment of a premium of $105.2 million for the Call Options, we will not be required to make any cash payments under the Call Options. We will, however, be entitled to receive under the terms of the Call Options an amount of cash generally equal to the amount by which the market price per share of our common stock exceeds the exercise price of the Call Options during the relevant valuation period. The exercise price under the Call Options is equal to the conversion price of the Cash Convertible Notes.
The Call Options, for which our common stock is the underlying security, are a derivative asset that requires mark-to-market accounting treatment due to the cash settlement features until the Call Options settle or expire. The Call Options are measured and reported at fair value on a recurring basis, within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. For further discussion of the inputs used to determine the fair value of the Call Options, refer to Note 14. The fair value of the Call Options at December 31, 2015 and 2014 was approximately $169.0 million and $147.7 million , respectively which is recorded in other long-term assets in the accompanying balance sheet.
The Call Options do not qualify for hedge accounting treatment. Therefore, the change in fair value of these instruments is recognized immediately in our consolidated statements of income in other (expense) income, net. For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 , the change in the fair value of the Call Options resulted in gains of $21.3 million and $42.5 million , respectively. Because the terms of the Call Options are substantially similar to those of the Cash Convertible Notes' embedded cash conversion option, discussed below, we expect the effect on earnings from those two derivative instruments to mostly offset each other.
Cash Convertible Notes Embedded Cash Conversion Option

F- 28

The embedded cash conversion option within the Cash Convertible Notes is required to be separated from the Cash Convertible Notes and accounted for separately as a derivative liability, with changes in fair value reported in our consolidated statements of income in other (expense) income, net until the cash conversion option settles or expires. For further discussion of the Cash Convertible Notes, refer to Note 15. The initial fair value liability of the embedded cash conversion option was $105.2 million , which simultaneously reduced the carrying value of the Cash Convertible Notes (effectively an original issuance discount). The embedded cash conversion option is measured and reported at fair value on a recurring basis, within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. For further discussion of the inputs used to determine the fair value of the embedded cash conversion option, refer to Note 14. The fair value of the embedded cash conversion option at December 31, 2015 and 2014 was approximately $171.0 million and $149.5 million which is recorded in other long-term liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet. For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 the change in the fair value of the embedded cash conversion option resulted in losses of $21.5 million and $44.3 million , respectively.
Foreign Currency Derivatives
As a globally active enterprise, we are subject to risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currencies in our ordinary operations. This includes foreign currency-denominated receivables, payables, debt, and other balance sheet positions including intercompany items. We manage balance sheet exposure on a group-wide basis using foreign exchange forward contracts, foreign exchange options and cross-currency swaps.
Undesignated Derivative Instruments
We are party to various foreign exchange forward, option and swap arrangements which had, at December 31, 2015 , an aggregate notional value of $264.2 million and fair value of $1.4 million included in prepaid and other assets and $0.5 million included in accrued and other liabilities, respectively, which expire at various dates through March 2016.
We were party to various foreign exchange forward and swap arrangements which had, at December 31, 2014 , an aggregate notional value of $1.3 billion and fair values of $46.8 million included in prepaid and other assets and $10.5 million included in accrued and other liabilities, respectively, which expired at various dates through December 2015. The transactions have been entered into to offset the effects from short-term balance sheet exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. Changes in the fair value of these arrangements have been recognized in other (expense) income, net.
Fair Values of Derivative Instruments
The following table summarizes the fair value amounts of derivative instruments reported in the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 :
Derivatives in Asset Positions
Fair value
Derivatives in Liability Positions
Fair value
(in thousands)
2015
2014
2015
2014
Derivative instruments designated as hedges
Interest rate contracts (1)
$
12,687

$
3,294

$
—

$
—

Total derivative instruments designated as hedges
$
12,687

$
3,294

$
—

$
—

Undesignated derivative instruments




Call spread overlay
$
169,037

$
147,707

$
(170,951
)
$
(149,450
)
Foreign exchange contracts
1,393

46,802

(525
)
(10,547
)
Total derivative instruments
$
170,430

$
194,509

$
(171,476
)
$
(159,997
)
_________________
(1) The fair value amounts for the interest rate contracts include accrued interest.

F- 29

Gains and Losses on Derivative Instruments
The following tables summarize the classification and gains and losses on derivative instruments for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 :
Year-Ended December 31, 2015 (in thousands)
Gain/(loss)
recognized in AOCI
Location of
gain/loss in
income statement
(Gain) loss
reclassified
from AOCI into
income
Gain (loss) recognized
in income
Cash flow hedges
Interest rate contracts
$
5,337

Other (expense) income, net
$
(5,273
)
n/a
Fair value hedges
Interest rate contracts
$
—

Other (expense) income, net
$
—

$
1,691

Undesignated derivative instruments
Call spread overlay
n/a
Other (expense) income, net
n/a
$
(171
)
Foreign exchange contracts
n/a
Other (expense) income, net
n/a
21,434

$
21,263

Year-Ended December 31, 2014 (in thousands)
Gain/(loss)
recognized in AOCI
Location of
(gain) loss in
income statement
(Gain) loss
reclassified
from AOCI into
income
Gain (loss) recognized
in income
Fair value hedges
Interest rate contracts
$
—

Other (expense) income, net
$
—

$
3,294

Undesignated derivative instruments
Call spread overlay
n/a
Other (expense) income, net
n/a
$
(1,743
)
Foreign exchange contracts
n/a
Other (expense) income, net
n/a
61,713

$
59,970

Year-Ended December 31, 2013 (in thousands)
Gain/(loss)
recognized in AOCI
Location of
(gain) loss in
income statement
(Gain) loss
reclassified
from AOCI into
income
Gain (loss) recognized
in income
Undesignated derivative instruments
Foreign exchange contracts
n/a
Other (expense) income, net
n/a
$
(19,409
)
The amounts noted in the table above for accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) do not include any adjustment for the impact of deferred income taxes.

14. Fair Value Measurements
Assets and liabilities are measured at fair value according to a three-tier fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:
Level 1. Observable inputs, such as quoted prices in active markets;
Level 2. Inputs, other than the quoted price in active markets, that are observable either directly or indirectly; and
Level 3. Unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market data, which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

F- 30

Our assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis consist of short-term investments, which are classified in Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, marketable securities discussed in Note 10, which are classified in Level 1, derivative contracts used to hedge currency and interest rate risk and derivative financial instruments entered into in connection with the Cash Convertible Notes discussed in Note 15, which are classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, and contingent consideration accruals which are classified in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, and are shown in the tables below.
In determining fair value for Level 2 instruments, we apply a market approach, using quoted active market prices relevant to the particular instrument under valuation, giving consideration to the credit risk of both the respective counterparty to the contract and the Company. To determine our credit risk we estimated our credit rating by benchmarking the price of outstanding debt to publicly-available comparable data from rated companies. Using the estimated rating, our credit risk was quantified by reference to publicly-traded debt with a corresponding rating. The Level 2 derivative financial instruments include the Call Options asset and the embedded conversion option liability. See Note 15, "Lines of Credit and Debt", and Note 13, "Derivatives and Hedging", for further information. The derivatives are not actively traded and are valued based on an option pricing model that uses observable market data for inputs. Significant market data inputs used to determine fair values as of December 31, 2015 included our common stock price, the risk-free interest rate, and the implied volatility of our common stock. The Call Options asset and the embedded cash conversion option liability were designed with the intent that changes in their fair values would substantially offset, with limited net impact to our earnings. Therefore, the sensitivity of changes in the unobservable inputs to the option pricing model for such instruments is substantially mitigated.
Our Level 3 instruments include contingent consideration liabilities. We value contingent consideration liabilities using unobservable inputs, applying the income approach, such as the discounted cash flow technique, or the probability-weighted scenario method. Contingent consideration arrangements obligate us to pay the sellers of an acquired entity if specified future events occur or conditions are met such as the achievement of technological or revenue milestones. We use various key assumptions, such as the probability of achievement of the milestones ( 0% to 100% ) and the discount rate (between 0.70% and 2.20% ), to represent the non-performing risk factors and time value when applying the income approach. We regularly review the fair value of the contingent consideration, and reflect any change in the accrual in the consolidated statements of income in the line items commensurate with the underlying nature of milestone arrangements.
The following table presents our fair value hierarchy for our financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
As of December 31, 2015
As of December 31, 2014
(in thousands)
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Assets:
Short-term investments
$
3,674

$
127,143

$
—

$
130,817

$
3,885

$
180,151

$
—

$
184,036

Marketable securities
3,485

—

—

3,485

—

—

—

—

Call option
—

169,037

—

169,037

—

147,707

—

147,707

Foreign exchange contracts
—

1,393

—

1,393

—

46,802

—

46,802

Interest rate contracts
—

12,687

—

12,687

—

3,294

—

3,294

$
7,159

$
310,260

$
—

$
317,419

$
3,885

$
377,954

$
—

$
381,839

Liabilities:
Foreign exchange contracts
$
—

$
(525
)
$
—

$
(525
)
$
—

$
(10,547
)
$
—

$
(10,547
)
Cash conversion option
—

(170,951
)
—

(170,951
)
—

(149,450
)
—

(149,450
)
Contingent consideration
—

—

(17,678
)
(17,678
)
—

—

(17,477
)
(17,477
)
$
—

$
(171,476
)
$
(17,678
)
$
(189,154
)
$
—

$
(159,997
)
$
(17,477
)
$
(177,474
)

F- 31

Activity for liabilities with Level 3 inputs is summarized in the following table:
(in thousands)
Fair Value Measurements Using
Significant Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3) Contingent Consideration
BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2013
$
(6,127
)
Additions from acquisitions
(13,057
)
Payments
457

Gain included in earnings
1,162

Foreign currency translation adjustments
88

BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2014
$
(17,477
)
Additions
(5,476
)
Gain included in earnings
5,225

Foreign currency translation adjustments
50

BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2015
$
(17,678
)
For the year ended December 31, 2015 , $10.7 million is included in other long-term liabilities and $7.0 million is included in accrued liabilities. During 2015, gains for the reduction in the fair value of contingent consideration totaling $5.2 million were recognized in general and administrative, restructuring, integration and other. For the year ended December 31, 2014 , the gains of $1.2 million were recognized in cost of sales.
The carrying values of financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and other accrued liabilities, approximate their fair values due to their short-term maturities. The estimated fair value of long-term debt as disclosed in Note 15 was based on current interest rates for similar types of borrowings. The estimated fair values may not represent actual values of the financial instruments that could be realized as of the balance sheet date or that will be realized in the future. There were no fair value adjustments in the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 for nonfinancial assets or liabilities required to be measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis other than the impairment of cost-method investments as discussed in Note 10.

15. Lines of Credit and Debt
Our credit facilities available at December 31, 2015 total €436.6 million (approximately $475.3 million ). This includes a €400.0 million syndicated multi-currency revolving credit facility expiring December 2020 of which no amounts were utilized at December 31, 2015 , and four other lines of credit amounting to €36.6 million with no expiration date, none of which were utilized as of December 31, 2015 . The €400.0 million facility can be utilized in euro, U.K. pound or U.S. dollar and bears interest of 0.4% to 1.2% above three months EURIBOR, or LIBOR in relation to any loan not in euro, and is offered with interest periods of one, two, three, six or twelve months. The commitment fee is calculated based on 35% of the applicable margin. In 2015 and 2014 , $0.9 million and $1.8 million of commitment fees were paid, respectively. The revolving facility agreement contains certain financial and non-financial covenants, including but not limited to, restrictions on the encumbrance of assets and the maintenance of certain financial ratios. We were in compliance with these covenants at December 31, 2015 . The credit facilities are for general corporate purposes.
At December 31, 2015 , total long-term debt was approximately $1.1 billion . Total long-term debt consists of the following as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 :

F- 32

(in thousands)
2015
2014
Notes payable to QIAGEN Finance bearing interest at an effective rate of 1.8% due in February 2024
$
—

$
130,451

3.19% Series A Senior Notes due October 16, 2019
73,994

73,645

3.75% Series B Senior Notes due October 16, 2022
303,991

302,648

3.90% Series C Senior Notes due October 16, 2024
27,000

27,000

0.375% Senior Unsecured Cash Convertible Notes due 2019
396,198

386,332

0.875% Senior Unsecured Cash Convertible Notes due 2021
258,404

251,335

Other notes payable bearing interest up to 6.28%
—

668

Total long-term debt
1,059,587

1,172,079

Less current portion
—

131,119

Long-term portion
$
1,059,587

$
1,040,960

Interest expense on long-term debt was $34.5 million , $ 36.4 million and $ 28.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , respectively.
Future maturities of long-term debt as of December 31, 2015 are as follows:
Year ending December 31,
(in thousands)
2016
$
—

2017
—

2018
—

2019
470,192

2020
—

thereafter
589,395

$
1,059,587

Cash Convertible Notes due 2019 and 2021
On March 19, 2014 , we issued $730.0 million aggregate principal amount of Cash Convertible Senior Notes of which $430.0 million is due in 2019 ( 2019 Notes) and $300.0 million is due in 2021 ( 2021 Notes). We refer to the 2019 Notes and 2021 Notes, collectively as the “Cash Convertible Notes”. The aggregate net proceeds of the Cash Convertible Notes were $680.7 million , after payment of the net cost of the Call Spread Overlay described below and transaction costs. Additionally, we used $372.5 million of the net proceeds to repay the 2006 Notes and related subscription right described below.
Interest on the Cash Convertible Notes is payable semiannually in arrears on March 19 and September 19 of each year, at rates of 0.375% and 0.875% per annum for the 2019 Notes and 2021 Notes, respectively, commencing September 19, 2014 . The 2019 Notes will mature on March 19, 2019 and the 2021 Notes will mature on March 19, 2021 , unless repurchased or converted in accordance with their terms prior to such date.
The Cash Convertible Notes are convertible into cash in whole, but not in part, at the option of noteholders in the following circumstances: (a) from April 29, 2014 through September 18, 2018 for the 2019 Notes, and September 18, 2020 for the 2021 Notes (Contingent Conversion Period), under any of the Contingent Conversion Conditions and (b) at any time following the Contingent Conversion Period through the fifth business day immediately preceding the applicable maturity Date. Upon conversion, noteholders will receive an amount in cash equal to the Cash Settlement Amount, calculated as described below. The Cash Convertible Notes are not convertible into shares of our common stock or any other securities.
Noteholders may convert their Cash Convertible Notes into cash at their option at any time during the Contingent Conversion Period only under the following circumstances (Contingent Conversion Conditions):
•
during any calendar quarter commencing after the calendar quarter ending on March 31, 2014 (and only during such calendar quarter), if the last reported sale price of our common stock for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during a period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the conversion price on each applicable trading day;
•
if we undergo certain fundamental changes as defined in the agreement;

F- 33

•
during the five business day period immediately after any ten consecutive trading day period in which the quoted price for the 2019 Notes or the 2021 Notes for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of our common stock and the conversion rate on each such trading day;
•
if we elect to distribute assets or property to all or substantially all of the holders of our common stock and those assets or other property have a value of more than 25% of the average daily volume-weighted average trading price of our common stock for the prior 20 consecutive trading days;
•
if we elect to redeem the Cash Convertible Notes; or
•
if we experience certain customary events of default, including defaults under certain other indebtedness.
The initial conversion rate is 7,056.7273 shares of our common stock per $200,000 principal amount of Cash Convertible Notes (reflecting an initial conversion price of approximately $28.34 per share of common stock). Upon conversion, holders are entitled to a cash payment (Cash Settlement Amount) equal to the average of the conversion rate multiplied by the daily volume-weighted average trading price for our common stock over a 50 -day period. The conversion rate is subject to adjustment in certain instances but will not be adjusted for any accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, following the occurrence of certain corporate events that may occur prior to the applicable maturity date, we may be required to pay a cash make-whole premium by increasing the conversion rate for any holder who elects to convert Cash Convertible Notes in connection with the occurrence of such a corporate event.
We may redeem the 2019 Notes or 2021 Notes in their entirety at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the applicable Cash Convertible Notes plus accrued interest at any time when 20% or less of the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Cash Convertible Notes originally issued remain outstanding.
The Cash Convertible Notes are senior unsecured obligations, and rank senior in right of payment to any of our indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Cash Convertible Notes; equal in right of payment to any of our unsecured indebtedness that is unsubordinated; junior in right of payment to any of our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and junior to all indebtedness and other liabilities (including trade payables) of our subsidiaries.
Because the Cash Convertible Notes contain an embedded cash conversion option, we have determined that the embedded cash conversion option is a derivative financial instrument, which is required to be separated from the Cash Convertible Notes and accounted for separately as a derivative liability, with changes in fair value reported in our consolidated statements of income until the cash conversion option transaction settles or expires. The initial fair value liability of the embedded cash conversion option was $105.2 million , which simultaneously reduced the carrying value of the Cash Convertible Notes (effectively an original issuance discount). For further discussion of the derivative financial instruments relating to the Cash Convertible Notes, refer to Note 13.
As noted above, the reduced carrying value on the Cash Convertible Notes resulted in a debt discount that is amortized to the principal amount through the recognition of non-cash interest expense over the expected life of the debt, which is five and seven years for the 2019 Notes and 2021 Notes, respectively. This resulted in our recognition of interest expense on the Cash Convertible Notes at an effective rate approximating what we would have incurred had nonconvertible debt with otherwise similar terms been issued. The effective interest rate of the 2019 and 2021 Notes is 2.937% and 3.809% , respectively, which is imputed based on the amortization of the fair value of the embedded cash conversion option over the remaining term of the Cash Convertible Notes. As of December 31, 2015 , we expect the 2019 Notes to be outstanding until their 2019 maturity date and the 2021 Notes to be outstanding until their 2021 maturity date, for remaining amortization periods of approximately five and seven years, respectively. Based on an estimation using available over-the-counter market information on the Cash Convertible Notes, the fair value of the 2019 Notes was $495.5 million and $452.0 million and the fair value of the 2021 Notes was $356.1 million and $318.1 million , at December 31, 2015 and 2014 , respectively.
In connection with the issuance of the Cash Convertible Notes, we incurred approximately $13.1 million in transaction costs. Such costs have been allocated to the Cash Convertible Notes and deferred as a long-term asset and are being amortized over the terms of the Cash Convertible Notes.

F- 34

Interest expense related to the Cash Convertible Notes was comprised of the following:
Year-Ended December 31
(in thousands)
2015
2014
Coupon interest
$
4,238

$
3,307

Amortization of original issuance discount
16,935

12,836

Amortization of debt issuance costs
2,220

1,693

Total interest expense related to the Cash Convertible Notes
$
23,393

$
17,836

Cash Convertible Notes Call Spread Overlay
Concurrent with the issuance of the Cash Convertible Notes, we entered into privately negotiated hedge transactions (Call Options) with, and issued warrants to purchase shares of our common stock (Warrants) to, certain financial institutions. We refer to the Call Options and Warrants collectively as the “Call Spread Overlay”. The Call Options are intended to offset any cash payments payable by us in excess of the principal amount due upon any conversion of the Cash Convertible Notes. We used $105.2 million of the proceeds from the issuance of the Cash Convertible Notes to pay for the Call Options, and simultaneously received $69.4 million from the sale of the Warrants, for a net cash outlay of $35.8 million for the Call Spread Overlay. The Call Options are derivative financial instruments and are discussed further in Note 13. The Warrants are equity instruments and are further discussed in Note 17.
Aside from the initial payment of a premium of $105.2 million for the Call Option, we will not be required to make any cash payments under the Call Options, and will be entitled to receive an amount of cash, generally equal to the amount by which the market price per share of our common stock exceeds the exercise price of the Call Options during the relevant valuation period. The exercise price under the Call Options is initially equal to the conversion price of the Cash Convertible Notes.
The Warrants cover an aggregate of 25.8 million shares of our common stock (subject to anti-dilution adjustments under certain circumstances) and have an initial exercise price of $32.085 per share, subject to customary adjustments. The Warrants expire as follows: Warrants to purchase 15.2 million shares expire over a period of 50 trading days beginning on December 27, 2018 and Warrants to purchase 10.6 million shares expire over a period of 50 trading days beginning on December 29, 2020 . The Warrants are European-style (exercisable only upon expiration). The Warrants could have a dilutive effect to the extent that the price of our common stock exceeds the applicable strike price of the Warrants. For each Warrant that is exercised, we will deliver to the holder a number of shares of our common stock equal to the amount by which the settlement price exceeds the exercise price, divided by the settlement price, plus cash in lieu of any fractional shares. We will not receive any proceeds if the Warrants are exercised.
Private Placement
In October 2012 , we completed a private placement through the issuance of new senior unsecured notes at a total amount of $400.0 million with a weighted average interest rate of 3.66% (settled on October 16, 2012 ). The notes were issued in three series: (1) $73.0 million 7 -year term due in 2019 ( 3.19% ); (2) $300.0 million 10 -year term due in 2022 ( 3.75% ); and (3) $27.0 million 12 -year term due in 2024 ( 3.90% ). We paid $2.1 million in debt issue costs which will be amortized through interest expense over the lifetime of the notes. Approximately €170.0 million (approximately $220 million ) of proceeds from the notes were used to repay amounts outstanding under our short-term revolving credit facility in 2012. The remainder of the proceeds provides additional resources to support our longer-term business expansion. The note purchase agreement contains certain financial and non-financial covenants, including but not limited to, restrictions on priority indebtedness and the maintenance of certain financial ratios. We were in compliance with these covenants at December 31, 2015 . Based on an estimation using the changes in the U.S. Treasury rates, the fair value of these senior notes as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 was approximately $399.3 million and $394.3 million , respectively, taking into account that $200.0 million of such notes are the hedged item in the fair value transaction described in Note 13. The fair value of such hedges was $5.8 million and $3.3 million at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 , respectively.
2006 Notes
In May 2006 , we completed the offering of $300 million of 3.25% Senior Convertible Notes due in 2026 ( 2006 Notes) through an unconsolidated subsidiary, QIAGEN Euro Finance (Euro Finance). The net proceeds of the 2006 Notes were loaned by Euro Finance to consolidated subsidiaries. These long-term notes payable to Euro Finance had an effective interest rate of 3.7% and were due in May 2026 . Interest was payable semi-annually in May and November. The 2006 Notes were issued at 100% of principal value, and were convertible into 15.0 million common shares at the option of the holders upon the occurrence of certain events, at a price of $20.00 per share, subject to adjustment. QIAGEN N.V. had an agreement with QIAGEN Euro Finance to issue shares to the investors in the event of conversion. This subscription right, along with the related receivable, was recorded at fair value in the equity of QIAGEN N.V. as paid-in capital. In March 2014, we redeemed the $300.0 million loan payable to Euro Finance and approximately 98% of the subscription right with QIAGEN Euro Finance for $372.5 million ,

F- 35

and recognized a loss on the redemption of $4.6 million in other (expense) income, net. The repayment amount was allocated to the loan and warrants on a relative fair value basis with $67.9 million recorded against additional paid in capital for the redemption of the warrant subscription receivable. Contemporaneously, QIAGEN Euro Finance redeemed the 2006 Notes. During 2014, we issued 0.2 million common shares in exchange for $3.9 million upon the exercise of the remaining subscription rights and subsequently Euro Finance was liquidated.
2004 Notes
In August 2004 , we completed the sale of $150 million of 1.5% Senior Convertible Notes due in 2024 ( 2004 Notes), through our unconsolidated subsidiary QIAGEN Finance. The net proceeds of the 2004 Notes were loaned by QIAGEN Finance to consolidated subsidiaries with an effective interest rate of 1.8% were due in February 2024 . Interest was payable semi-annually in February and August. The 2004 Notes were issued at 100% of principal value, and were convertible into 11.5 million common shares at the option of the holders upon the occurrence of certain events at a price of $12.6449 per share, subject to adjustment. QIAGEN N.V. had an agreement with QIAGEN Finance to issue shares to the investors in the event of conversion. The subscription right, along with the related receivable, was recorded at fair value in the equity of QIAGEN N.V. as paid-in capital. In 2014, 1.2 million common shares were issued in connection with the conversions. During 2015 , we repaid the loan to QIAGEN Finance and repurchased the warrant agreement with QIAGEN Finance for $250.9 million and recognized a loss of $7.6 million in other (expense) income, net. The repayment amount was allocated to the loan and warrants on a relative fair value basis with $113.0 million recorded against additional paid in capital for the redemption of the warrant subscription receivable. Subsequent to these transactions QIAGEN Finance was liquidated.

16. Income Taxes
Income before income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 consisted of:
(in thousands)
2015
2014
2013
Pretax income in The Netherlands
$
(2,495
)
$
(5,806
)
$
24,135

Pretax income from foreign operations
134,993

124,320

13,203

$
132,498

$
118,514

$
37,338

Income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 are as follows:
(in thousands)
2015
2014
2013
Current—The Netherlands
$
973

$
936

$
2,874

—Foreign
41,862

41,667

33,452

42,835

42,603

36,326

Deferred—The Netherlands
250

317

—

—Foreign
(37,444
)
(41,608
)
(68,086
)
(37,194
)
(41,291
)
(68,086
)
Total provision for income taxes
$
5,641

$
1,312

$
(31,760
)
The Netherlands statutory income tax rate was 25% for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 . Income from foreign subsidiaries is generally taxed at the statutory income tax rates applicable in the respective countries of domicile. The principal items comprising the differences between income taxes computed at The Netherlands statutory rate and our reported income taxes and effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 are as follows:

F- 36

2015
2014
2013
(in thousands)
Amount
Percent
Amount
Percent
Amount
Percent
Income taxes at The Netherlands statutory rate
$
33,124

25.0
%
$
29,628

25.0
%
$
9,334

25.0
%
Taxation of foreign operations, net (1)
(36,407
)
(27.5
)
(29,959
)
(25.3
)
(31,826
)
(85.2
)
Tax impact from non-deductible items
14,411

10.9

9,339

7.9

6,219

16.7

Tax impact from tax exempt income (2)
(5,810
)
(4.4
)
(2,589
)
(2.1
)
(8,557
)
(23.0
)
Tax contingencies, net
1,163

0.9

4,409

3.7

1,986

5.3

Taxes due to changes in tax rates
(836
)
(0.6
)
330

0.3

(1,640
)
(4.4
)
Government incentives and other deductions (3)
(2,754
)
(2.1
)
(8,617
)
(7.3
)
(5,931
)
(15.9
)
Restructuring
—

—

—

—

(872
)
(2.3
)
Prior year taxes
(1,201
)
(0.9
)
(1,950
)
(1.7
)
(888
)
(2.4
)
Valuation allowance
3,450

2.6

—

—

—

—

Other items, net
501

0.4

721

0.6

415

1.1

Total provision for income taxes
$
5,641

4.3
%
$
1,312

1.1
%
$
(31,760
)
(85.1
)%
____________________
(1) Our effective tax rate reflects the benefit of our global operations where certain income or loss is taxed at rates higher or lower than The Netherlands’ statutory rate of 25% as well as the benefit of some income being partially exempt from income taxes due to various intercompany operating and financing activities. The most significant tax benefits from these foreign operations and financing activities are attributable to subsidiaries in Germany, Singapore, Switzerland and Luxembourg. These foreign tax benefits are due to a combination of favorable tax laws, rules, rulings, and exemptions in these jurisdictions. Additionally, in 2014 and 2013, in certain foreign jurisdictions (primarily Germany and the United States), we recorded acquisition related and impairment charges which reduced pretax income in these higher tax jurisdictions.
(2) The tax impact from tax exempt income primarily reflects The Netherlands’ benefit of the 2006 and 2004 Notes discussed in Note 15 “Lines of Credit and Debt.” These notes were redeemed in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and accordingly the related income tax benefit of $2.6 million in 2014 and $4.6 million in 2013, did not and will not impact our effective tax rate in 2015 and beyond. In 2015, tax exempt income includes non-taxable income in The Netherlands related to the repurchase of the 2004 Notes, non-taxable income in the U.S. from the release of contingent consideration accruals and non-taxable dividend income in Switzerland.
(3) Government incentives include favorable tax regulations primarily in France (in 2014 and 2013) and the United States relating to research and development expense as well as the United States Internal Revenue Code Section 199 domestic production activities deduction.

We conduct business globally and, as a result, file numerous consolidated and separate income tax returns in The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and the U.S. federal jurisdiction, as well as in various other state and foreign jurisdictions. In the normal course of business, we are subject to examination by taxing authorities throughout the world. Tax years in The Netherlands are open since 2003 for income tax examinations by tax authorities. Our subsidiaries, with few exceptions, are no longer subject to income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2011 . The U.S. consolidated group is subject to federal and most state income tax examinations by tax authorities beginning the year ending December 31, 2011 through the current period.
Starting in February 2014, the U.S. tax authorities (Internal Revenue Service) have been auditing our U.S. federal tax returns for 2011 and 2012. The audit is currently in process and we expect to close the audit in 2016. Additionally, in February 2016 German tax authorities began the audit of the German tax returns for the 2010-2013 tax years.
In 2012, we established a reserve related to withholding tax on a specific intercompany transaction for $3.9 million including penalties. During 2013, we settled on this issue with the relevant tax authorities, which resulted in a release of the remaining $1.9 million reserve in the fourth quarter of 2013.
In 2014, we established reserve related to cash convertible notes as discussed in Note 15 for $3.0 million . In early 2015, we received a confirmation from the relevant tax authorities, which resulted in a release of $3.0 million reserve in the first quarter of 2015.
Changes in the gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits are as follows:

F- 37

(in thousands)
Unrecognized Tax Benefits
Balance at December 31, 2013
$
11,585

Additions based on tax positions related to the current year
4,448

Decrease from currency translation
(31
)
Balance at December 31, 2014
$
16,002

Additions based on tax positions related to the current year
2,018

Additions for tax positions of prior years
2,640

Settlements with taxing authorities
(2,988
)
Reductions due to lapse of statute of limitations
(747
)
Decrease from currency translation
(190
)
Balance at December 31, 2015
$
16,735

At December 31, 2015 and 2014 , our net unrecognized tax benefits totaled approximately $16.7 million and $16.0 million , respectively, of which $16.7 million and $14.0 million in benefits, if recognized, would favorably affect our effective tax rate in any future period. It is reasonably possible that approximately $6.8 million of the unrecognized tax benefits may be released during the next 12 months due to lapse of statute of limitations or settlements with tax authorities; however, various events could cause our current expectations to change in the future. The majority of these uncertain tax positions, if ever recognized in the financial statements, would be recorded in the statement of income as part of the income tax provision.
Our policy is to recognize interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense and penalties within income tax expense. For the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , we have net interest (income) expense and penalties of $0.3 million , $(0.3) million and $(1.7) million , respectively. At December 31, 2015 and 2014 , we have accrued interest of $1.4 million and $1.1 million , respectively, which are not included in the table above.
We have recorded net deferred tax liabilities of $43.1 million and $82.8 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014 , respectively. The components of the net deferred tax liability at December 31, 2015 and 2014 are as follows:
2015
2014
(in thousands)
Deferred
Tax Assets
Deferred
Tax Liability
Deferred
Tax Assets
Deferred
Tax Liability
Net operating loss carry forwards
$
25,771

$
—

$
33,208

$
—

Accrued and other liabilities
22,648

—

20,425

—

Inventories
2,394

(1,060
)
4,798

(1,358
)
Allowance for bad debts
1,121

(465
)
1,155

(483
)
Currency revaluation
934

(132
)
510

(211
)
Depreciation and amortization
1,859

(27,854
)
3,616

(10,645
)
Capital lease
1,793

—

1,128

—

Tax credit carryforwards
1,110

—

3,347

—

Unremitted profits and earnings
—

(902
)
—

(1,064
)
Intangibles
272

(150,594
)
1,030

(199,677
)
Share-based compensation
14,726

—

14,209

—

Interest
54,307

—

38,013

—

Convertible debt
13,765

—

10,055

—

Other
2,080

(1,154
)
1,901

(2,108
)
142,780

(182,161
)
133,395

(215,546
)
Valuation allowance
(3,703
)
—

(602
)
—

$
139,077

$
(182,161
)
$
132,793

$
(215,546
)
Net deferred tax liabilities
$
(43,084
)
$
(82,753
)
At December 31, 2015 and 2014 , we had $264.2 million and $270.1 million in total foreign net operating loss (NOL) carryforwards. At December 31, 2015 and 2014 , we had $110.3 million and $120.8 million of U.S. federal (NOL) carryforwards. At December 31, 2015 , the entire NOL in the U.S. is subject to limitations under Section 382 of the Internal

F- 38

Revenue Code. The NOLs in the U.S. will expire beginning December 31, 2022 through December 31, 2032 . As of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , we had other foreign NOL carryforwards totaling approximately $153.9 million and $149.3 million , respectively, with $9.3 million added in 2014 due to acquisitions. As of December 31, 2015, we had trade tax NOL carryforwards in Germany of $103.5 million . Of the total $153.9 million NOL carryforward, a portion of the foreign NOLs will be expiring beginning December 2016. The valuation allowance amounts for the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 are $3.7 million and $0.6 million . In 2015, we recorded a valuation allowance of $3.4 million related to NOLs and released $0.3 million of valuation allowance related to the expiration of statute of limitations.
As of December 31, 2015 , a deferred tax liability has not been recognized for residual Netherlands income taxes on the undistributed earnings of the majority of our foreign subsidiaries as these earnings are considered to be either permanently reinvested or can be repatriated tax free. These earnings retained by subsidiaries and equity accounted investments amounted to $333.6 million at December 31, 2015 . We have $20.1 million of undistributed earnings that we do not consider permanently reinvested and have recorded deferred income taxes or withholding taxes at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 , of approximately $0.9 million and $1.1 million respectively. There are no income tax consequences regarding payment of dividends to our shareholders. To date, we have never paid dividends.

17. Equity
Issuance of Warrants
In March 2014, in connection with the issuance of our Cash Convertible Notes, we issued warrants (as described in Note 15) for approximately 25.8 million shares of our common stock (subject to antidilution adjustments under certain circumstances) with an initial exercise price of $32.085 per share, subject to customary adjustments. The proceeds, net of issuance costs, from the sale of the Warrants of approximately $68.9 million are included as additional paid in capital in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The Warrants expire as follows: Warrants to purchase 15.2 million shares expire over a period of 50 trading days beginning on December 27, 2018 and Warrants to purchase 10.6 million shares expire over a period of 50 trading days beginning on December 29, 2020 . The Warrants are exercisable only upon expiration. For each Warrant that is exercised, we will deliver to the holder a number of shares of our common stock equal to the amount by which the settlement price exceeds the exercise price, divided by the settlement price, plus cash in lieu of any fractional shares. The Warrants could separately have a dilutive effect on shares of our common stock to the extent that the market value per share of our common stock exceeds the applicable exercise price of the Warrants (as measured under the terms of the Warrants).
Share Repurchase Program
In 2012, the Supervisory Board approved a program authorizing management to purchase up to a total of $100 million of our common shares (excluding transaction costs). We completed this share repurchase program in April 2013 having repurchased, between October 2012 and April 2013, a total of 5.1 million QIAGEN shares for an aggregate cost of $99.0 million .
In 2013, we announced a second share buyback program, to purchase another $100 million of our common shares (excluding transaction costs). We completed the share repurchase program in June 2014 having repurchased between September 2013 and June 2014 a total of approximately 4.4 million QIAGEN shares were repurchased for a total aggregate cost of $100.4 million (including performance fees), under this program.
In July 2014, we announced the launch of our third share repurchase program to purchase up to another $100 million of our common shares (excluding transaction costs). In 2014, 2.1 million QIAGEN shares were repurchased for $49.1 million (excluding transaction costs) and in 2015 0.8 million QIAGEN shares were repurchased for $20.8 million .
The cost of repurchased shares is included in treasury stock and reported as a reduction in total equity when a repurchase occurs. Repurchased shares will be held in treasury in order to satisfy various obligations, which include the warrants issued in connection with the issuance of our Cash Convertible Notes discussed above and employee share-based remuneration plans.

F- 39

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
The following table is a summary of the components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 :
(in thousands)
2015
2014
Net unrealized gain on hedging contracts, net of tax
$
48

$
—

Net unrealized gain on marketable securities, net of tax
1,215

—

Net unrealized loss on pension, net of tax
(2,148
)
(882
)
Foreign currency effects from intercompany long-term investment transactions, net of tax of $7.4 million and $6.8 million in 2015 and 2014, respectively
(15,497
)
(12,933
)
Foreign currency translation adjustments
(242,774
)
(120,920
)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
$
(259,156
)
$
(134,735
)

18. Earnings per Common Share
We present basic and diluted earnings per share. Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing the net income attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V. by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings per share reflect the potential dilution that would occur if all “in the money” options and warrants to issue common shares were exercised. The following schedule summarizes the information used to compute earnings per common share:
Years ended December 31,
(in thousands, except per share data)
2015
2014
2013
Net income attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V.
$
127,103

$
116,634

$
69,073

Weighted average number of common shares used to compute basic net income per common share
233,483

232,644

234,000

Dilutive effect of stock options and restrictive stock units
3,539

3,573

3,023

Dilutive effect of outstanding warrants
136

5,321

5,152

Weighted average number of common shares used to compute diluted net income per common share
237,158

241,538

242,175

Outstanding options and awards having no dilutive effect, not included in above calculation
37

422

1,616

Outstanding warrants having no dilutive effect, not included in above calculation
26,071

32,505

21,315

Basic earnings per common share attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V.
$
0.54

$
0.50

$
0.30

Diluted earnings per common share attributable to the owners of QIAGEN N.V.
$
0.54

$
0.48

$
0.29


19. Commitments and Contingencies
Lease Commitments
We lease facilities and equipment under operating lease arrangements expiring in various years through 2022 . Certain rental commitments provide for escalating rental payments or have renewal options extending through various years. Certain facility and equipment leases constitute capital leases expiring in various years through 2018 . The accompanying consolidated balance sheets include the assets and liabilities arising from these capital lease obligations. Rent expense under operating lease agreements was $23.2 million , $25.6 million and $26.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , respectively.

F- 40

Minimum future obligations under capital and operating leases at December 31, 2015 are as follows:
(in thousands)
Capital
Leases
Operating
Leases
2016
$
1,307

$
18,166

2017
1,212

12,894

2018
1,505

8,207

2019
—

5,878

2020
—

4,376

Thereafter
—

4,923

4,024

$
54,444

Less: Amount representing interest
(682
)
3,342

Less: Current portion
(922
)
Long-term portion
$
2,420

Licensing and Purchase Commitments
We have licensing agreements with companies, universities and individuals, some of which require certain up-front payments. Royalty payments are required on net product sales ranging from one to 25 percent of covered products or based on quantities sold. Several of these agreements have minimum royalty requirements. The accompanying consolidated balance sheets include accrued royalties relating to these agreements in the amount of $13.8 million and $13.9 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014 , respectively. Royalty expense relating to these agreements amounted to $43.2 million , $48.8 million , and $53.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , respectively. Royalty expense is primarily recorded in cost of sales, with a small portion recorded as research and development expense depending on the use of the technology under license. Some of these agreements also have minimum raw material purchase requirements and requirements to perform specific types of research.
At December 31, 2015 , we had commitments to purchase goods or services, and for future minimum guaranteed royalties. They are as follows:
(in thousands)
Purchase
Commitments
License & Royalty
Commitments
2016
$
67,609

$
1,333

2017
15,970

1,277

2018
8,453

1,221

2019
7,044

1,151

2020
136

1,151

Thereafter
—

1,661

$
99,212

$
7,794

Contingent Consideration Commitments
Pursuant to the purchase agreements for certain acquisitions, as discussed more fully in Note 5, we could be required to make additional contingent cash payments totaling up to $67.8 million based on the achievement of certain revenue and operating results milestones as follows: $40.2 million in 2016 , $15.5 million in 2017 , $5.1 million in 2019 , and $7.0 million , payable in any 12-month period from now until 2029 based on the accomplishment of certain revenue targets. Of the $67.8 million total contingent obligation, we have assessed the fair value at December 31, 2015 , to be $17.7 million , of which $10.7 million is included in other long-term liabilities and $7.0 million is included in accrued liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.
Employment Agreements
Certain of our employment contracts contain provisions which guarantee the payments of certain amounts in the event of a change in control, as defined in the agreements, or if the executive is terminated for reasons other than cause, as defined in the agreements. At December 31, 2015 , the commitment under these agreements totaled $15.3 million .
Contingencies

F- 41

In the ordinary course of business, we provide a warranty to customers that our products are free of defects and will conform to published specifications. Generally, the applicable product warranty period is one year from the date of delivery of the product to the customer or of site acceptance, if required. Additionally, we typically provide limited warranties with respect to our services. From time to time, we also make other warranties to customers, including warranties that our products are manufactured in accordance with applicable laws and not in violation of third-party rights. We provide for estimated warranty costs at the time of the product sale. We believe our warranty reserves as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 appropriately reflect the estimated cost of such warranty obligations.
Preacquisition Contingencies
In connection with certain acquisitions, amounts were paid into escrow accounts to cover preacquisition contingencies assumed in the acquisition. The escrow amounts expected to be claimed by QIAGEN are recorded as an asset in prepaid and other current assets and amount to $2.5 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 . In addition, we have recorded $0.1 million for preacquisition contingencies as a liability under accrued and other liabilities as of December 31, 2014 .
Litigation
From time to time, we may be party to legal proceedings incidental to our business. As of December 31, 2015 , certain claims, suits or legal proceedings arising out of the normal course of business have been filed or were pending against QIAGEN or its subsidiaries. These matters have arisen in the ordinary course and conduct of business, as well as through acquisition. Although it is not possible to predict the outcome of such litigation, we assess the degree of probability and evaluate the reasonably possible losses that we could incur as a result of these matters. We accrue for any estimated loss when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and that the amount of the probable loss can be estimated. Based on the facts known to QIAGEN and after consultation with legal counsel, management believes that such litigation will not have a material adverse effect on QIAGEN’s financial position or results of operations.

20. Share-Based Compensation
We adopted the QIAGEN N.V. Amended and Restated 2005 Stock Plan (the 2005 Plan) in 2005 and the QIAGEN N.V. 2014 Stock Plan (the 2014 Plan) in 2014. The 2005 Plan expired by its terms in April 2015 and no further awards will be able to be granted under the 2005 Plan. The plans allow for the granting of stock rights and incentive stock options, as well as non-qualified options, stock grants and stock-based awards, generally with terms of up to 10 years, subject to earlier termination in certain situations. Generally, options vest over a three -year period. The vesting and exercisability of certain stock rights will be accelerated in the event of a Change of Control, as defined in the plans. To date, all option grants have been at the market value on the grant date or at a premium above the closing market price on the grant date. We issue Treasury Shares to satisfy option exercises and had approximately 19.7 million Common Shares reserved and available for issuance under the 2005 and 2014 Plans at December 31, 2015 .
Stock Options
No stock options were granted in 2015 or 2014 . During the year ended December 31, 2013 , we granted 543,903 stock options. The following are the weighted-average assumptions used in valuing the stock options granted to employees for the year ended December 31, 2013 :
2013
Stock price volatility
27
%
Risk-free interest rate
0.88
%
Expected life (in years)
4.93

Dividend rate
0
%
Forfeiture rate
4.1
%

F- 42

A summary of the status of employee stock options as of December 31, 2015 and changes during the year then ended is presented below:
All Employee Options
Number of
Shares (in thousands)
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
Weighted
Average
Contractual
Term (in years)
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
(in thousands)
Outstanding at January 1, 2015
2,531

$
18.23

Exercised
(669
)
$
15.30

Forfeited
(22
)
$
17.01

Expired
(19
)
$
12.80

Outstanding at December 31, 2015
1,821

$
19.37

4.59
$
15,080

Vested at December 31, 2015
1,670

$
19.27

4.36
$
14,001

Vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2015
1,817

$
19.37

4.59
$
15,048

Generally, stock option grants are valued as a single award with a single average expected term and are amortized over the vesting period. The weighted-average grant-date fair value of options granted during the years ended December 31, 2013 was $4.94 . The total intrinsic value of options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 was $7.0 million , $6.3 million and $25.3 million , respectively. At December 31, 2015 , the unrecognized share-based compensation expense related to employee stock option awards including estimated forfeitures is approximately $0.2 million and will be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 0.27 years.
At December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , 1.7 million , 2.1 million and 2.3 million options were exercisable at a weighted average price of $19.27 , $18.10 and $16.99 per share, respectively. The options outstanding at December 31, 2015 expire in various years through 2023 .
Stock Units
Stock units represent rights to receive Common Shares at a future date and include restricted stock units which are subject to time-vesting only and performance stock units which include performance conditions in addition to time-vesting. There is no exercise price and the fair market value at the time of the grant is recognized over the requisite vesting period, generally 3 to 5 years, and in certain grants 10 years. The fair market value is determined based on the number of restricted stock units granted and the market value of our shares on the grant date. Pre-vesting forfeitures were estimated to be approximately 7.2% . At December 31, 2015 , there was $77.5 million remaining in unrecognized compensation cost including estimated forfeitures related to these awards, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 4.49 years. The weighted average grant date fair value of stock units granted during the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 was $24.91 , $22.73 and $21.30 , respectively. The total fair value of stock units that vested during the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 was $28.7 million , $34.1 million and $22.6 million , respectively.
A summary of stock units as of December 31, 2015 and changes during the year are presented below:
Stock Units
Stock
Units (in thousands)
Weighted
Average
Contractual
Term (in years)
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
(in thousands)
Outstanding at January 1, 2015
9,160

Granted
1,691

Vested
(1,153
)
Forfeited
(742
)
Outstanding at December 31, 2015
8,956

2.46
$
247,757

Vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2015
7,298

2.27
$
189,560

Compensation Expense
Share-based compensation expense before taxes for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 totaled approximately $27.6 million , $42.2 million and $37.9 million , respectively, as shown in the table below. The excess tax benefit realized for the tax deductions of the share-based payment arrangements totaled $3.3 million , $1.6 million and $3.1 million , respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 .


F- 43

Compensation Expense (in thousands)
2015
2014
2013
Cost of sales
$
2,460

$
2,726

$
3,337

Research and development
6,037

6,650

7,632

Sales and marketing
6,180

8,290

10,412

General and administrative
12,890

24,522

16,554

Share-based compensation expense
27,567

42,188

37,935

Less: income tax benefit
6,511

9,685

8,832

Net share-based compensation expense
$
21,056

$
32,503

$
29,103

Total share-based compensation expense in 2015 was lower compared to 2014 following a reassessment on stock units with performance criteria. Total share-based compensation expense in 2014 was higher compared to 2013 due to incremental expense of $1.4 million recognized in connection with retirement provisions for Supervisory Board members. No share-based compensation cost was capitalized in inventory in 2015 , 2014 or 2013 as the amounts were not material.


21. Employee Benefits
We maintain various benefit plans, including defined contribution and defined benefit plans. Our U.S. defined contribution plan is qualified under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code, and covers substantially all U.S. employees. Participants may contribute a portion of their compensation not exceeding a limit set annually by the Internal Revenue Service. This plan includes a provision for us to match a portion of employee contributions. Total expense under the 401(k) plans, including the plans acquired via business acquisitions, was $2.4 million , $2.1 million and $1.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , respectively. In 2013, the total expense was lower partially due to matching amounts which were funded from forfeited amounts. We also have a defined contribution plan which covers certain executives. We make matching contributions up to an established maximum. Matching contributions made to the plan, and expensed, totaled approximately $0.3 million in each year ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 .
We have four defined benefit, non-contributory retirement or termination plans that cover certain employees in Germany, France, Japan and Italy. These defined benefit plans provide benefits to covered individuals satisfying certain age and service requirements. For certain plans, we calculate the vested benefits to which employees are entitled if they separate immediately. The benefits accrued on a pro-rata basis during the employees’ employment period are based on the individuals’ salaries, adjusted for inflation. The liability under the defined benefit plans was $6.6 million at December 31, 2015 and $5.0 million at December 31, 2014 , and is included as a component of other long-term liabilities on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

22. Related Party Transactions
We had a 100% interest in QIAGEN Finance (Luxembourg) S.A. (QIAGEN Finance) which was established for the purpose of issuing convertible debt. As discussed in Note 10, QIAGEN Finance was a variable interest entity for which we did not hold any variable interests and were not the primary beneficiary, thus it was not consolidated. Accordingly, the convertible debt was not included in the consolidated statements of QIAGEN N.V., though QIAGEN N.V. did report the full obligation of the debt through its liabilities to QIAGEN Finance. As of December 31, 2014 , we had loans payable to QIAGEN Finance of $130.5 million , accrued interest due to QIAGEN Finance of $3.9 million , and amounts receivable from QIAGEN Finance of $3.0 million . The amounts receivable were related to subscription rights which were recorded net in the equity of QIAGEN N.V. as paid-in capital. As discussed in Note 15, during 2015 we repaid the loan to QIAGEN Finance and repurchased the warrant agreement with QIAGEN Finance.

F- 44

From time to time, we have transactions with other companies in which we hold an interest all of which are individually and in the aggregate immaterial, as summarized in the table below.
As of December 31,
For the years ended December 31,
(in thousands)
2015
2014
2015
2014
2013
Net sales
—

—

$
418

$
1,567

$
6,193

Reimbursements against research and development costs
—

—

$
2,032

—

—

Accounts receivable
$
1,209

$
1,797

—

—

—

Accounts payable
$
471

$
1,397

—

—

—

Loans receivable, including interest
$
7,472

—

—

—

—

During 2015, we entered into two loan agreements with companies in which we also hold an interest for $5.0 million and €2.0 million ( $2.4 million ), bearing interest at 6% and 7% and are due in January 2020 and June 2019, respectively. The loans were made for general business purposes and no amounts were repaid in 2015. In the first quarter of 2016 we entered into a short-term $0.6 million loan arrangement with another cost-method investee.


F- 45

SCHEDULE II
QIAGEN N.V. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SCHEDULE II—VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015, 2014 AND 2013
(in thousands)
Balance at
Beginning of
Year
Provision
Charged to
Expense
Write-Offs
Foreign
Exchange
and Other
Balance at
End of Year
Year Ended December 31, 2013:
Allowance for doubtful accounts
$
5,221

$
6,901

$
(1,527
)
$
88

$
10,683

Year Ended December 31, 2014:
Allowance for doubtful accounts
$
10,683

$
1,363

$
(2,263
)
$
(936
)
$
8,847

Year Ended December 31, 2015:
Allowance for doubtful accounts
$
8,847

$
2,093

$
(2,022
)
$
(1,663
)
$
7,255


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