Quarterlytics / Healthcare / Medical - Devices / NuVasive

NuVasive

nuva · NASDAQ Healthcare
Claim this profile
Ticker nuva
Exchange NASDAQ
Sector Healthcare
Industry Medical - Devices
Employees 1001-5000
← All annual reports
FY2016 Annual Report · NuVasive
Sign in to download
Loading PDF…
Letter to the Shareholders

NuVasive, Inc .

2016 
ANNUAL 
REPORT

Letter to the Shareholders

Dear Valued Shareholder,

By all measurements 2016 was another exceptional 

year for NuVasive. Our talented, global team executed 

on our strategy to launch game-changing products and 

platforms, expand into new markets and geographies, 

drive operational efficiencies throughout the business 

and improve our capital structure to support long-

term growth. At the core of these achievements is our 

commitment to transform spine surgery and

beyond – with clear clinical and economic strategies to 

meet surgeon and hospital system needs and improve 

the lives of patients.

The healthcare landscape continues to rapidly 
evolve with increasing focus on delivering 
measurable clinical outcomes, reducing 
overall costs, and delivering high-quality care 
in an environment of regulatory and payment 
changes. This pace of change demands our 
relentless focus to understand our customers 
better than anyone else and adapt quickly. 

At NuVasive, our dedicated workforce thinks 
and strategizes about these challenges every 
day. Given these dynamics, we are confident 
NuVasive is uniquely positioned to provide 
value and outperform in this landscape. With 
our procedurally integrated solutions and 
our service line partnership strategy in place, 
we are approaching the market differently 
than our competitors. Today, we are already 
changing the way we do business with our 
strategic partners, including academic centers, 
regionally integrated delivery networks, spine 
specialty hospitals and ambulatory surgery 
centers. The structure of this new business 
model contemplates risk sharing and is 
designed to transform how spine procedures 
are approached, measured and valued from a 
clinical and economic perspective.  

STRONG HISTORY OF GROWTH AND 

INCREASING PROFITABILITY

Disciplined execution of strategy 
delivers exceptional results.

GLOBAL REVENUE (IN MILLIONS)

$962.1

$811.1

$762.4

2014

2015

2016

OPERATING PROFIT MARGIN

17.1%

16.1%

15.4%

12.8%

11.4%

2.4%

2014

2015

2016

EARNINGS PER SHARE (EPS)

$1.31

$1.26

$1.66

$0.69

$0.67

-$0.36

2014

2015

2016

Non-GAAP

*

GAAP

 
Letter to the Shareholders

As recognition of our focus, we continued to 
take share from both the bigger and smaller 
spine players in 2016, growing at a multiple to 
the market in comparison to competitors. And 
we continue to see tailwinds for NuVasive: a 
global population on the rise with significant 
growth among seniors, increasing life 
expectancy, a macro environment that has 
stabilized with solid procedural volumes, 
increasing risk-based payment models that 
favor minimally invasive surgery, and pricing 
pressures that can be largely offset with the 
introduction of innovative products
and procedures. 

The time is now for NuVasive.

REPORT ON 2016

Overall, our results demonstrate strength 
across our business and geographies, as well 
as solid execution against our commitment 
to deliver mid- to high-single-digit organic 
revenue growth while optimizing efficiencies 
to result in expanded operating profitability, 
and deliver non-GAAP earnings* growth at 
twice the rate of our top line growth. No other 
company in spine is delivering shareholder 
value like NuVasive. 

Reported revenue grew 18.6 percent, 
significantly outpacing market growth and 
delivering record revenue of $962.1 million. 
We continued to see strong acceptance 
of our Integrated Global Alignment™ 
(iGA) platform across core product areas, 
including our Reline® posterior fixation 
system, ALIF, Bendini® and Integrated 
Operative Solutions™. In particular, the 
adoption of Reline within iGA is leading to 
greater penetration in the deformity market. 
Results were also driven by the integration 
of MAGEC® for early onset scoliosis and 
PRECICE® technology for limb lengthening, 
which we added to our portfolio in connection 
with the acquisition of Ellipse Technologies in 
February 2016 and are now part of the

NuVasive Specialized Orthopedics
(NSO) division.

Our performance internationally was driven 
by growth in our Western European markets 
of Germany, Italy and the U.K. and continued 
strength in our core direct markets of
Australia and Japan as we continue to scale 
and improve profitability. We continue to 
invest in developing surgeon partners in these 
global markets to influence the adoption of 
our techniques.

 The significant investments we have made 
in operational efficiencies and scalability 
delivered improved profitability during the 
year, as we continued to execute against 
our well-defined efforts in this area. For the 
year, our GAAP operating profit margin 
was 12.8 percent and non-GAAP operating 
profit margin* was 16.1 percent, our highest 
in company history, even while absorbing 
temporary headwinds associated with 
integrating Ellipse Technologies and investing 
in incremental R&D to fuel future growth. R&D 
investment is expected to grow from 5 percent 
of revenue in 2016 to 7 percent over the next 
several years.

Beyond financial metrics, we achieved several 
notable milestones during the year including:

Settlement with Medtronic: reached agreement with 
Medtronic to settle over eight years of intellectual 
property litigation in a manner that removes the 
ongoing burden of litigation between the two 
companies and provides a clear protocol for resolution 
of potential intellectual property disputes in the future.  

State-of-Art Manufacturing Facility Comes Online: 
built out and brought online a new ‘all digital’ 
manufacturing facility in West Carrollton, Ohio where 
we are creating over 200 new jobs and nearing 100 
percent self-manufacturing over the next
several years. 

NuVasive Named to S&P MidCap 400: recognizing 
NuVasive’s significant growth from small-cap to mid-
cap and increased interest from investors.

Letter to the Shareholders

INNOVATION DRIVING MARKET 
 SHARE EXPANSION

During the year, we continued our momentum 
as the fastest growing, full-line spine 
company. Over the last decade, NuVasive has 
evolved from a company focused on bringing 
disruptive, minimally-invasive spine products 
to market to a company developing end-
to-end procedurally integrated solutions to 
drive clinical predictability. Today and into the 
future, we are moving towards systemizing 
spine, from pre-op to post-op, and creating 
an integrated O.R. offering unique to spine. 
This evolution accelerated in 2016 as we 
undertook significant steps to build out unique 
capabilities and technologies through a 
combination of internal R&D and 
strategic acquisitions.

Building on the momentum of our iGA 
platform launched in 2015, we expanded 
the platform in October to include cervical 
procedures, making NuVasive the first 
company to offer a solution for surgeons 
to address spinal alignment for all spine 
procedures. Our cervical iGA platform 
incorporates a suite of proprietary, 
procedurally-based technologies designed to 
enhance clinical outcomes by increasing the 
predictability of achieving global alignment in 
cervical spinal procedures. These include our 
NUVA Planning software solutions designed 
to navigate through the surgical workflow 
for pre-, intra- and post-operative planning 
and confirmation, interbody systems to 
complement the Anterior Column Realignment 
(ACR) procedure, and our Bendini rod bending 
system. With this suite of technologies, we 
expect to build off the tremendous success we 
have seen so far with iGA to meet the needs 
of those suffering from cervical pathologies.

Our NSO division has existed for over a year 
now, and its highly scalable technology based 
on the MAGnetic External Control (MAGEC®) 
platform is delivering the substantial growth

we forecasted. It is providing exciting 
opportunities to support pediatric, adolescent 
and adult deformity patients. During the 
year, NSO achieved several regulatory 
milestones, including CMS approval of an 
add-on payment, or N-TAP, for magnetically 
controlled growth rods and FDA clearance for 
the MAGEC system to be used with our Reline 
system. Combining the superior innovation of 
MAGEC and the versatility of Reline, we are 
now able to offer surgeons a comprehensive 
solution for treating the most difficult pediatric 
spinal deformities and transforming the lives 
of these young patients by reducing the 
number of distraction surgeries from as many 
as 15 to only a single one in their childhood.

STRATEGIC ACQUISITIONS 
 COMPLEMENTING GROWTH

Over the course of 2016, we continued to 
supplement our internal innovation with 
strategic acquisitions, utilizing nearly $490 
million in capital to complete several deals. 
In addition to the Ellipse Technologies 
acquisition, we further expanded our 
neuromonitoring service offerings with the 
mid-year acquisition of Biotronic

Letter to the Shareholders

NeuroNetwork. Following the close of the 
transaction, we combined the service offerings 
of Biotronic with our existing Impulse 
Monitoring business to form NuVasive 
Clinical Services (NCS). Through NCS, we are 
delivering intraoperative neurophysiological 
monitoring services to surgeons and 
healthcare facilities in more than 85,000
cases annually.

Radiation in the operating room is a known 
issue, one that plagues the surgeon, the 
staff and the patient, yet it remains largely 
unaddressed. Orthopedic surgeons have an 
incidence of cancer that is five times that of 
their colleagues in other specialties. To directly 
address this potential barrier to widespread 
adoption of minimally invasive surgery, in 
September we acquired the LessRay® software 
technology suite, which is integrated into 
current surgeon workflow and transforms 
low-radiation images without loss of visual 
accuracy. This groundbreaking technology 
supports the surgeon, transforming their

environment to be safer and more productive 
while helping to reduce radiation exposure. In 
addition, the technology can be incorporated 
into our portfolio of differentiated solutions 
as a foundational element of our imaging, 
navigation and surgical automation 
development strategy.

OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES

Plans are in place to deliver a nearly 1,000 
basis point improvement in our non-GAAP 
operating profit margin* in the medium term. 
This significant improvement in performance 
will be driven by our continued efforts to 
capture well-identified operating efficiencies 
from the areas that present the greatest 
opportunities, such as cost of goods sold 
and selling, marketing and administrative 
expenses, as well as ongoing efforts to drive 
asset and sales force efficiencies throughout 
the organization.

Letter to the Shareholders

Additionally, increasing our in-house 
manufacturing to 100 percent of select 
products is expected to deliver over 400 basis 
points of improvement over the next several 
years. In late 2016, we brought our new West 
Carrollton, Ohio, manufacturing facility online 
and expect it will be at its full capability by 
the end of 2017.

DRIVING LONG-TERM 
 SHAREHOLDER VALUE, 
 IMPROVING FINANCIAL PROFILE

We remain laser focused on initiatives that 
allow us to improve our financial profile. We 
have clear pathways to expand our operating 
profitability, accelerate a meaningful 
reduction in our effective tax rate, and better 
convert our increased earnings to free cash 
flow over the next several years. With our 
recent acquisitions well into the integration 
phase and tracking to our financial metrics, 
these opportunities support and enhance 
our long-term goals for revenue growth, 
increased profitability and significant 
earnings growth. During the year, we took 
steps to enhance our capital structure by 
putting in place a $150 million revolving 
credit facility and issuing new convertible 
notes to refinance our existing convertible 
notes due 2017.  This provides us with
greater liquidity and certainty around our 
capital structure out to 2021, and addresses 
the dilutive impact of the majority of our
2017 notes.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE & 
 ENHANCING LEADERSHIP

During 2016, four high-caliber leaders with 
broad experience across various industries 
joined our Board of Directors, further 
diversifying the depth of Board experience 
and enhancing the governance of NuVasive. 
By bringing on independent directors Robert 
Friel, Donald Rosenberg and Michael

O’Halleran, we added seasoned business 
leaders with executive and financial 
experience in the life sciences, technology 
and insurance fields. In addition, Patrick 
Miles, an orthopedic and spine industry 
veteran, joined our Board in 2016. With more 
than 25 years of industry experience, Pat 
previously served as NuVasive’s president 
and chief operating officer, and as of 
September, he now serves as the company’s 
vice chairman. His deep understanding of the 
dynamics of the spine industry complements 
the skills of our Board members. As NuVasive 
enters its next phase of growth and maturity, 
our Board of Directors is partnering with 
senior management to help us first be the 
best, then be first in everything we do.

In September, we announced changes in our 
executive leadership team. Jason Hannon 
was named president and chief operating 
officer, succeeding Pat Miles. In his 11 years 
with NuVasive, Jason has led key areas of 
our business, including our international 
operations, strategy, and corporate 
development, legal and regulatory. He brings 
extensive knowledge about our business and 
the markets we serve to his new role, as well 
as strong relationships with our customers.

Letter to the Shareholders

OUR CULTURE

Our culture is a competitive advantage; it 
is who we are and what motivates us all at 
NuVasive to go above and beyond. Many 
stakeholders depend on us—our surgeon 
and healthcare provider partners depend 
on us to bring innovative spine solutions to 
market quickly, and patients count on us to 
help deliver improved outcomes. Focusing on 
the core cultural strengths, including high-
performance standards, delivering results 
and continually improving is what makes 
NuVasive unique. 

Every single employee plays a role in 
strengthening our company and elevating 
us to future success. We all act like owners, 
working as one team, whether it is a sales 
representative tracking down surgical trays 
for a colleague or a software engineer 
developing a mobile app that allows our 
customers to more easily schedule a 
surgery. We do this because a surgeon and 
patient depend on us and that is the mutual 
commitment we have made.

COMMITMENT TO INTEGRITY

Just as important to our business success, is 
our unwavering commitment to conduct all 
of our business activities in accordance with 
the highest standards of ethics, integrity, 
responsibility and accountability. In 2004, 
we adopted our first Code of Conduct, 
supported by a comprehensive compliance 
program. While the Code has evolved 
over the years, one thing has remained 
constant—our commitment to upholding 
the highest standards of business conduct 
and always “doing the right thing.” We have 
a great opportunity to change spine and the 
hospital operating room. But to truly achieve 
success, NuVasive must be known not just 
for being a great company, but also a good 
company—universally known for being 
responsible and ethical.

Our Core Values drive who we are and will
never change:

Speed of Innovation:
Drive innovation in our products and our business.  

Absolute Responsiveness:
Increase market share profitably.

Act Like an Owner:
Make people and culture a competitive advantage.

THE BETTER WAY BACK®

Chronic back, leg and neck pain affects over 
65 million Americans. The Better Way Back 
started in 2010 as a program to fill the void 
for patients suffering from such pain who 
were looking for resources. Patients who 
had a spine surgical procedure were invited 
to join a community of volunteer Patient 
Ambassadors to share their stories and 
experiences with other pre-operative patients. 
Our community has grown and inspired over 
3,500 patients to seek treatment and obtain 
long-term relief.

Patient choice is increasingly driving decision 
making in healthcare. Patients seek access 
to information on their conditions to further 
educate themselves and obtain answers to 
their questions. We are committed to raising 
public awareness of spine disorders and 
educating patients, loved ones, clinicians and 
healthcare providers about treatment options, 
including surgery. 

Our passionate commitment is to improve 
the patient experience and establish The 
Better Way Back program as the preeminent 
resource for chronic back, leg and neck
pain information and all surgical
treatment options.

Letter to the Shareholders

NUVASIVE IS WELL-POSITIONED 
 FOR THE FUTURE

for minimally invasive surgery and 
improving the way healthcare is delivered. 

We live in dynamic times and healthcare 
is evolving at a pace faster than we have 
ever seen. Spine is a unique market 
where success requires singular focus and 
micromanagement every day. As the largest 
pure-play company in spine, we know 
better than anyone what it takes to lead the 
market today and for the long-term. In the 
coming year, we will continue to pull on the 
multiple levers before us to evolve the way 
spine surgery is performed and supported, 
including the expansion of our iGA platform 
and the further build out of our NSO and 
NCS capabilities. We have a clear vision for 
the future of NuVasive and for the evolution 
of the spine market. Our entire team at 
NuVasive is inspired by the work we do, 
knowing our commitment to innovation is 
dramatically changing the available options

Thanks for your continued interest and 
support as we work tirelessly to
transform spine surgery and beyond for
our customers, surgeons and
ultimately—our patients. 

Gregory T. Lucier 
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

*Indicates non-GAAP financial information. Please refer to 
accompanying “Non-GAAP Information” included at the end of 
this annual report.

Jason M. Hannon, President and Chief Operating Officer, 

Gregory T. Lucier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and 

Patrick S. Miles, Vice Chairman.

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549 

Form 10-K 

(Mark One)
(cid:95)  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016  

OR 

(cid:133) TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from                      to                      

Commission file number: 000-50744  

NUVASIVE, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

7475 Lusk Boulevard
San Diego, California
(Address of principal executive offices)

33-0768598
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

92121
(Zip Code)

 (858) 909-1800 

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) 
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act

Title of Class:
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share

Name of Exchange on which Registered:
The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
(NASDAQ Global Select Market)

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

Indicate  by  check  mark  if  the  registrant  is  a  well-known  seasoned  issuer,  as  defined  in  Rule 405  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  as

amended.    YES  (cid:59)    NO  (cid:133)  

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 

as amended.    YES  (cid:133)    NO  (cid:59) 

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 
 has been subject to such filing 

1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period than the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2)
requirements for the past 90 days.    YES  (cid:59)    NO  (cid:133) 

n

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 (Section 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such
shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    YES  (cid:59)    NO  (cid:133) 

Indicate  by  check  mark  if  disclosure  of  delinquent  filers  pursuant  to  Item 405  of  Regulation S-K  (Section  229.405  of  this  chapter)  is  not  contained 
herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of 
this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  (cid:133)  

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

d

See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exch

ff

ange Act. (Check one): 

Large accelerated filer 

  (cid:59)

   Accelerated filer 

Non-accelerated filer 

  (cid:133)  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) 

   Smaller reporting company 

(cid:133)

(cid:133)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). YES (cid:133) NO (cid:59) 
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximatel

y $3.0 billion as of 
the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter (June 30, 2016), based upon the closing sale price for the registrant’s 
common stock on that day as reported by the NASDAQ Global Select Market. Shares of common stock held by each officer and direct
or on June 30, 2016 
have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliates.  

ff

t

As of February 6, 2017, there were 50,599,338 shares of the registrant’s common stoc

f

k issued and outstanding. 

Part III of this Form 10-K incorporates information by reference to portions of the definitive Proxy Statement for the registrant’s 2017 Annual Meeting 

of Stockholders, which will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after December 31, 2016.  

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE 

  
 
  
 
  
[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

2
16
37
37
37
37

37
40
41
58
59
59
59
62

62
62
62
62
62

62
68
70

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2016 

NuVasive, Inc. 

Table of Contents

PART I

   Business ............................................................................................................................................................................   
Item 1.
Item 1A.    Risk Factors ......................................................................................................................................................................   
Item 1B.    Unresolved Staff Comments .............................................................................................................................................   
   Properties ..........................................................................................................................................................................   
Item 2.
   Legal Proceedings ............................................................................................................................................................   
Item 3.
   Mine Safety Disclosures ...................................................................................................................................................   
Item 4.

PART II

a

   Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities .......   
Item 5.
   Selected Financial Data ..............................................................................................................................
......................   
Item 6.
   Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations ...........................................   
Item 7.
Item 7A.    Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.......................................................................................... 
k
   Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.................................................................................................................   
Item 8.
Item 9.
   Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure ..........................................   
Item 9A.    Controls and Procedures ...................................................................................................................................................   
...............................   
Item 9B.    Other Information..............................................................................................................................

n

Item 10.     Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance ................................................................................................   
Item 11.     Executive Compensation ..................................................................................................................................................   
Item 12.     Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters .........................   
Item 13.     Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence ..................................................................   
Item 14.     Principal Accounting Fees and Services ...........................................................................................................................   

PART III

Item 15.     Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules ..........................................................................................................................   
SIGNATURES .................................................................................................................................................................................   
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements ....................................................................................................................................   

PART IV

1 

  
PART I 

This  Annual  Report  on  Form 10-K  (“Annual  Report”)  contains  forward-looking  statements  that  involve  risks,  uncertainties, 
assumptions  and  other  factors  which,  if  they  do  not  materialize  or  prove  correct,  could  cause  our  results  to  differ  from  historical 
results  or  those  expressed  or  implied  by  such  forward-looking  statements.  In  some  cases,  you  can  identify  these  forward-looking
tt
statements  by  words  like  “may”,  “will”,  “should”,  “could”,  “expect”,  “plan”,  “anticipate”,  “believes”,  “estimates”,  “predicts”,
“potential”, “intends”, or “continues” (or the negative of those words and other comparable words).  Forward-looking statements
include, but are not limited to, statements about: 

(cid:121) our intentions, beliefs and expectations regarding our expenses, sales, operations and future financial performance; 

(cid:121) our operating results;

(cid:121) our plans for future products and enhancements of existing products; 

(cid:121) anticipated growth and trends in our business; 

(cid:121) the timing of and our ability to maintain and obtain regulatory clearances or approvals;

(cid:121) our belief that our cash and cash equivalents and investments will be sufficient to satisfy our anticipated cash requirements; 

(cid:121) our expectations regarding our revenues, customers and distributors; 

(cid:121) our beliefs and expectations regarding our market penetration and expansion efforts; 

(cid:121) our  expectations  regarding  the  benefits  and  integration  of  recently-acquired  businesses  and  our  ability  to  make  future 

acquisitions and successfully integrate any such future-acquired businesses;

(cid:121) our anticipated trends and challenges in the markets in which we operate; and  

(cid:121) our expectations and beliefs regarding and the impact of investigations, claims and litigation.   

These  statements  are  not  guarantees  of  future  performance  or  events.  Our  actual  results  may  differ  materially  from  those 
discussed  in  this  Annual  Report  and  the  documents  incorporated  by  reference  to  this  Annual  Report.  The  potential  risks  and 
Item 1(A) 
uncertainties  that  could  cause  actual  results  to differ  materially  include,  but are not  limited  to,  those  set  forth  in  Part  I, 
under  the  heading  “Risk  Factors”,  Part  II,  Item  7  “Management’s  Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Financial  Condition  and  Results  of 
Operations”  and  elsewhere  throughout  this  Annual  Report  and  in  any  other  documents  incorporated  by  reference  to  this  Annual 
Report. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.  We assume no obligation to update 
ll
any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by l
aw.   

y

tt

This Annual Report and the documents incorporated by reference into this Annual Report refer to trademarks, such as Absolute 
Responsiveness®,  Acuity®,  Affix®,  Armada®,  AttraX®,  Back  Pact®,  Bendini®,  Better  Back  Alliance®,  Better  Insight.  Better 
Decisions.  Better  Medicine®,  Brigade®,  CerPass®,  CoRoent®,  Creative  Spine  Technology®,  DBR®,  Embody®,  Embrace®,
ExtenSure®,  Formagraft®,  Gradient  Plus®,  Halo®,  iGA™,  ILIF®, InStim®,  LessRay®,  Leverage®,  MAGEC®,  MAGEC-EOS™,
MAS®,  MaXcess®,  NeoDisc™,  Nerve  Avoidance  Leader™,  NuvaMap™,  NuvaLine™,  NuvaMap™  O.R.,  NuVasive®,  NVM5®, 
Osteocel®,  Precept®,  PRECICE®,  PROPEL®,  Radian®,  Reline™, Speed  of  Innovation®,  SpheRx®,  The  Better  Way  Back®, 
Traverse®, Triad®, VuePoint®, X-Core®, and XLIF®, which are protected under applicable intellectual property laws and are our 
, which are protected under applicable intellectual property laws and are our
pproperty or the property of our subsidiaries. Solely for convenience, our trademarks and tradenames referred to in this Annual 
Report 
t
may appear without the ® or ™ symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate in any way that we will not assert, to the
ffullest extent under applicable law, our rights to these trademarks and tradenames.

TT

Item 1. 

Business

Overview

We  are  a  leading  medical  device  company  in  the  global  spine  surgery  market,  focused  on  developing  minimally-disruptive 
surgical  products  and  procedurally-integrated  solutions  for  spine  surgery.  Currently,  our  marketed  product  portfolio  is  focused on 
applications for spine fusion surgery, including biologics used to aid in the spinal fusion process. For the year ended December 31,
2016, we generated global revenues of $962.1 million, including sales in over 40 countries.

d

2 

Our  principal  product  offering  includes  a  minimally-disruptive  surgical  platform  called  Maximum  Access  Surgery,  or  MAS.
The MAS platform combines three categories of solutions that collectively minimize soft tissue disruption during spine fusion surgery, 
provide  maximum  visualization  and  are  designed  to  enable  safe  and  reproducible  outcomes  for  the  surgeon  and  the  patient.  The
platform includes our proprietary software-driven nerve detection and avoidance systems, NVM5, and Intraoperative Monitoring, or 
IOM,  services  and  support;  MaXcess,  an  integrated  split-blade  retractor  system;  and  a  wide  variety  of  specialized  implants  and 
biologics. Many of our products, including the individual components of our MAS platform can also be used in open or traditional 
spine  surgery.  Our  spine  surgery  product  line  offerings,  which  include  products  for  the  thoracolumbar  and  the  cervical  spine,  are aa
primarily used to enable surgeon access to the spine to perform restorative and fusion procedures in a minimally-disruptive fashion.  
In May 2015, we launched Integrated Global Alignment, or iGA, in which products and computer assisted technology under our MAS 
platform  help  achieve  more  precise  spinal alignment.  Our  biologics  products,  which  are used  to  aid  in  the  spinal  fusion  process  or 
bone healing process, include allograft (donated human tissue) and synthetic offerings. 

We  believe  our  MAS  platform  and  its  related  offerings  provide  a  unique  and  comprehensive  solution  for  the  safe  and 
reproducible  minimally-disruptive  surgical  treatment  of  spine  disorders  by  enabling  surgeons  to  access  the  spine  in  a  manner  that 
affords  both  direct  visualization  and  detection  and  avoidance  of  critical  nerves.  The  fundamental  difference  between  our  MAS 
platform, which is sometimes referred to in the industry as “minimally invasive surgery” or “MIS”, is the ability to customize safe and 
reproducible access to the spine while allowing surgeons to continue to use instruments that are familiar to them and effective during 
surgery.  Accordingly,  the  MAS  platform  does  not  force  surgeons  to  reinvent  or  learn  new  approaches  that  add  complexity  and 
undermine safety, ease of use and/or efficacy. We have dedicated and continue to dedicate significant resources toward training spine 
surgeons around the world; both those who are new to our MAS and other product platforms, as well as ongoing education for MAS-
trained surgeons attending advanced courses. An important ongoing objective of ours has been to maintain a leading position in access
and nerve avoidance, as well as to pioneer and remain the ongoing leader in minimally invasive spine surgery. Our MAS platform,
with  the  unique  advantages  provided  by  our  nerve  monitoring  systems,  enables  an  innovative  lateral  procedure  known  as  eXtreme 
Lateral  Interbody  Fusion,  or  XLIF,  in  which  surgeons  access  the  spine  for  a  fusion  procedure  from  the  side  of  the  patient’s  body, dd
rather than from the front or back. It has been demonstrated clinically that XLIF and other procedures facilitated by our MAS platform 
decrease trauma and blood loss, and lead to faster overall patient recovery

times compared to open spine surgery.

d

We continue to focus significant research and development efforts to expand our MAS and other product platforms and advance 
the applications of our unique technology into procedurally-integrated surgical solutions that improve clinical and economic outcomes. 
During 2016, we acquired businesses and technologies to further expand our product and services offerings and drive growth in our 
business:

•

•

•

In February 2016, we acquired Ellipse Technologies, Inc., or Ellipse Technologies, which developed and commercialized 
expandable  growing  rod  implant  systems  that  can  be  non-invasively  lengthened  following  implantation  with  precise,
incremental adjustments via an external remote controller using magnetic technology called MAGnetic External Control, or 
MAGEC. Following the acquisition, these product offerings are now sold by our NuVasive Specialized Orthopedics division, 
or NSO.   

In July 2016, we acquired BNN Holdings Corp., which through its subsidiaries and affiliates, owns and operates Biotronic 
NeuroNetwork, a patient-centric healthcare organization that provides intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring services 
to  surgeons  and  healthcare  facilities  across  the  U.S. Following  the  acquisition,  we  combined  the  service  offerings 
of Biotronic  NeuroNetwork  with  our  existing  IOM  business,  Impulse  Monitoring,  Inc.,  under  the  newly  created  division 
NuVasive Clinical Services, or NCS.   

In  September  2016,  we  acquired  the  LessRay  software  technology  suite,  which  is  designed  to  be  integrated  into  current 
surgeon  workflow  and  utilizes  an  algorithm  to  drive  image  registration  and  help  surgeons  and  hospital  staff  manage 
radiation  exposure  using  low-dose  image  quality  enhancement.  This  technology  is  expected  to  become  an  integral 
component of our IOM service and MAS platform. 

We expect to continue to pursue business and technology acquisitions targets, strategic partnerships and out(cid:486)of(cid:486)ff the(cid:486)box thinking 
to identify opportunities to broaden participation along the spine care continuum. Top priorities include opportunities that complement 
our technology leadership position in spine, targeted geographic expansion, technology that makes procedures even safer, as well as 
opportunities for imaging and navigation. 

3 

Our corporate headquarters is located in San Diego, California where we occupy approximately 154,000 square feet, including a
six-suite  state-of-the-art  cadaver  operating  theatre  designed  to  accommodate  the  training  of  spine  surgeons.  Our  location  in 
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, serves as our international headquarters. Our NSO division is based in Aliso Viejo, California, and our 
NCS  division  has  corporate  offices  in  Columbia,  Maryland  and  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan.  Our  primary  distribution  and  warehousing 
operations  are located  in our facility  in  Memphis,  Tennessee.  Our business  is  facilitated  by  rapid delivery  of products  and  surgical 
instruments  for  surgeries  involving  our  products.  Because  of  its  location  and  proximity  to  overnight  third-party  transporters, our 
Memphis  facility  enhances  our  ability  to  meet  demanding  delivery schedules  and  provide  a  greater  level  of  customer  service.
Additionally, we have a manufacturing facility located in West Carrollton, Ohio that produces spinal implants. In furtherance of our 
initiative  to  increase  the  amount  of  products  that  we  self-manufacture,  in  2015  we  added  an  approximately  180,000  square  foot 
manufacturing facility in West Carrollton, Ohio. Throughout 2016, we have worked to build out and equip the new facility in order to
expand our internal manufacturing efforts, and initial production is underway. 

d

tt

Our Strategy

We  are  a  leading  provider  of  innovative  medical  products  that provide  comprehensive  solutions  for  the  surgical  treatment  of 

spine disorders. We continue to pursue the following business strategies in order to improve our competitive position:  

(cid:121) Establish our MAS Platform as the Standard of Care. We believe our MAS platform has the potential to become the standard 
of  care  for  spine  surgery  as hospitals, providers  and  spine  surgeons  continue  to  recognize  its  many  benefits  and  adopt our 
products and procedures. We also believe our MAS platform has the potential to dramatically improve the clinical results of 
spine  surgery.  Because  of  this  belief,  we  dedicate  significant  resources  to  researching  clinical  outcomes  data  as  well  as
educating  spine  surgeons,  hospitals,  and  other  providers  and  their  patients  on  the  clinical  and  financial  benefits  of  our 
products, and we intend to capitalize on the growing demand for minimally-disruptive surgical procedures.  

(cid:121) Continue  to  Develop  and  Introduce  Procedurally-Integrated  Solutions  and  New Innovative  Products. One  of  our  core 
competencies is our ability to rapidly develop and commercialize innovative spine surgery products and procedures to fulfill
an  unmet  clinical  need.  In  the  past  several  years,  we  have  introduced  a  continual  flow  of  new  products  and  product 
enhancements.  We  have  additional  products  and  procedural  offerings  currently  under  development  that  should  expand  our 
presence in fusion surgery. With our comprehensive portfolio of product and service offerings, we believe that we can offer 
our  customers  a  comprehensive  procedural  solution  for  spine  surgery  that  distinguishes  us  from  traditional  spine  implant 
companies. We intend to continue to build upon our procedural solution with new and enhanced technology offerings, as well
as  product  expansions.  We  believe  through  continued  innovation  and  a  focus  on  providing  comprehensive  procedural
solutions for our customers, we will increase our market share while at the same time improving patient care. As part of this 
strategy, the Company must continue to protect and defend its intellectual property related to our innovative products.  

(cid:121) Expand the Reach of Our Exclusive Sales Force. We believe having a sales force dedicated to selling only our products is
critical to achieving continued growth across our various product lines, driving greater market penetration and increasing our 
revenues.  In  the  United  States,  we  have  an  exclusive  sales  force  consisting  of  a  mix  of  directly-employed  sales
representatives and exclusive sales agents that are responsible for particular geographic regions of the country. Outside of the 
United  States,  our  sales  force  consists  of  directly-employed  sales  representatives,  independent  sales  agents  and  territory-
based distributors. We believe that continuing to expand the range of such teams will allow us to increase our market share
and drive adoption of our products and procedures. 

(cid:121) Provide  Tailored  Solutions  in  Response  to  Surgeon  Needs. Responding  quickly  to  the  needs  of  spine  surgeons,  which  we 
refer to as “Absolute Responsiveness”, is central to our corporate culture, critical to our success, and we believe differentiatesaa
us from our competition. We solicit information and feedback from our surgeon customers and clinical advisors regarding the 
utility of, and potential improvements to, our products. For example, we have an on-site machine shop to allow us to rapidly 
manufacture product prototypes and a state-of-the-art cadaver operating theatre in San Diego, California to provide clinical
training  and  validate  new  ideas  through  prototype  testing.  We  also  maintain  regional  training  facilities  and  centers  for 
excellence  in  strategic  locations  around the  globe.  Absolute  Responsiveness  goes  beyond  product  development  to  include
active support in all areas, including clinical research and payer relations.  We believe that continuing to remain connected 
and  responsive  to  the  collective  voices  of  the  surgeon  community  will  allow  us  to  increase  our  market  share  and  drive 
adoption of our procedurally-integrated spine solutions.

4 

(cid:121) Selectively License or Acquire Complementary Products and Technologies and Drive our International Presence. In addition
to building our company through internal product development and global expansion efforts, we intend to selectively license 
or acquire complementary products and technologies that we believe will keep us on the forefront of innovation and to pursue 
opportunities  that  allow  us  to  expand  our  presence  in  emerging  geographical  opportunities.  For  example,  following  our 
acquisition of Ellipse Technologies, we now offer innovative products based on the MAGEC technology platform.  With this
acquisition,  we  accelerated  our  entry  into  the  pediatric  and  idiopathic  spine  deformity  segment  and  expanded  our 
international  presence.  In  addition, with our  acquisition of  the LessRay software  technology  suite,  we  will  be  able  to  help 
surgeons and hospital staff manage radiation exposure, without compromising intra-operative images or visual accuracy. By
acquiring complementary products and executing on domestic and international footprint opportunities, like our acquisition 
of our exclusive distributor in Brazil, we believe we can leverage our expertise at bringing new products to market that are 
intended to improve patient outcomes, simplify or better integrate techniques, reduce hospitalization and rehabilitation times 
across the globe, and, as a result, reduce overall costs to the healthcare system and continue to grow our global presence.  

(cid:121) Provide Intraoperative Monitoring Capabilities. Monitoring the health of the nervous system during spinal surgery has been 
a key component of our strategy of product differentiation since early in our development. Over time, surgeon and hospital 
demand  for nerve  monitoring  has  increased  along with  the  advancement  of  technologies  and  techniques used  in IOM. We
believe  our proprietary NVM5 platform  is  a  differentiator  in  the  market  and  is unique  in  its  ability  to  provide  information 
about the directionality and proximity of nerves. Following our acquisition of Biotronic NeuroNetwork, we have expanded 
the scale of our IOM services business and are driving increased utilization of our NVM5 platform. We intend to continue to
expand  the  utility  of  such  platforms  and  broaden  our  IOM  product  and  services  offerings  to  further  our  value  to  our 
customers and increase adoption and usage.

Industry Background and Market

ists 
r
The spine is the core of the human skeleton, and provides a crucial balance between structural support and flexibility. It cons
of 33 separate bones called vertebrae that are connected together by connective tissue (defined as bone, muscle, or ligament) to form a 
column  and  to  permit  a  normal  range  of  motion.  The  spinal  cord,  the  body’s  central  nerve  system,  is  enclosed  within  the  spinal
column. Vertebrae are paired into what are called motion segments that move by means of three joints: two facet joints and one spine
disc. The four major categories of spine disorders are degenerative conditions, deformities, trauma and tumors. The largest market and 
the  focus  of  our  business  historically  are degenerative  conditions  of  the  facet  joints  and  the  intervertebral  disc  space.  These  two 
conditions  can  result  in  instability  and  pressure  on  the  nerve  roots  as  they  exit  the  spinal  column,  causing  back  or  neck  pain or 
radiating pain in the arms or legs.  

rr

The prescribed treatment for back or neck pain depends on the severity and duration of the disorder. Initially, physicians will
prescribe  non-operative,  conservative  procedures  including  bed  rest,  medication,  lifestyle  modification,  exercise,  physical  therapy, 
chiropractic  care  and  steroid  injections.  In  many  cases,  non-operative  treatment  options  are  effective;  however,  some  patients 
eventually require spine fusion surgery. The vast majority of spine fusion surgeries are done using traditional open surgical techniques 
from  either  the  front  or  back  of  the  patient.  These  traditional open  surgical  approaches  generally  require  a  large  incision  in  the 
patient’s abdomen or back in order to enable the surgeon to access and see the spine and surrounding area. These open procedures are 
invasive,  lengthy  and  complex,  and  typically  result  in  significant  blood  loss,  extensive  tissue  damage  and  lengthy  patient 
hospitalization and rehabilitation.  

n

We believe the market for procedurally-integrated spine surgery solutions will continue to grow over the long term, and we also

believe that our market share will increase, because of the following market dynamics: 

(cid:121) Demand for Surgical Alternatives with Less Tissue Disruption. As has been proven in other surgical markets, we anticipate 
the broader acceptance of surgical treatments with less tissue disruption and patient trauma will result in increased demand. 

(cid:121) Favorable Domestic Demographics. The population segment most likely to experience back pain is expected to increase as a
result  of  aging  “baby  boomers”  (people  born  between  1946  and  1965).  We  believe  this  large  population  segment  will 
increasingly demand a quicker return to activities of daily living following surgery than prior generations.  

(cid:121) Access to Care in Emerging Markets. Healthcare reforms in many emerging markets are expanding access to treatments to a
greater proportion of their populations, which we believe will continue to drive strong increases in demand for healthcare-
related product volumes. Increasing economic affluence in key developing regions will further drive demand for healthcare
treatments.  

Although  we  believe  that  the  market  for  procedurally-integrated  spine  surgery  solutions  will  continue  to  grow  over  the  long
term, economic, political and regulatory influences are subjecting our industry to significant changes that may slow the growth rate of 
the spine surgery market.  

h

5 

Surgical Alternatives with Less Tissue Disruption

The benefits of minimally invasive surgery procedures in other areas of orthopedics have significantly contributed to the strong
and growing demand for surgical alternatives with less tissue disruption of the spine. Surgeons and hospitals seek spine procedures
that result in fewer operative and postoperative complications and decreased patient hospitalization periods. At the same time, patients
seek procedures that reduce trauma, allow for faster recovery times and result in more favorable clinical outcomes. Despite patient and 
doctor demands, the rate of adoption of alternative surgical procedures with less tissue disruption has been relatively slow with respect
to the spine. Currently, the majority of spine surgery patients are treated with traditional open and invasive techniques.  

We believe the principal factor contributing to spine surgeons’ slow adoption of traditional minimally invasive spine alternatives 
has  been  inconsistent  outcomes  driven  by  the  limited  or  lack  of  direct  access  to  and  visibility  of  the  surgical  anatomy,  and  the
associated  complex  instruments  that  have  been  required  to  perform  these  procedures.  Most  traditional  minimally  invasive  spine 
surgery  systems  do  not  allow  the  surgeon  to  directly  view  the  spine  and  the  relevant  pathology  point  and,  as  such,  provide  only
restrictive  visualization  through  a  camera  system  or  endoscope,  while  also  requiring  the  use  of  complex  surgical  techniques.  In
addition,  most  traditional  minimally  invasive  spine  surgery  systems  use  complex  or  highly  customized  surgical  instruments  that 
require special training and the completion of a large number of trial cases before the surgeon becomes proficient using the system, 
which is an impediment and/or deterrent to their adoption. 

Our Commercial Products 

Our MAS platform allows surgeons to perform a wide range of minimally-disruptive spine procedures in all regions of the spine 
and from various surgical approaches, while overcoming the shortcomings of traditional minimally invasive spine surgical techniques. 
The  MAS  platform  is  designed  to  treat  a wide  range  of  spinal  pathologies  while  accommodating  a  surgeon’s  preferred  surgical 
technique.  We  believe  our  approach  improves  clinical  results  and  should  continue  to  drive  an  expanded  number  of  minimally-
disruptive procedures performed, lead the market movement away from open surgery and make less invasive techniques the standard
of care in spine fusion and non-fusion surgery.  

f
Our products facilitate minimally-disruptive applications of the following spine surgery procedures, among others:  

(cid:121) Lumbar  and  thoracic  fusion  procedures  in  which  the  surgeon  approaches  the  spine  through  the  patient’s  back,  side  or 

abdomen;  

(cid:121) Cervical fusion procedures for either the posterior occipito-cervico-thoracic region or the anterior cervical region; and 

(cid:121) Decompression, which is removal of a portion of bone or disc from over or under the nerve root to relieve pinching of the

nerve.

Our MAS platform combines three product categories: our MaXcess retractors, our specialized implants and fixation products, 
and our nerve monitoring systems and service offerings that collectively enable surgeons to detect and navigate around nerves while 
directing customized access to the spine for implant delivery. Biologics are used to complement procedures by assisting in the bone 
healing process.

6 

MaXcess

MaXcess retractors have a split-blade design consisting of three blades that can be positioned to customize the surgical exposure 
in  the  shape  and  size  specific  to the  surgical  requirements  rather  than  the  more  traditional  fixed  tube  or  two-blade  designs  of
traditional minimally invasive spine surgical systems. This split-blade design also provides customizable access to the spine, which 
allows surgeons to perform surgical procedures using instruments that are similar to those used in open procedures but with a smaller
incision and less tissue disruption. The ability to use familiar instruments reduces the learning curve for our procedures and facilitates 
the  adoption  of  our  products.  Our  system’s  illumination  of  the  operative  corridor  aids  in  providing  surgeons  with  better  direct
visualization  of  the  patient’s  anatomy,  without  the  need  for  additional  technology  or  other  special  equipment  such  as  endoscopes.  
Over the years, several improvements to our MaXcess systems have been made, including incorporating integrated neuromonitoring 
technology  and  improving  the  blade  systems,  and  the  MAS  approach  has  broadened  from  the  lumbar  to  the  thoracic  region.  Our 
MaXcess products are used in the cervical spine for posterior application and anterior retraction, the lumbar spine for decompressions, 
transforaminal  lumbar  interbody  fusions,  or  TLIFs,  and  posterior  lumbar  interbody  fusions,  or  PLIFs,  the  thoracolumbar  spine  fo
r 
eXtreme Lateral Interbody Fusion, or XLIFs, and the thoracic region for tumors and trauma, as well as in adult degenerative scoliosis
procedures. 

r

Implants and Fixation Products 

We have many implants and fixation devices designed to be used with our MAS platform. Our portfolio of implants used for 
interbody  disc  height  restoration  include  implants  made  from  allograft,  titanium  and  polyetheretherketone,  or  PEEK.  Our  CoRoent
family  of  implants,  which  are  made  from  PEEK,  are  available  in  a  variety  of  shapes  and  sizes  to  accommodate  specific  approach, 
pathology and anatomical requirements of the patient and the particular fusion procedure. Our implants are designed for insertion into
the smallest possible space while maximizing surface area contact for fusion. Our fixation produ
cts, including pedicle screws, rods 
t
and plates, have been uniquely designed and include a highly differentiated percutaneous minimally invasive solution with advanced 
guide technology, superior rod insertion options, and multiple reduction capabilities to be delivered through our procedures to provide
stabilization of the spine.  Our fixation offerings include our Armada, Precept and Reline pos

terior fixation portfolios. 

r

Nerve Monitoring 

Our  nerve  monitoring  systems  utilize  electromyography,  or  EMG,  as  well  as  proprietary  software  hunting  algorithms  and 
graphical  user  interfaces  to  provide  surgeons  with  an  enhanced  and  intuitive  nerve  avoidance  system.  Our  systems  function  by
monitoring  changes  in  electrical  signals  across  muscle  groups,  which  allows  us  to  detect  underlying  changes  in  nerve  activity. 
Through the NVM5 platform, we give surgeons the option to connect their instruments to a computer system that provides discrete, 
real-time, surgeon directed and surgeon controlled feedback about the directionality and relative proximity of nerves during surgery. 
Our systems analyze and then translate complex neurophysiologic data into simple, useful information to assist the surgeon’s clinical
decision-making  process.  The  health  and  integrity  of  the  spinal  cord  and  related  nerves  can  also  be  assessed  using  motor  evoked
potentials, or MEPs, and somatosensory evoked potentials, SSEPs. Both of these methods of IOM involve applying stimulation and 
recording the response that must travel along the motor or sensory paths of the spinal cord. Surg
eons can connect certain instruments 
to  our  nerve  monitoring  systems,  thus  creating  an  interactive  set  of  instruments  that  better  enable  the  safe  navigation  through  the
body’s  nerve  anatomy  during  surgery.  The  connection  is  accomplished  using  a  clip  that  is  attached  to  the  instrument,  effectively
providing  the  benefits  of  our  nerve  monitoring  systems  through  an  instrument  already  familiar  to  the  surgeon.  The  system’s
proprietary software and easy to use graphical user interface allows the surgeon to make critical decisions in real time enabling safer, 
faster, and more reproducible procedures with the design for improved patient outcomes. 

rr

rr

In  addition  to  our  MAS  platform,  our  comprehensive  procedural  solution  includes  our  biologics  products,  IOM  services,  and 

iGA technology.

Biologics 

Biologics are  used  to  aid  in  the  spinal  fusion  process  or  bone  healing  process.  The  global  biologics  market  in  spine  surgery
consists  of  autograft  (autologous  human  tissue),  allograft  (donated  human  tissue),  and  a  varied  offering  of  synthetic  products  and 
growth factors. Our allograft biologics product offerings include Osteocel Plus and Pro – a cellular bone matrix designed to mimic the 
biologic  profile  of  autograft  including  mesenchymal  stem  cells  and  osteoprogenitor  cells  to  aid  in  spinal  fusion.  Our  synthetic
(synthetic  bone  graft  material 
y
biologics  product  offerings  include Formagraft  (collagen-based  synthetic  bone  substitute),  AttraX
delivered in putty form), and Propel DBM (highly moldable demineralized bone matrix putty). 

7 

Intraoperative Monitoring Services

Monitoring  the  health  of  the  nervous  system  during  spinal  surgery  has  been  a  key  component  of  our  strategy  of  product 
differentiation since early in our development. Over time, surgeon and hospital demand for nerve monitoring has increased along with 
the advancement of technologies and techniques used in IOM. We believe that our proprietary NVM5 platform is a differentiator in
the  market  and  is  unique  in  its  ability  to  provide  information  about  the  directionality  and  proximity  of  nerves.  Through  our  IOM 
services  business,  we  provide  onsite  and  remote  monitoring  of  the  neurological  systems  of  patients  undergoing  spinal  and  brain-
related  surgeries.  Our  neurophysiologists  are  present  in  the  operating  room  during  procedures  and  work  in  partnership  with 
supervising  physicians  who  remotely  oversee  and  interpret  neurophysiological  data  gathered  via  broadband  transmission  over  the
internet.  Through  this  service,  data  can  be  analyzed  in  real  time  by  healthcare  professionals  for  additional  interpretation  of 
intraoperative  information  and  oversight,  which  we  believe  further  improves  the  safety  and  reproducibility  of  the  vast  array  of our 
spine procedures. 

g

f

Integrated Global Alignment

Current and emerging data illustrates a direct correlation between proper spinal alignment and long-t

erm clinical outcomes.  Our 
iGA  platform  offers  a  global  approach  for  assessing,  preserving, and  restoring  spinal  alignment  in  an  effort  to  promote  surgical 
effectiveness  and  efficiencies,  lasting  patient  outcomes,  and  improved  quality  of  life.    Using  our  NuvaPlanning  portfolio  of  three
software  solutions,  NuvaMap,  NuvaLine  and  NuvaMap  O.R.,  surgeons  can  preoperatively  calculate  and  evaluate  alignment 
parameters and implant integration by accurately modeling surgery to create a reliable plan with clear results, and then conduct a real-
time interoperative assessment in order to correct the anterior and posterior column alignment in line with the surgical plan. Following 
a  procedure,  surgeons  can  use our  solutions  to  confirm  the success of  the procedure  and  effect  on  alignment  by  reviewing  surgical
results and easily comparing those results to the surgical plan.  In addition to our software solutions, we also offer specific products
that are designed to restore alignment, including our Reline posterior fixation portfolio and our Bendini spinal rod bending system.   

r

Following  our  acquisition  of  Ellipse  Technologies,  we  now  offer  products  to  treat  the  unmet  clinical  needs  of  children  who

suffer from early onset scoliosis and patients who suffer from limb length discrepancies.

MAGEC-EOS Spinal Bracing and Distraction System 

Early  onset  scoliosis,  or  EOS,  refers  to severely  deformed  curvatures  of  the  spine diagnosed  before  the  age  of  ten.  EOS  is  a 
challenging health issue and can lead to more severe progressive deformities. Surgical treatments for early onset scoliosis include the 
use of surgically adjustable expandable rods to control the spine deformity while still allowing the spine to grow until a child reaches 
an appropriate size or age for a more permanent solution, such as spinal fusion. Surgeries to adjust spinal rods are highly invasive and 
associated with significant scarring, long recovery times, high infection rates, post-operative pain and impaired mobility as the child 
heals from surgery. Surgical adjustments to traditional growing rods are typically made every six to nine months to accommodate the
growth of the spine. The MAGEC-EOS system is designed to overcome the limitations of conventional adjustable rod treatments for
EOS. By enabling non-invasive adjustments, we believe MAGEC-EOS results in lower rates of complications associated with surgical 
procedures and repetitive exposure to general anesthesia. Our non-invasive adjustment technology enables physicians to perform more 
frequent adjustments in an outpatient setting, thereby improving deformity correction and allowing for optimal spinal growth.  

PRECICE Limb Lengthening System 

Limb length discrepancies, or LLDs, refer to a congenital deformity or injury resulting in one leg being shorter than the other. 
Large  LLDs  often  require  complex  treatments  including  limb  lengthening  surgery  to  create  equal  limb  length.  The  traditional  limb m
lengthening  surgical  procedure  includes  the  creation  of  a  gap  in  the  bone,  or  osteotomy,  the  attachment  of  wires  or  pins  to  the
fractured bones, and the passing of the wires or pins through the skin to an external fixator, a scaffold-like frame that surrounds the 
limb.  The  external  fixator  distracts  the  bone  when  the  patient  or  a  family  member  manually  turns  the  knobs  on  the  fixator.  These
adjustments  must  be  performed  several  times  each  day  such  that  the  bone  is  lengthened  approximately  one  millimeter  per  day. 
Adjustments  of  the  external  fixator  are  very  painful  and  associated  with  soft  tissue  disruption,  disturbance  of  the  wound  healing
process  of  the  skin  and  soft  tissue  and  high  rates  of  infection.  In  addition,  traditional  external  fixation  can  result  in  significant 
psychosocial comorbidities that reduce quality of life for patients undergoing treatment, including anxiety, social disengagement, sleep
disorders,  depression  and  addiction  to  pain  medication.  The  PRECICE  LLD  system  uses  the  MAGEC  technology  to  enable  non-
invasive and painless adjustments using a pre-programmed ERC. As a result, PRECICE LLD enables physicians to customize therapy 
to the needs of the patient over time without the need for surgical re-i
ntervention and provides improved quality of life and satisfaction
for patients in need of surgical limb lengthening. 

t

In  addition,  we  intend  to  continue  development  on  a  wide  variety  of  projects  intended  to  broaden  surgical  applications  for 
greater  procedural  integration  of  our  MAS  techniques  and  additional  applications  of  the  MAGEC  technology.  Such  applications 
include  tumor,  trauma,  and  deformity,  as  well  as  increased  fixation  options  and  sagittal  alignment  products.  We  also  expect  to 
continue expanding our other product and services offerings as we execute on our strategy to offer our customers a procedural solution
for spine surgery that distinguishes us from traditional spine implant companies.   

8 

Research and Development 

Our research and development efforts are primarily focused on developing further enhancements to our existing products and 
improving  and  further  integrating  our  procedural  solutions  to  address  unmet  clinical  needs  while  improving  patient  and  economic
outcomes. Our research and development group has extensive experience in developing products to treat spine pathologies. This group 
continues to work closely with our clinical advisors and spine surgeon customers to design products and procedural solutions designed
to improve patient outcomes, simplify techniques, and reduce patient trauma including subsequent hospitalization and rehabilitation
times; and as a result reduce overall costs to patients and the healthcare system.

gg

International 

We  believe  a  spine  market  shift  towards  minimally  invasive  surgery  and  increases  in  international  access  to  healthcare  will
provide  us with  an  opportunity  for  accelerated growth  outside  the United States.  Because  our procedurally-integrated solutions and 
technologies treat similar pathologies around the world, we are focused on expanding our operations in select developed and emerging
international  markets.  We  are  investing  to  tailor  our  products and  technologies  to  meet  varying  international  patient,  surgeon and 
market  requirements.  We  are  also  investing  in  expanding  our  global  infrastructure  to  adapt  to  alternative  distribution  channels,  to
support  differing  language  and  customer  service  requirements,  and to  provide  training  and  surgeon  education  in  our  MAS  surgical
techniques,  our  surgical  instruments  and  our  implants  to  our  international  customers.  During  2016,  we  expanded  our  geographical
footprint  as  part  of  our  focus  on  increasing  our  commercial  reach  outside  the  United  States.  We  have  continued  to  expand  our 
available  product  offerings  internationally  with  our  acquisition of  Ellipse  Technologies.  Our  international  revenue,  which  excludes
Puerto Rico, was $130.4 million or 14% of total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Sales and Marketing

In  the  United  States,  we  currently  sell  our  procedurally-integrated  solutions  through  a  combination  of  exclusive  independent 
sales  agents  and  directly-employed  sales force.  Each  member  of  our United States sales  force  is responsible  for  a defined  territory,
with  our  independent  sales  agents  acting  as  our  sole  representative  in  their  respective  territories.  The  determination  of  whether  to 
engage a directly-employed sales representative or an independent sales agent is made on a territory–by-territory basis, with a focus on
aligning the sales team with the best skills and experience with local surgeons’ needs. Our international sales force is comprised of 
directly-employed  sales  representatives,  as well  as  exclusive  distributors  and  independent  sales  agents.  Directly-employed  sales 
representatives make up the majority of our overall salesforce. 

a

Surgeon Training and Education

We devote significant resources to training and educating surgeons regarding the safety and reproducibility of our MAS surgical
techniques  and  our  complementary  instruments  and  implants.  We  maintain  state-of-the-art  cadaver  operating  rooms  and  training
facilities to help educate surgeons regarding our products at our corporate headquarters in San Diego, California. We continue to train
surgeons on the XLIF technique and our other MAS platform products including: our proprietary nerve monitoring systems, MaXcess,
biologics, and specialized implants. 

Manufacturing and Supply 

f

We rely  on  third  parties for  the  manufacture  of  a  majority  of our products,  their  components  and servicing,  and we  maintain
alternative manufacturing sources for a majority of our finished goods products. We also manufacture certain implants internally at
our  facility  in  Dayton,  Ohio.  We  have  identified  or  are  in  the  process  of  identifying  and  qualifying  additional  suppliers,  on  a  per 
product  basis,  for  our  highest  volume  products  to  best  enable  us  to  be  able  to  maintain  consistent  supply  to  our  customers.  Our
outsourcing  strategy  is  targeted  at  companies  that  meet  FDA,  International  Organization  for  Standardization  (ISO),  and  quality
standards  supported  by  internal  policies  and  procedures.  Supplier  performance  is  maintained  and  managed  through  a  supplier 
qualification, performance management and corrective action program intended to ensure that all of our product requirements are met 
or  exceeded.  We  believe  that  these  types  of  manufacturing  relationships  historically  have  balanced  our  capital  investment,  helped 
with larger volume manufacturers of spine surgery products.
control costs and provided manufacturing capacity necessary to compete 
As our business has continued to scale, we have determined to increase the amount of products that we self-manufacture. In 2015, we
added  an  approximately  180,000  square  foot  manufacturing  facility  in  West  Carrollton,  Ohio,  in  order  to  expand  our  internal
manufacturing efforts. Throughout 2016, we have worked to build out and equip the new facility and initial production is underway.
As  we  shift  to  the  manufacturing  of  more  of  our  products  in-house,  we  will  look  to  maintain  adequate  raw  materials  suppliers,
sourcing alternatives and adequate supply to support our operations.

a

Our products are inspected, packaged and labeled, as needed, at either our San Diego headquarters or our Memphis distribution
facility. Under our existing contracts with third-party manufacturers, we reserve the exclusive right to inspect and assure conformance
mm
of each product and product component to our specifications. 

9 

We currently rely on several tissue banks as our suppliers of allograft tissue implants, including two for our Osteocel Plus and 
Osteocel Pro product lines. Like our relationships with our device manufacturing suppliers, we subject our tissue processing suppliers
to the same quality criteria in terms of selection, qualification, and verification of processed tissue quality upon receipt of goods, as 
well as hold them accountable to compliance with FDA regulations, state requirements, and as-voluntary industry standards (such as 
those put forward by the American Association of Tissue Banks). 

h

f

We rely on one, exclusive supplier for PEEK, which comprises many of our CoRoent partial vertebral body replacement and 
interbody product lines. We also rely on one, exclusive supplier for our NVM5 neuromonitoring system, and rely on one, exclusive 
supplier for our neuromonitoring equipment that is used outside of the NV platform.  

We, and our third-party manufacturers, are subject to the quality system regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA),  state  regulations  (such  as  the  regulations  promulgated  by  the  California  Department  of  Health  Services),  and  regulations
promulgated by foreign regulatory bodies (such as in the European Union). For tissue products, we are FDA registered and licensed in 
the States of California, New York, Florida, Maryland and Oregon. For our device implants and instruments, we are FDA registered, 
California licensed, CE marked and ISO certified. CE is an abbreviation for “Conformité Européenne” or European Conformity, and
is  the  registration  marking  designating  that  a  device  can  be  commercially  distributed  throughout  Europe.  Our  facilities  and  the
facilities of our third-party manufacturers are subject to periodic announced and unannounced inspections by regulatory authorities, 
and may undergo compliance inspections conducted by the FDA, state, and/or international regulatory agencies.  

Surgical Instrument and Implant Sets

For many of our customers, we provide surgical instrumentation sets, including both implants and instruments, as well as our 
nerve monitoring systems in a manner tailored to fulfill our customer’s obligations to meet surgery schedules. We do not generally 
receive  separate  economic  value  specific  to  the  surgical  instrument  sets  from  the  surgeons  or  hospitals  that  utilize  them.  In  many
cases, once the surgery is finished, the surgical instrument sets are returned to us, and we prepare them for shipment to meet future
surgeries. 

We  complement  this  implant  and  instrument  shipment  model  with  field-based  instrument  assets.  This  hybrid  strategy  is 
designed to improve customer service, minimize backlogs, increase asset turns, optimize freight costs, and maximize cash flow.
Our 
pool of surgical equipment that we loan to or place with hospitals continues to increase as we increase our product offering, expand 
our  distribution  channels  and  increase  the  market  penetration  of  our  products.  These  surgical  instrumentation  and  implant  sets are 
important to the growth of our business, and we anticipate additional investments in such assets going forward. 

t

In certain cases we will sell either surgical instruments, implant sets or both to our customers. While this does not constitute a
material  component  of  our  business,  as  customer  penetration  and  volume  increases,  these  sales  of  sets  allows  our  customers  to
increase the amount of surgical volume performed locally. 

Intellectual Property 

We  rely  on  a  combination  of  patent,  trademark,  copyright,  trade  secret  and  other  intellectual  property  laws,  nondisclosure 
agreements and other measures to protect our intellectual property rights. We believe that in order to have a competitive advantage, we 
must develop and maintain the proprietary aspects of our technologies. We require our employees (who we refer to as “shareowners”),
consultants  and  advisors  to  execute  confidentiality  agreements  in  connection  with  their  employment,  consulting  or  advisory 
relationships with us. We also require our shareowners, consultants and advisors who we expect to work on our products to agree to 
disclose and assign to us all inventions conceived using our property or which relate to our business. Despite any measures taken to 
protect our intellectual property, unauthorized parties may attempt to copy aspects of our products or to obtain and use information 
that we regard as proprietary. 

Patents 

As of December 31, 2016, we had over 820 issued and pending patents, including over 360 U.S. issued patents. Our issued and 

pending patents cover, among other things: 

(cid:121) MAS surgical access instrumentation and methodology, including our XLIF procedure and aspects thereof; 

(cid:121) Neurophysiology  enabled  instrumentation  and  methodology,  including  pedicle  screw  test  systems,  software  hunting 

algorithms, navigated guidance, rod bending and surgical access systems;  

(cid:121) Implants and related instrumentation and targeting systems;  

(cid:121) Biologics, including Osteocel Plus and Osteocel Pro, Formagraft and AttraX;  

(cid:121) Motion preservation products; 

(cid:121) Magnetic technology for non-invasive distraction of an implanted device, including the MAGEC technology platform; and 

10 

(cid:121) Digital imaging processing technology that generates high resolution images of the surgical field from low resolution scans, 

including the LessRay technology platform. 

Our issued patents begin to expire in 2018. We do not believe that the expiration of any single patent is likely to significantly 

affect our intellectual property position. 

The  medical  device  industry  is  characterized  by  the  existence  of  a  large  number  of  patents  and  frequent  litigation  based  on 
allegations of patent infringement. Patent litigation can involve complex factual and legal questions and its outcome is uncertain. Our 
success will depend in part on our not infringing patents issued to others, including our competitors and potential competitors. As the 
number of entrants into our market increases, the possibility of future patent infringement claims against us grows. While we make 
extensive efforts to ensure that our products do not infringe other parties’ patents and proprietary rights, our products and methods
may be covered by patents held by our competitors. There are numerous risks associated with our intellectual property. For a complete
discussion of these risks, please see the “Risk Factors” section of this Annual Report.  

Trademarks 

As of December 31, 2016, we had over 220 trademark registrations in both domestic and foreign regions. 

Competition

Competition  within  the  industry  is  primarily  based  on  technology,  innovation,  quality,  reputation  and  customer  service.  We
believe that our significant competitors are Medtronic Sofamor Danek, or Medtronic, DePuy/Synthes, a Johnson & Johnson company,
Stryker Spine, Globus Medical, and Zimmer Biomet Spine, which together represent a significant portion of the spine market. We also
face competition from a significant number of smaller companies with more limited product offerings and geographic reach than o
ur 
larger  competitors.  These  companies,  who  represent  intense  competition  in  specific  markets,  include  Orthofix  International  N.V.,
Alphatec  Spine,  K2M  and  others.  With  respect  to  our  nerve  monitoring  systems,  we  compete  with  Medtronic,  and  Vyaire  Medical 
(formerly  VIASYS  Healthcare,  a  division of  Becton,  Dickinson  and  Company).  Our  IOM  services  business  competes  with
SpecialtyCare and numerous smaller and regional service providers. We also face competition from physician owned distributorships, 
or  PODs,  which  are  medical  device  distributors  that  are  owned,  directly  or  indirectly,  by  physicians.  However,  these  PODs  have 
recently come under scrutiny by the Office of Inspector General, or OIG as the associated physicians derive a portion of their revenue
from selling or arranging for the sale of medical devices for use in procedures they perform on their own patients. The prevalence of 
these PODs may impact our ability to grow. 

t

t

The United States Government Regulation

Our products are medical devices and human tissue products subject to extensive regulation by the FDA and other regulatory 
bodies both inside and outside of the United States. Each of these agencies requires us - to varying degrees - to comply with laws and 
regulations governing the development, testing, manufacturing, storage, labeling, marketing and distribution of our products.  

FDA’s Premarket Clearance and Approval Requirements 

Unless  an  exemption  applies,  each  medical  device  that  we  market  and  sell  in  the  United  States  must  first  receive  either 
premarket clearance (by submitting a 510(k) notification) or premarket approval (by filing a premarket approval application, or PMA)
from the FDA. In addition, certain modifications to marketed devices may require 510(k) clearance or approval of a PMA supplement. 
The FDA’s 510(k) clearance process usually takes between three and six months from the date the application is completed, but may 
last longer. The process of obtaining PMA approval is much more costly, lengthy and uncertain than the 510(k) clearance process and
generally takes between one and three years, or even longer, from the time the application is submitted to the FDA until any approval 
is  obtained.  In  addition,  a  clinical  trial  is  almost  always  required  to  support  a  PMA  application  and  may  be  required  for  a  510(k)
premarket  notification.  There  are numerous  risks  associated  with  conducting  clinical  trials,  including  high  costs  and  uncertain
outcomes. For a complete discussion of these risks, please see the “Risk Factors” section of this Annual Report.  

r

Human Cell, Tissue, and Cellular and Tissue Based Products

Our allograft products, including our Triad, H2 and ExtenSure, and our Osteocel Plus and Osteocel Pro products, are regulated
by  the  FDA  as  Human  Cell,  Tissue,  and  Cellular  and  Tissue  Based  Products.  FDA  regulations  do  not  currently  require  these 
minimally  manipulated  human  tissue-based  products  to  be  subjected  to  a  premarket  approval    or  pre-market  notification  process 
f
before they are marketed if they are deemed to meet the requirements of
 a “361” product under the P

ublic Health Safety Act.  

d

We are, however, required to register with the FDA as a provider of such products and to list these products with the FDA and 
comply with its Current Good Tissue Practices for Human Cell, Tissue, and Cellular- and Tissue-Based Product Establishments. The
FDA  periodically  inspects  tissue  facilities  to  determine  compliance  with  these  requirements.  Entities  that  provide  us  with  allograft 
bone  tissue  are  responsible  for  performing  donor  recovery,  donor  screening,  donor  testing,  processing,  and  packaging  and  our 
compliance with those aspects of the Current Good Tissue Practices regulations that regulate those functions are dependent upon the
actions of these independent entities. 

11 

The  procurement  and  transplantation  of  allograft  bone  tissue  is  subject  to  United  States federal  law  pursuant  to  the  National 
Organ Transplant Act (NOTA), a criminal statute that prohibits the purchase and sale of human organs used in human transplantation -
including bone and related tissue - for “valuable consideration” (as defined in the NOTA). The NOTA permits reasonable payments
associated with the removal, transportation, processing, preservation, quality control, implantation and storage of human bone tissue.
With the exception of removal and implantation, we provide services, directly or indirectly, in all of these areas. We make payments 
to vendors in consideration for the services they provide in connection with the recovery and screening of donors. Failure to comply 
with the requirements of NOTA could result in enforcement action against us.  

The procurement of human tissue is also subject to state anatomical gift acts and some states have statutes similar to NOTA. In
addition,  some  states  require  that  tissue  processors  be  licensed  by  that  state.  Failure  to  comply  with  state  laws  could  also  result  in
enforcement action against us.  

Continuing FDA Regulation

After  a  device  is  placed  on  the  market,  numerous  regulatory  requirements  continue  to  apply.  These  regulatory  requirements 

include, but are not limited to, the following:  

(cid:121) product listing and establishment registration;  

(cid:121) adherence to the Quality System Regulation which requires stringent design, testing, control, documentation and other quality 

assurance procedures;  

(cid:121) labeling requirements and FDA prohibitions against the promotion of off-label uses or indications;  

(cid:121) adverse event reporting;  

(cid:121) post-approval restrictions or conditions, including post-approval clinical trials or other required testing;  

aa

(cid:121) post-market surveillance requirements; 

f
(cid:121) the FDA’s recall authority, whereby it can ask for, or require, the recall of

a

 products from the market; and 

(cid:121) requirements relating to voluntary corrections or removals. 

Failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements can result in fines and other enforcement actions by the FDA, which 

could adversely impact our business.  

We are also subject to announced and unannounced inspections by the FDA, the California Food and Drug Branch, American
tate 

Association of Tissue Banking, as well as other regulatory agencies overseeing the implementation and adherence of applicable s
and federal device and tissue licensing regulations. These inspections may include our manufacturing and subcontractors’ facilities. 

mm

Pursuant to FDA regulations, we can only market our products for cleared or approved uses. Although surgeons are permitted to 
use  medical  devices  for  indications  other  than  those  cleared  or  approved  by  the  FDA  based  on  their  medical  judgment,  we  are
prohibited from promoting products for such “off-label” uses.  

Healthcare Regulation and Commercial Compliance 

The healthcare industry is highly regulated and changes in laws and regulations can be significant. The federal government and 
all states in which we currently operate regulate various aspects of our business.  Changes in the law or new interpretation of existing 
laws  can  have  a  material  effect  on  our  permissible  activities,  the  relative  costs  associated  with  doing  business  and  the  amount of 
reimbursement by government and other third-party payers.  

f

t

Anti-kickback Statute

We  are  subject  to  the  federal  anti-kickback  statute  which,  among  other  things,  prohibits  the  knowing  and  willful  solicitation, 
offer, payment or receipt of any remuneration, direct or indirect, in cash or in kind, in return for, or to induce the referral of patients 
for, items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid and certain other governmental health programs. Under the Patient Protection 
and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (PPACA), neither knowledge of 
the anti-kickback statute nor the specific intent to violate the law is a requirement for being found in violation of such laws. Violation
of  the  anti-kickback  statute  may  result  in  civil  or  criminal penalties  and  exclusion  from  Medicare,  Medicaid  and  other  federal
healthcare programs,  and  -  according  to  PPACA  - now  provides  a basis for  liability  under  the  False Claims  Act.  Many  states  have
enacted similar statutes, which are not limited to items and services paid for under Medicare or a federally funded healthcare program. 
We believe that our operations materially comply with the anti-kickback statutes; however, because these provisions are interpreted 
broadly  by  regulatory  authorities,  we  cannot  be  assured  that  law  enforcement  officials  or  others  will  not  challenge  our  operations 
under these statutes.  

12 

Federal False Claims Act 

The Federal False Claims Act (in particular -its “qui tam” or “whistleblower” provisions) allow(s) private individuals to bring
actions in the name of the United States government alleging that a defendant has made false claims for payment from federal funds. 
In addition, various states are considering enacting or have enacted laws modeled after the Federal False Claims Act, penalizing false
claims against state funds. In 2013, we received a federal administrative subpoena from the OIG in connection with an investigation 
into possible false or otherwise improper claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid. The subpoena sought discovery of documents
for  the  period  January  2007  through  April  2013.  In  July  2015,  we  entered  into  a  definitive  settlement  agreement  with  the  U.S. 
Department of Justice, or DOJ, to settle this matter. Under the terms of the agreement, we agreed to pay $13.5 million plus fees and 
accrued interest of approximately $0.3 million to resolve this matter. The settlement was not an admission of liability or wrongdoing 
by us, and we were not required to enter into a corporate integrity agreement with the OIG as part of the settlement. On August 31,
t
uires
2015, we received a civil investigative demand, or CID, issued by the DOJ pursuant to the federal False Claims Act. The CID req
the  delivery  of  a  wide  range  of  documents  and  information  related  to  an  investigation  by  the  DOJ  concerning  allegations  that  we
assisted a physician group customer in submitting improper claims for reimbursement and made improper payments to the physician
group  in  violation  of  the  Anti-Kickback  Statute.  We  are  cooperating  with  the  DOJ  in  regards  to  this  matter.  Any  adverse  findings 
related to this investigation could result in material financial penalties against the Company. 

t

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 

f

Under  the  Health  Insurance  Portability  and  Accountability  Act  of 1996,  as  was  amended  in  2005  and  in  2009,  or  HIPAA,  a
Covered  Entity,  as  further  defined  under  HIPAA,  is  required  to  adhere  to  certain  requirements  regarding  the  use,  disclosure  and
security  of protected  health  information,  or  PHI.  In  the past,  HIPAA  has  generally  affected  us  indirectly,  as  NuVasive  is  generally 
neither a Covered Entity nor a Business Associate, as further defined under HIPAA, to Covered Entities, except that our provision of 
IOM  services  through  various  subsidiaries  may  create  a  Business  Associate  relationship;  additionally,  we  treat  our  Puerto  Rico 
where  patient  data  is  received,
subsidiary  as  a  Covered  Entity.  Regardless  of  Covered  Entity  status  under  HIPAA,  in  those  cases 
t
eater, 
f
NuVasive is committed to maintaining the security and privacy of PHI. The potential for enforcement action against us is now gr
as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can take action directly against Business Associates. Thus, while we 
believe we are and will be in compliance with all required HIPAA standards, there is no guarantee that the government will agree. 
Enforcement actions can be costly and interrupt regular operations of our business.

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act 

The  United  States  and  foreign  government  regulators  have  increased  regulation,  enforcement,  inspections  and  governmental 
investigations of the medical device industry, including increased United States government oversight and enforcement of the Foreign 
Corrupt Practices Act. If the United States or another foreign governmental authority were to conclude that we are not in compliance 
with applicable laws or regulations, such governmental authority can impose fines, delay or suspend regulatory clearances, institute 
proceedings  to  detain  or  seize  our  products,  issue  a  recall,  impose  operating  restrictions,  enjoin  future  violations  and  assess  civil 
penalties against us or our officers or employees, and can recommend criminal prosecution to the Department of Justice. Moreover, 
governmental  authorities  can  ban  or  request  the  recall,  repair,  replacement  or  refund  of  the  cost  of  any  device  or  product  we 
manufacture or distribute. We are also potentially subject to the UK Bribery Act, which would also subject us to the imposition of 
civil  and  criminal  fines.  Any  of  the  foregoing  actions  could  result  in  decreased  sales  as  a  result  of  negative  publicity  and  product 
liability claims, and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

f

Physician Payments Sunshine Act of 2009 (Sunshine Act)

The Sunshine Act was enacted into law in 2010 and requires public disclosure to the United States government of payments to
physicians and teaching hospitals, including in-kind transfers of value such as free gifts or meals. The Act also provides penalties for 
non-compliance. The Sunshine Act requires that we file an annual report on March 31st of a calendar year for the transfers of value 
incurred  for  the  prior  calendar  year.  This  law,  along  with  individual  state  reporting  requirements,  such  as  in  Massachusetts  and 
Vermont, increases the possibility that a healthcare company may run afoul of one or more of the requirements.

t

Compliance Program

A  compliance  program  is  a  set  of  internal  controls  established  by  a  company  to  prevent  and/or  detect  any  non-compliant 
activities  and  to  address  properly  those  issues  that  may  be discovered.  The  United  States  government  has  recommended  that 
healthcare companies, among others, develop and maintain an effective compliance program to reduce the likelihood of any such non-
compliance  by  the  company,  its  employees,  agents  and  contractors.  In addition,  some  states,  such  as  Massachusetts  and  California, 
now require certain healthcare companies to have a formal compliance program in place in order to do business within the state. For 
years,  we  have  maintained  a  compliance  program  structured  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  federal  sentencing  guidelines  for  an
effective  compliance  program  and  the  model  compliance  program  guidance  promulgated  by  HHS  over  the  years.  Our  program 
includes, but  is  not  limited  to,  a  Code  of Ethical  Business  Conduct, designation of  a compliance  officer,  oversight  by  a  designated 
committee of our Board of Directors, policies and procedures, a confidential disclosure method (a hotline), and conducting periodic
audits to ensure compliance.  

13 

Foreign Government Regulation 

Sales of medical devices outside the United States are subject to foreign government regulations, which vary substantially from
country to country. The time required to obtain approval by a foreign country may be longer or shorter than that required for FDA 
approval, and the requirements may differ.  

The European Union has adopted numerous directives and standards regulating the design, manufacture, clinical trials, labeling,
and adverse event reporting for medical devices. Additionally, certain countries (such as Switzerland), have voluntarily adopted laws 
and regulations that mirror those of the European Union with respect to medical devices. Devices that comply with the requirements
of a relevant directive will be entitled to bear “CE” conformity marking, and, accordingly, can be commercially distributed throughout 
Europe. The method  of  assessing  conformity  varies depending on  the  class of  the product,  but normally  involves  a  combination  of
an 
self-assessment  by  the  manufacturer  and  a  third-party  assessment  by  a  “Notified  Body”.  This  third-party  assessment  consists  of 
audit  of  the  manufacturer’s  quality  system  and  technical  review of  the  manufacturer’s  product.  We  have  now  successfully  passed 
several Notified  Body  audits  since  our original  certification  in 2001, granting us ISO  certification  and  allowing  the  CE  conformity 
marking to be applied to certain of our devices under the European Union Medical Device Directive. 

y

r

The Japanese government in recent years made revisions to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law (now called PMD Act) that made
significant  changes  to  the  preapproval regulatory  systems.  These  changes  have  -  in  part  -  stipulated  that,  in  addition  to obtaining a
manufacturing  or  import  approval  from  the  Ministry  of  Health,  Labor  and  Welfare,  certain  low-risk  medical  devices  can  now  be
evaluated  by  third-party  organizations.  Based  on  the  risk-based  classification,  manufacturers  are  provided  three  procedures  for
satisfying  the  PMD  Act  requirements  prior  to  placing  products  on  the  market:  Pre-market  Submission,  or  Todokede;  Pre-market 
Certification,  or  Ninsho;  and  Pre-market  Approval,  or  Shonin.  NuVasive  markets  devices  in  Japan  that  are  assessed  by  both
government entities and third-party organizations using all three procedures in 
place for manufacturers. The level of review and time 
line  for  medical  device  approval  will  depend  on  the  risk-based  classification  and  subsequent  regulatory  procedure  that  the  medical
device  is  aligned  based  on  assessment  against  the  current  PMD  Law.  Manufacturers  must  also  obtain  a  manufacturing  or  import 
license from the prefectural government prior to importing medical devices. We also pursue authorizations required by the prefectural
government as required. 

tt

Device and tissue premarket approval and/or registration and/or facility licensing requirements also exist in other markets where 
international NuVasive facilities are established and/or where we may conduct business, including, but not limited to, Southeast Asia, 
e
rr
Australia, and Latin America.  Such requirements vary by country and NuVasive has established procedures to drive its complianc
with these requirements.

Third-Party Reimbursement

Broadly speaking, payer pushback on spine surgery in the United States has increased in the recent past, and we believe this has 

had an overall dampening effect on spine procedure volumes and prices. 

We expect that sales volumes and prices of our products and services will continue to be largely dependent on the availability of 
reimbursement  from  third-party  payers,  such  as  governmental  programs,  for  example,  Medicare  and  Medicaid,  private  insurance
plans,  accountable  care  organizations  and  managed  care  programs.  Reimbursement  is  contingent  on  established  coding  for  a  given
procedure, coverage of the codes by the third-party payers, and adequate payment for the resources used.  

Physician  coding  for  procedures  is  established  by  the  American  Medical  Association,  or  AMA.  For  coding  related  to  spine
surgery,  the  North  American  Spine  Society,  or  NASS,  is  the  primary  liaison  to the  AMA.  In  July  of  2006,  NASS  established  the 
proper  physician  coding  for  the  XLIF  procedure  by  declaring  it  to  be  encompassed  in  existing  codes  that  describe  an  anterolateral 
approach to the spine. This position was confirmed in a formal statement by NASS in January 2010. Hospital coding is established by 
CMS. XLIF is included in the nomenclature for hospital codes as an additional descriptor under long standing codes. All physician
and hospital coding is subject to change which could impact reimbursement and physician practice behavior.  

Independent of the coding status, third-party payers may deny coverage based on their own criteria, including if they feel that a 
device or procedure is not well established clinically, is not the most cost-effective treatment available, or is used for an unapproved 
indication.  At  various  times  in  the  past,  certain  insurance  providers  have  adopted  policies  of  not  providing  reimbursement  for  the
XLIF procedure. We have worked with our surgeon customers and NASS who, in turn, have worked with these insurance providers to
supply  the  information,  explanation  and  clinical  data  they  require  to  categorize  the  XLIF  procedure  as  a  procedure  entitled  to 
reimbursement under their policies. At present, the majority of insurance companies provide reimbursement for XLIF procedures. 

f

t

14 

However,  certain  carriers,  large  and  small,  may  have  policies  significantly  limiting  coverage  of  XLIF,  Interlaminar  Lumbar 
Interbody Fusion, or ILIF, Osteocel Plus and Osteocel Pro, cervical interbody implants, and/or other procedures, products or services 
that we offer. We will continue to provide resources to patients, surgeons, hospitals, and insurers in order to ensure optimum patient
care  and  clarity  regarding  reimbursement  and  work  to  remove  any  and  all  non-coverage  policies.  National  and  regional  coverage 
policy  decisions  are  subject  to  unforeseeable  change  and  have  the  potential  to  impact  physician  behavior  and  reimbursement  for 
physician services. We cannot offer definitive time frames or final outcomes regarding reversal of the coverage-limiting policies, as 
section of 
the process is dictated by the third-party insurance providers. For a discussion of these risks, please see the “Risk Factors” 
this Annual Report.

n

Payment amounts are established by government and private payer programs and are subject to fluctuations which could impact 
physician practice behavior. Third-party payers are increasingly challenging the prices charged for a wide range of medical products
and services, including those in spine and intraoperative monitoring where we participate.  

In international markets, reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary significantly by country and many countries have
instituted price ceilings on specific product lines. There can be no assurance that our products will be accepted by third-party payers, 
that reimbursement will be available, and/or that the third-party payers’ reimbursement policies (if available) will not adversely affect 
our ability to sell our products profitably.  

tt

a

Particularly in the United States where major healthcare reform provisions are scheduled, third-party payers must demonstrate 
they  can  improve  quality  and  reduce  costs;  we  accordingly  see  an  increase  in  pre-approval/prior  authorizations  and  non-coverage
policies citing higher levels of evidence required for medical therapies and technologies. In addition, insured individuals are facing 
increased  premiums  and  higher  out–of-pocket  costs  for  medical  coverage  which  can  lead  a  patient  to  delay  medical  treatment.  An 
increasing number of insured individuals receive their medical care through managed care programs, which monitor and often require 
pre-approval of the services that a member will receive. The percentage of individuals covered by managed care programs is expected
to grow in the United States over the next decade.

We believe that the overall escalating cost of medical products and services has led to, and will continue to lead to, increased 
pressures  on  the  healthcare  industry  to  reduce  the  costs  of  products  and  services.  There  can  be  no  assurance  that  third-party 
dd
reimbursement and coverage will be available or adequate, or that future legislation, regulation, or reimbursement policies of 
third-
t
party payers will not adversely affect the demand for our products and services or our ability to sell these products and services on a
profitable basis. The unavailability or inadequacy of third-party payer coverage or reimbursement could have a material adverse effect 
on our business, operating results and financial condition. For a discussion of these risks, please see the “Risk Factors” section of this
Annual Report. 

Shareowners (our employees)

We refer to our employees as “shareowners”. As of December 31, 2016, we had a direct and indirect workforce of over 2,200, 
including approximately 1,900 shareowners. In addition to our shareowners, we partner with exclusive independent sales agencies and 
independent  distributors  who  sell  our  products  in  the  United  States  and  internationally.  As  of December  31,  20
16,  there  are 
approximately  280  individuals  associated  with  such  sales  agencies  and  distributors.  None  of  our  shareowners  or  sales  agents  are
represented by a labor union, and we believe our shareowner and agency relations are good.  

f

Corporate Information 

Our business was incorporated in Delaware in July 1997. Our principal executive offices are located at 7475 Lusk Boulevard, 

San Diego, California 92121, and our telephone number is (858) 909-1800. Our website is located at www.nuvasive.com.  

We  file  our  annual  reports  on  Form 10-K,  quarterly  reports  on  Form 10-Q  and  current  reports  on  Form 8-K,  and  any 
amendments to those reports, electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission). We make these reports
available free of charge on our website under the investor relations page as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file
such material with, or furnish it to, the Commission. All such reports were made available in this fashion during 2016. 

The public can also obtain any documents that we file with the Commission at http://www.sec.gov

g . The public may read and 
copy any materials that we file with the Commission at the Commission’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580,
Washington,  D.C.  20549.  The  public  may  obtain  information  on  the  operation  of  the  Public  Reference  Room  by  calling  the
Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330. 

p

This report may refer to brand names, trademarks, service marks or trade names of other companies and organizations, and these

brand names, trademarks, service marks and trade names are the property of their respective holders. 

15 

Item 1A. 

Risk Factors 

An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from our 
expectations and that could negatively impact our financial condition and results of operations are set forth below and elsewhere in 
this report. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and future growth prospects 
could be materially and adversely affected. Under these circumstances, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you
may lose all or part of your investment. Further, additional risks not currently known to us or that we currently believe are immaterial 
also may impair our business, operations, liquidity and stock price materially and adversely. You should consider carefully the risks 
and uncertainties described below and elsewhere in this report before you decide to invest in our common stock.

d

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

ff
To be commercially successful, we must effectively demonstrate to spine surgeons th

e value proposition of our products and 

procedural solutions compared to those of our competitors.

We  focus  on  marketing  our  products  and  procedural  solutions  to  spine  surgeons,  because  of  the  role  that  they  play  in 
determining the course of patient treatment. We believe spine surgeons will not widely adopt our products and procedural solutions 
unless  we  are  able  to  effectively  educate and  train  them  as  to  the  distinctive  characteristics,  perceived  benefits,  safety  and  cost-
effectiveness of our offerings as compared to those of our competitors. Surgeons may be hesitant to use our products and procedural 
solutions for the following reasons, among others: 

d

• lack of surgeon experience with minimally-disruptive surgical products and procedures; 
• lack or perceived lack of evidence supporting additional patient benefits; 
• perceived liability risks generally associated with the use of new products and procedures;
• existing relationships with competitors and distributors; 
• limited or lack of availability of coverage and reimbursement within healthcare payment systems;
• increased competition in lateral procedural offerings; 
• lack or perceived lack of differentiation among lateral procedures; 
• costs associated with the purchase of new products and equipment; and 
• the time commitment that may be required for training. 

If we are not able to effectively demonstrate to spine surgeons the value proposition of our products and procedural solutions, or 
if spine surgeons adopt competing products into their practice, our sales could significantly decrease or fail to increase, whi
ch could 
adversely impact our profitability and cash flow. In addition, we believe recommendations and support of our offerings by influential
spine surgeons and other key opinion leaders are essential for market acceptance and adoption. If we are not successful in obtaining
such support, surgeons may not use our products and procedural solutions, and we may not achieve expected sales or profitability. 

ff

tt

Our  future  success  depends  on  our  strategy  of  obsoleting  our  products  and  our  ability  to  timely  acquire,  develop  and 

introduce new products or product enhancements that will be accepted by the market. 

An important part of our business strategy is to stay ahead of our competitors by obsoleting ou

r current offerings with new and
f
enhanced products and technologies.  As such, our success will depend in part on our ability to acquire, develop and introduce new
products  and  enhancements  to  our  existing  products  to  keep  pace  with  changes  in  technology  and  market  demand,  as  well  as
physician, hospital and healthcare provider practices.  The success of any new product offering or enhancement to an existing product 
will depend on numerous factors, including our ability to: 

• properly identify and anticipate surgeon and patient needs; 
• develop and introduce new products or product enhancements in a timely and cost-effective manner;
• adequately protect our intellectual property and avoid infringing upon the intellectual property rights of third parties; 
• demonstrate the safety and efficacy of new products through the conduct of clinical investigations or the collection of existing

rr

relevant clinical data; and 

• obtain the necessary regulatory clearances or approvals for new products or product enhancements.

16 

In  addition,  our  research  and  development  efforts  may  require a  substantial  investment  of  time  and  resources  before  we  are
adequately  able  to  determine  the  commercial  viability  of  a  new  product,  technology,  or  other  innovation.    Even  if  we  are  able  t
o
dd
develop  enhancements  or  new  generation  products  successfully,  these  enhancements  or  new  generation  products  may  not  generate
sufficient demand or produce sales in excess of the costs of development, which would cause our results of operations to suffer.  It is 
also important that we carefully manage our introduction of new and enhanced products. If potential customers delay purchases until 
new or enhanced products are available, it could negatively impact our sales.  In addition, to the extent we have excess or obsolete 
inventory  as  we  transition  to  new  products,  it  would  result  in  margin  reducing  write-offs  for  obsolete  inventory,  and  our  results  of 
operations may suffer.

We  operate  in  a  highly  competitive  market  segment  that  is subject  to  rapid  change,  and  if  we  are  unable  to  compete

successfully, our sales and operating results may suffer.  

The market for spine surgery products and procedures is intensely competitive, subject to rapid change and significantly affected 
by new product introductions and other market activities of industry participants. Our ability to compete successfully will depend on 
our ability to develop proprietary products that reach the market in a timely manner, receive adequate reimbursement and are safer, 
less  invasive  and  less  expensive  than  those  of  our  competitors.  With  respect  to  our  nerve  monitoring  systems,  we  compete  with
Medtronic and Vyaire Medical (formerly VIASYS Healthcare, a division of Becton, Dickinson and Company), each of which have
significantly  greater  resources  than  we  do.  Our  IOM  services  business  competes  with  Specialty  Care  and  numerous  smaller  and 
regional nerve monitoring companies. With respect to MaXcess, our minimally-disruptive surgical system, our largest competitors are 
Medtronic,  DePuy/Synthes,  Stryker  Spine,  Globus  Medical,  and  Zimmer  Biomet  Spine.  We  compete  with  many  of  the  same 
companies  with  respect  to  our  other  products.  We  also  compete  with  numerous  smaller  companies  with  respect  to  our  implant 
products,  many  of  whom  have  a  significant  regional  market  presence.  At  any  time,  these  companies  and  other  potential  market 
entrants  may  develop  alternative  treatments,  products  or  procedures  for  the  treatment  of  spine  disorders  that  compete  directly  or 
indirectly  with  our  offerings.    In  addition,  they  may  gain  a  market  advantage  by  developing  and  patenting  competitive  products or 
processes earlier than we can or by obtaining regulatory clearances or market registrations more rapidly than we can. 

Many of our competitors have greater resources than we have.

Many of our larger competitors are either publicly traded or divisions or subsidiaries

u
several competitive advantages over us, including: 
• significantly greater name recognition;
• established relationships with a greater number of spine surgeons, hospitals, other healthcare providers and third-party payers; 
• larger and more well-established distribution networks domestically and/or internationally; 
• products supported by long-term clinical data;
• greater experience in obtaining and maintaining FDA and other regulatory approvals or clearances for products and product 

 of publicly traded companies, and enjoy 

enhancements;

• more expansive portfolios of intellectual property rights; and 
• greater financial assets, cash flow, capital markets access and other resources for product research and development, sales and

marketing, and litigation.

Because  of  the  significant  size  of  the  potential  market  for  spine  surgery  products  and  procedures,  we  anticipate  that  existing 
competitors will continue to dedicate substantial resources to developing competing products.  If we are unable to compete effectively,
our sales and operating results may suffer. 

Changes to third-party reimbursement policies and practices, including non-coverage decisions, can negatively impact our 

ability to sell our products and services. 

Sales of our products and procedural solutions depend on the availability of adequate reimbursement from third-party payers.
We  believe  that  future  third-party  reimbursement  for  healthcare  costs  may  be  subject  to  changes  in  policies  and  practices,  such  as
more  restrictive  criteria  to  qualify  for  surgery  coverage  or  reduction  in  payment  amounts  to  hospitals  and  surgeons  for  approved
surgery and IOM services, both in the United States and internationally.  Further, certain third-party payers have stated non-coverage
decisions  concerning  our  technologies  and  services.    These  actions  could  significantly  alter  our  ability  to  sell  our  products  and
procedural solutions.  The continuing efforts of governmental authorities, insurance companies, and other payers of healthcare costs to 
contain or reduce costs could lead to patients being unable to obtain approval for payment from these third-party payers. Changes in
legislation, regulation or reimbursement policies of third-party payers may adversely affect the demand for our products and services 
as healthcare providers generally rely on third-party payers to reimburse all or part of the costs and fees associated with the procedures 
performed  with  these  devices  and  services.  Likewise,  spine  surgeons,  neurophysiologists  and  their  supervising  physicians  rely 
primarily on third-party reimbursement for the surgical or monitoring fees they earn. Spine surgeons are unlikely to use our products
and services if they do not receive reimbursement adequate to cover the cost of their involvement in surgical procedures.   

17 

Pricing pressure from our competitors, hospital customers and insurance providers can negatively impact our ability to sell 

our products and services. 

The  market  for  spine  surgery  products  is  large  and  has  attracted  numerous  new  companies  and  technologies.    As  some
companies  have  sought  to  compete  based  on  price,  it  has  created  pricing  pressure,  which  we  expect  to  continue  in  the  future.    In 
addition,  we  may  experience  decreasing  prices  for  our  products  due  to  pricing  pressure  from  our  hospital  customers  and  insurance 
providers.  Because healthcare costs have risen significantly over the past decade, numerous initiatives and reforms have resulted in
efforts to drive down prices.  As hospitals look to reduce costs, including by aggregating purchasing decisions and through industry
consolidation, they may demand lower pricing and limit their number of suppliers.  If competitive forces drive down the prices we are 
able to charge for our products, our profit margins will shrink, which will adversely 
affect our ability to maintain our profitability and
to invest in and grow our business.  

dd

ff

The proliferation of physician-owned distributorships, as well as aggressive competitive tactics to attract away key customers,

could result in increased pricing pressure and harm our ability to maintain or grow revenue. 

Physician-owned distributorships, or PODs, are medical device distributors that are owned, directly or indirectly, by physicians.  
These  physicians  derive  revenue  from  selling  or  arranging  for  the  sale  of  medical  devices  via  their  PODs  that  are  used  in  the
procedures they perform on their patients.  We do not sell or distribute any of our products to PODs.  However, the proliferation of 
PODs  may  reduce  our  market  opportunities  and  may  hamper  our  ability  to  grow  or  maintain  revenue.    PODs  can  have  significant 
market  knowledge  and  access  to  the  surgeons  who  use  our  products,  and  we  have  seen increasingly  aggressive  competitive  tactics 
from  PODs  focused  on  attracting  customers  away  from  us.    To  the  extent  these  tactics  are  successful,  our  revenue  may  materially
suffer. 

If the quality of our products does not meet the expectations of physicians or patients, then our brand and reputation could 

suffer and our business could be adversely impacted.

In the course of conducting our business, we must adequately address quality issues that may arise with our products, as well as 
defects in third-party components included in our products.  Although we have established internal procedures to minimize risks that 
may arise from quality issues, we may not be able to eliminate or mitigate occurrences of these issues and associated liabilities.  If the 
quality of our products does not meet the expectations of physicians or patients, then our brand and reputation could suffer and our 
business could be adversely impacted. 

The safety of many of our products is not yet supported by long-term clinical data and many of our products may therefore 

prove to be less safe and effective than initially thought.

As a consequence of our strategy to obsolete our own products with new technologies, many of our products do not have a long 
history  of  use.  Further,  many  of  our  products  are  subject  to  the  FDA’s  510(k)  premarket  notification  clearance  process,  which 
typically does not require clinical data.  Accordingly, many of our products currently lack the breadth of published long-term clinical 
data supporting their safety and effectiveness. For these reasons, spine surgeons may be slow to adopt our products, we may not have
comparative data that our competitors have or are generating, and we may be subject to greater regulatory and product liability risks.  

y

t

Further,  future  patient  studies  or  clinical  experience  may  indicate  that  treatment  with  our  products  does  not  improve  patient 
outcomes. Such results would reduce demand for our products, affect sustainable reimbursement from third-party payers, significantly 
reduce our ability to achieve expected revenue and could prevent us from sustaining or increasing profitability. Moreover, if future
ff
results and experience indicate that our products cause unexpected or serious complications or other unforeseen negative effect
s, we
d
could  be  subject  to  significant  legal  liability  and  harm  to  our  business  reputation.  The  spine  medical  device  market  has  been
particularly  prone  to potential  product  liability  claims  that  are inherent  in  the  testing,  manufacture and sale  of  medical  devices  and 
products for spine surgery procedures.

r
We  may  engage  in  strategic  transactions,  including  acquisitions,  investments,  or
  joint  development  agreements  that  may 
s

have an adverse effect on our business.  

t

We may pursue transactions, including acquisitions of complementary businesses, technology licensing arrangements and joint 
development agreements to expand our product offerings and geographic presence as part of our business strategy, which could be
material to our financial condition and results of operations. We may not complete transactions in a timely manner, on a cost-effective 
basis, or at all, and we may not realize the expected benefits of any acquisition, license arrangement or joint development agreement. 
Other companies may compete with us for these strategic opportunities. We also could experience negative effects on our results
 of 
tt
operations  and  financial  condition  from  acquisition-related  charges,  amortization of  intangible  assets  and  asset  impairment  charges,
and other issues that could arise in connection with, or as a result of, the acquisition of an acquired company or business, including 
issues related to internal control over financial reporting, regulatory or compliance issues and potential adverse short-term effects on 
results of operations through increased costs or otherwise.  

18 

In  February 2016,  we  completed  the  acquisition  of  Ellipse  Technologies  for  an  upfront  payment  of  $380.0 million  and  a 
potential milestone payment of $30.0 million payable in 2017 related to the achievement of specific revenue targets. In July 2016, we 
acquired  BNN  Holdings  Corp.,  which  through  its  subsidiaries  and  affiliates,  owns  and  operates  Biotronic  NeuroNetwork  for  a 
purchase  price  of  $98.0  million.  Acquisitions,  including  the  acquisitions  of  Ellipse  Technologies  and  Biotronic  NeuroNetwork,
involve numerous risks, including the following:

• difficulties in finding suitable partners or acquisition candidates;
• difficulties in obtaining financing on favorable terms, if at all; 
• difficulties in completing transactions on favorable terms, if at all;
• the  possibility  that  we  will  pay  more  than  the  value  we  derive  from  the  acquisition,  which  could  result  in  future  non-cash 

impairment charges and/or a dilution of future earnings per share; 

• difficulties  in  integration  of  the  operations,  technologies,  personnel,  and  products  of  the  acquired  companies,  which  may
require  significant  attention  of  the  Company’s  management  team  that  otherwise  would  be  available  for  the  ongoing 
development of our business;

• the  applicability  of  additional  laws,  regulations  and  policies  that  have  particular  application  to  our  acquisitions,  including
those relating to patient privacy, insurance fraud and abuse, false claims, prohibitions against self-referrals, anti-kickbacks,
direct billing practices, HIPAA compliance, and prohibitions against the corporate practice of medicine and fee-splitting; 

t

• the assumption of certain known and unknown liabilities of the acquired companies;
• the incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities or future write-offs of intangible assets or goodwill;
• difficulties in retaining key relationships with employees, customers, partners and suppliers of the acquired company; and 
• difficulties in operating in different business markets where we may not have historical experience. 

Any of these factors could have a negative impact on our business, results of operations or financial position. Further, past and
potential acquisitions entail risks, uncertainties and potential disruptions to our business, especially where we have limited experience
as a company developing or marketing a particular product or technology. In addition, we may face additional risks related to foreign 
acquisitions.  Foreign acquisitions involve unique risks in addition to those mentioned above, including those related to integration of 
operations across different cultures and languages, currency risks and the particular economic, political and regulatory risks associated 
with specific countries. 

ff

Healthcare  policy  changes,  including  United  States  healthcare  reform  legislation  signed  in  2010,  may  have  a  material 

adverse effect on us.

In March 2010, the Affordable Care Act was enacted in the United States, which made a number of substantial changes in the 

way healthcare is financed by both governmental and private insurers. Among other things, the Affordable Care Act:

• requires certain medical device manufacturers to pay a sales tax equal to 2.3% of the price for which such manufacturer sells 

its medical devices, provided that such tax, after going into effect in 2013, has now been suspended until 2018; 

• establishes  a  new  Patient-Centered  Outcomes  Research  Institute  to  oversee  and  identify  priorities  in  comparative  clinical 

effectiveness research in an effort to coordinate and develop such research; 

• implements  payment  system  reforms  including  a  national  pilot  program  on  payment  bundling  to  encourage  hospitals, 
physicians  and  other  providers  to  improve  the  coordination,  quality  and  efficiency  of  certain  healthcare  services  through
bundled payment models; and 

• establishes  an  Independent  Payment  Advisory  Board  that  will  submit  recommendations  to reduce  Medicare  spending  if 

projected Medicare spending exceeds a specified growth rate. 

In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the Affordable Care Act was enacted. On August 2,
2011, the Budget Control Act of 2011 was signed into law, which, among other things, created the Joint Select Committee on Deficit 
Reduction to recommend to Congress proposals in spending reductions. The Joint Select Committee did not achieve a targeted deficit 
reduction  of  at  least  $1.2  trillion  for  the  years  2013  through  2021,  triggering  the  legislation’s  automatic  reduction  to  several 
government programs. This includes reductions to Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year, which went into effect on 
April  1,  2013  and,  due  to  subsequent  legislative  amendments  to  the  statute,  will  remain  in  effect  through  2024  unless  additional 
Congressional action is taken. On January 2, 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was signed into law, which, among 
other things, reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals, and increased the statute of limitations period for 
the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years. 

19 

We expect that additional state and federal healthcare reform measures will be adopted in the future, any of which could limit
the amounts that federal and state governments will pay for healthcare products and services, which could result in reduced demand 
for our products or additional pricing pressure. 

Our IOM business exposes us to risks inherent with the sale of services. 

Our  IOM  services  and  support  business  operated  though  our  subsidiary,  NuVasive  Clinical  Services,  exposes  us  to  different 
risks than our other products and technologies.  Through our IOM services business, we provide onsite and remote monitoring of the 
neurological systems of patients undergoing spinal and brain-related surgeries.  Our neurophysiologists are present in the operating 
room during procedures and work in partnership with supervising physicians who remotely oversee and interpret neurophysiological 
data gathered via broadband transmission over the Internet.  Providing this service subjects us to malpractice exposure.  In addition, 
given the reliance on technology, any disruption to our neuromonitoring equipment or the Internet could harm our service operations
and our reputation among our customers. Further, any disruption to our computer systems could adversely impact the performance of 
our neurophysiologists.

In addition, IOM services are directly billed to Medicare and commercial payers, which brings with it additional risks associated
with proper billing practice regulations, HIPAA compliance, corporate practice of medicine laws, and new collections risk associated 
with  third-party  payers.    Due  to  the  breadth  of  many  healthcare  laws  and  regulations,  our  IOM  business  could  also  be  subject  to
healthcare  fraud  regulation  and  enforcement  by  both  the  federal  government  and  the  states  in  which  we  conduct  our  business, 
including under the Anti-Kickback Statute, the federal false claims laws and state law equivalents.  If our operations are found to be in
violation  of  any  of  the  laws  described  in  the  previous  sentence  or  any  other  governmental  regulations  that  apply  to  us,  we  may be 
subject to penalties, including civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. Any 
penalties, damages, fines, curtailment or restructuring of our operations could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and 
our financial results.  

Our  employee  shareowners,  consultants,  distributors  and  other  commercial  partners  may  engage  in  misconduct  or  other 

improper activities, including non-compliance with regulatory standards and requirements. 

We are exposed to the risk that our employee shareowners, consultants, distributors and other commercial partners may engage 
in  fraudulent  or  illegal  activity.  Misconduct  by  these  parties  could  include  intentional,  reckless  or  negligent  conduct  or  other 
unauthorized activities that violate the regulations of the FDA and non-U.S. regulators, including those laws requiring the reporting of 
true, complete and accurate information to such regulators, manufacturing standards, healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations 
in  the  United  States  and  abroad  or  laws  that  require  the  true,  complete  and  accurate  reporting  of  financial  information  or  data.  In
particular, sales, marketing and business arrangements in the healthcare industry, including the sale of medical devices, are subject to 
extensive laws and regulations intended to prevent fraud, misconduct, kickbacks, self-dealing and other abusive practices. These laws
and regulations may restrict or prohibit a wide range of pricing, discounting, marketing and promotion, sales commission, customer 
incentive programs and other business arrangements. It is not always possible to identify and deter misconduct by employees, sales
agencies, distributors and other third parties, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in 
controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits 
stemming  from  a  failure  to  comply  with  these  laws  or  regulations.  If  any  such  actions  are  instituted  against  us  and  we  are  not 
successful  in  defending  ourselves  or  asserting  our  rights,  those  actions  could  result  in  the  imposition  of  significant  fines  or other 
sanctions, including the imposition of civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, possible exclusion from
participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits
and  future  earnings  and  curtailment  of  operations,  any  of  which  could  adversely  affect  our  ability  to  operate  our  business  and  our 
results of operations. Whether or not we are successful in defending against such actions or investigations, we could incur substantial 
costs, including legal fees, and divert the attention of management in defending ourselves against any of these claims or investigations. 

r

Risks Related to our Commercial Operations and Plans for Future Growth

t
If we are unable to maintain and expand our network of direct and independent sales representatives, we may not be able to

generate anticipated sales. 

In the United States, we sell our products through a combination of exclusive independent sales agents and directly-employed 
sales personnel. Our international sales force is comprised of independent sales agents, directly-employed sales personnel, as well as
exclusive  and  non-exclusive  independent  third-party  distributors.  We  expect  these  sales  representatives  to  develop  long-lasting
relationships with the spine surgeons they serve. If our sales representatives fail to adequately promote, market and sell our products, 
or fail to develop lasting relationships with spine surgeons, our sales could significantly decrease or fail to increase. Further, we may 
t these
terminate sales representatives from time to time, which could subject us to claims and lawsuits. Asserting or defending agains
u
for 
types  of  claims  and  lawsuits  may  result  in  significant  legal  fees  and  expenses,  and  if  we  are  unsuccessful,  we  could  be  liable 
damages. 

n

20 

We  face  significant  challenges  and  risks  in  managing  our  geographically  dispersed  distribution  network  and  retaining  the
individuals  who  make  up  that  network.    In  the  past,  we  have  experienced  departures  of  sales  representatives,  which  have  had  a 
negative impact on our results. If sales representatives were to depart and be retained by one of our competitors, we may be unable to
prevent them from helping competitors solicit business from our existing customers, which could further adversely affect our sales.
Because  of  the  intense  competition  for  their  services,  we  may  be  unable  to  recruit  or  retain  sales  representatives  to  work  with  us.
Failure to hire or retain qualified sales representatives would prevent us from expanding our business and generating sales. 

We may be unable to manage our future growth effectively, which could make it difficult to execute our business strategy. 

We  intend  to  grow  our  business  operations  and  we  may  experience  periods  of  rapid  growth  and  expansion.  This  anticipated 
future  growth  could  create  a  strain  on  our  organizational,  administrative  and  operational  infrastructure,  including  manufacturing 
operations, quality control, technical support and customer service, sales force management and general and financial administration.
We may not be able to maintain the quality or delivery timelines of our products or satisfy customer demand as it grows. Our ability to 
manage our growth properly will require us to continue to improve our operational, financial and management controls, as well as our 
reporting systems and procedures. 

If  our  commercial  operations  and  sales  volume  grow,  we  will  need  to  continue  to  increase  our  workflow  capacity  for 
manufacturing,  customer  service,  billing  and  general  process  improvements  and  expand  our  internal  quality  assurance  program,
among other things. We will also need to purchase additional equipment, some of which can take several months or more to procure, 
set up and validate, and increase our manufacturing, maintenance, software and computing capacity to meet increased demand. These 
increases in scale, expansion of personnel, purchase of equipment or process enhancements may not be successfully implemented.

Our reliance on a limited number of suppliers and manufacturers could limit our ability to meet demand for our products in

a timely manner or within our budget. 

We rely on a limited number of third-party suppliers and manufacturers to supply and manufacture a majority of our products,
and  we  may  not  be  able  to  find  replacements  or  immediately  transition  to  alternative  suppliers.    Many  of  our  key  products  are 
manufactured at single locations, with limited alternate facilities.  Further, for reasons of quality assurance or cost effectiveness, we
purchase certain components and raw materials from sole suppliers.

To be successful, we rely on our suppliers to provide us with products and components in substantial quantities, in compliance
with regulatory requirements, in accordance with agreed upon specifications, at acceptable cost and on a timely basis. In the event we
experience delays, shortages, or stoppages of supply with any supplier, we would be forced to identify a suitable alternative supplier 
which  could  take  significant  time  and  result  in  significant  expense.  In  addition,  our  anticipated  growth  could  strain  the  ability  of 
suppliers to deliver an increasingly large supply of products, materials and components. If we are required to transition to new third-
party  suppliers  for  certain  components of our products,  the  use  of  components or  materials  furnished  by  these  alternative  suppliers
could require us to alter our operations.  Any such interruption or alteration could harm our reputation, business, financial condition 
and results of operations. In addition, if we are required to change the manufacturer of a critical component of our products, 
we will be
required  to  verify  that  the  new  manufacturer  maintains  facilities,  procedures  and  operations  that  comply  with  our  quality  and
applicable  regulatory  requirements,  which  could  further  impede  our  ability  to  manufacture  our  products  in  a  timely  manner. 
Transitioning  to  a  new  supplier  could  be  time-consuming  and  expensive,  may  result  in  interruptions  in  our  operations  and  product 
delivery, could affect the performance specifications of our products or could require that we modify the design of those systems.

r

Performance issues, service interruptions or price increases by our shipping carriers could adversely affect our business and 

harm our reputation and ability to provide our services on a timely basis.

Expedited, reliable  shipping  is  essential  to our  operations. We rely heavily  on providers of  transport  services  for reliable  and
secure  point-to-point  transport  of  our  products  to  our  customers  and  for  tracking  of  these  shipments.  Should  a  carrier  encounter 
delivery performance issues such as loss, damage or destruction of any products, it co
uld be costly to replace such products in a timely
a
manner  and  such  occurrences  may  damage  our  reputation  and  lead  to  decreased  demand  for  our  products  and  increased  cost  and 
expense to our business. In addition, any significant increase in shipping rates could adversely affect our operating margins and results 
of  operations.  Similarly,  strikes,  severe  weather,  natural  disasters  or  other  service  interruptions  affecting  delivery  services  we  use
would adversely affect our ability to process orders for our products on a timely basis.

n

aa

21 

u
Manufacturing  risks  may  adversely  affect  our  ability  to  manufacture  products  and  could  reduce  our  gross  margins  and 

negatively affect our operating results. 

We  currently  manufacture  a  portion  of  our  products  at  our  manufacturing  facility  in  Dayton,  Ohio.  In  2015,  we  added  an 
approximately  180,000  square  foot  manufacturing  facility  in  West  Carrollton,  Ohio,  in  order  to  expand  our  internal  manufacturing 
efforts and this new facility commenced limited commercial scale production in the fourth quarter of 2016. As part of our business 
strategy,  we  intend  to  expand  our  ability  to  manufacture  our  current  and  new  products  with  exceptional  quality  and  in  sufficient 
quantities  to  meet  demand,  while  complying  with  regulatory  requirements  and  managing  manufacturing  costs.  We  are  subject  to
numerous risks relating to our manufacturing capabilities, including both those of our own manufacturing facilities and those of our 
third party suppliers, such as: 

• problems with quality control and assurance;
• defects in product components that we source from third-party suppliers; 
• delays in obtaining components from third-party suppliers and component supply shortages; 
• failing to predict demand accurately, resulting in a failure to increase production of products to meet demand; 
• potential  adverse  effects  on  existing  business  relationships  with  current  third-party  suppliers  as  we  expand  our  in-house 

manufacturing capabilities;

• maintaining control over manufacturing expenses as production expands;
• difficulties associated with compliance with local, state, federal and foreign regulatory requirements;
• the inability to modify production lines to enable the efficient manufacture of new products or to quickly implement changes 

to current products in response to regulatory requirements; and 

• potential damage to or destruction of our, or our suppliers’ manufacturing equipment or manufacturing facilities.

These risks may be exacerbated by our limited experience with in-house manufacturing processes and procedures. In addition, 
as we seek to expand our manufacturing capabilities, we will have to continue to invest additional resources to hire and train personnel 
and  enhance our production processes.  If we  fail  to  increase  our  manufacturing  capacity  efficiently,  our profit  margins  will  shrink,
which will negatively affect our operating results.

hh

The loss of key employee shareowners, or our inability to recruit, hire and retain skilled and experienced personnel, could 

negatively impact our ability to effectively manage and expand our business.

Our success depends on the skills, experience and performance of the members of our executive management team and other 
key employee shareowners. Their individual and collective efforts will be important as we continue to develop our products and as we
expand  our  commercial  activities.  The  loss  or  incapacity  of  existing  members  of  our  executive  management  team  could  negatively
impact  our  operations,  particularly  if  we  experience  difficulties  in  hiring  qualified  successors.  We  do  not  maintain  key  man  life 
insurance with respect to any of our employee shareowners.

Our research and development programs and operations depend on our ability to attract and retain highly skilled engineers and 
technicians. We may not be able to attract or retain qualified managers, engineers an
d technicians in the future due to the competition
t
for qualified personnel among medical device businesses, particularly in California. We also face competition from universities and 
public and private research institutions in recruiting and retaining highly qualified personnel. Recruiting and retention difficulties can 
limit  our  ability  to  support  our  commercial,  manufacturing  and  research  and  development  programs.  All  of  our  U.S.  employee
shareowners  are  employed  on  an  at-will  basis,  which  means  that  either  we  or  the  employee  shareowner  may  terminate  his  or  her 
re  of  any  key  employee  shareowners  to  perform  or  our 
employment  at  any  time.  The  loss  of  key  employee  shareowners,  the  failu
inability  to  attract  and  retain  skilled  employee  shareowners,  as needed,  or  an  inability  to  effectively  plan  for  and  implement  a
succession plan for key employee shareowners could harm our business. 

m

m

22 

We face risks associated with our international business. 

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2016,  $130.4  million  or  approximately  14%  of  our  net  revenue  was  attributable  to  our 
international  customers.  We  are  seeking  to  increase  our  international  sales  over  the  foreseeable  future.  Our  international  business
operations are subject to a variety of risks, including:

• difficulties in staffing and managing foreign and geographically dispersed operations; 
• having to comply with various U.S. and international laws, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, or the 

FCPA, and anti-money laundering laws; 

• having  to  comply  with  export  control  laws,  including,  but  not  limited  to,  the  Export  Administration  Regulations  and  trade
sanctions  against  embargoed  countries,  which  are  administered  by  the  Office  of  Foreign  Assets  Control  within  the 
Department of the Treasury, as well as the laws and regulations administered by the Department of Commerce; 

• differing regulatory requirements for obtaining clearances or approvals to market our products;
• changes in, or uncertainties relating to, foreign rules and regulations that may impact our ability to sell our products, perform 

services or repatriate profits to the United States;

• tariffs and trade barriers, export regulations and other regulatory and contractual limitations on our ability to sell our products

dd

in certain foreign markets;

• fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;
• limitations on or increase of withholding and other taxes on remittances and other payments by foreign subsidiaries or joint 

ventures; 

• differing multiple payer reimbursement regimes, government payers or patient self-pay systems;
• differing labor laws and standards; 
• complex data privacy requirements; 
• economic, political or social instability in foreign countries and regions; 
• an inability, or reduced ability, to protect our intellectual property, including any effect of compulsory licensing imposed by

government action; and 

• availability of government subsidies or other incentives that benefit competitors in their local markets that are not available to 

us. 

The FCPA  and  similar  anti-bribery  laws  in non-U.S. jurisdictions generally  prohibit  companies  and  their  intermediaries  from
making  improper  payments  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  or  retaining  business.  The  FCPA  also  imposes  accounting  standards  and
requirements on publicly traded U.S. corporations and their foreign affiliates, which are intended to prevent the diversion of corporate
funds  to  the  payment  of  bribes  and  other  improper  payments.  Because  of  the  predominance  of  government-sponsored  healthcare
systems  around  the  world,  many  of  our  customer  relationships outside  of  the  United  States  are  with  governmental  entities  and  are 
therefore subject to such anti-bribery laws. Our internal control policies and procedures may not always protect us from reckless or 
criminal  acts  committed  by  our  employee  shareowners,  distributors  or  agents.  In  recent  years,  both  the  United  States  and  foreig
n
government  regulators  have  increased  regulation,  enforcement,  inspections  and  governmental  investigations  of  the  medical  device
industry,  including  increased  United  States  government  oversight  and  enforcement  of  the  FCPA.  Despite  implementation  of  a
comprehensive  global  healthcare  compliance  program,  we  may  be  subject  to  more  regulation,  enforcement,  inspections  and 
investigations by governmental authorities in the future.  

t

Any failure to comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations in the United States or abroad could adversely affect us
in a variety of ways that include, but are not limited to, significant criminal, civil and administrative penalties, including imprisonment 
of  individuals,  fines  and  penalties,  denial  of  export  privileges,  seizure  of  shipments  and  restrictions  on  certain  business  activities, 
disgorgement  and  other  remedial  measures,  disruptions  of  our  operations,  significant  management  distraction.  Also,  the  failure to 
comply  with  applicable  legal  and  regulatory  obligations  could  result  in  the  disruption  of  our  distribution  and  sales  activities.  Any
reduction in international sales, or our failure to further develop our international markets, could have a material adverse effect on our 
business, results of operations and financial condition. 

ff

23 

Our results may be impacted by changes in foreign currency exchange rates. 

As we increasingly compete in markets outside of the United States, we are and will be exposed to foreign currency exchange 
risk  related  to  our  foreign  operations.  A  significant  portion  of  our  foreign  subsidiaries’  operating  expenses  are  incurred  in  foreign
currencies.  If the U.S. dollar weakens, our consolidated operating expenses would increase. An increase in the value of the U.S. dollar 
relative to foreign currencies could require us to reduce our selling price or risk making our products less competitive in international 
markets  or  our  costs  could  increase.  Also,  if  our  international  sales  increase,  we  may  enter  into  a  greater  number  of  transactions 
denominated in non-U.S. dollars, which could expose us to foreign currency risks, including changes in currency exchange rates. If we 
are unable to address these risks and challenges effectively, our international operations may not be successful and our business could
be harmed. 

ff

If we fail to properly manage our anticipated international growth, our business could suffer.

We have invested, and expect to increase our investment for the foreseeable future, in our expansion into international markets. 

To execute our anticipated growth in international markets we must:

• manage the complexities associated with a larger, faster growing and more geographically diverse organization; 
r
• expand  our  clinical  development  resources  to  manage  and  execute  increasingly  global,  larger  and  more  complex  clinical

trials; 

• manage our directly-employed sales personnel as well as independent distributors and sales agents operating in international
markets often pursuant to laws, regulations and customs that may be different than those that are customary for our United 
States operations; 

• expand our sales and marketing presence in international markets generally to avoid revenue concentration in a small number 
of  markets  that  would  subject  us  to  the  risk  of  business  disruption  as  a  result  of  economic  or  political  problems  in 
concentrated locations; 

• upgrade  our  internal  business  processes  and  capabilities  (e.g.,  information  technology  platform  and  systems,  product 
distribution and tracking) to create scalability and properly handle the transaction volumes that our growing geographically 
diverse organization demands; and 

• expend time and resources to receive product approvals and clearances to sell and promote products. 

We  expect  that  our  operating  expenses  will  continue  to  increase  as  we  continue  to  expand  into  international  markets.
International markets  may  be  slower  than domestic  markets  in  adopting  our  products and  are  expected,  in  many  instances,  to  yield
lower  profit  margins  when  compared  to  our  domestic  operations.  We  have  only  limited  experience  in  expanding  into  international 
markets as well as marketing and operating our products and services in such markets. 

Additionally,  our  international  endeavors  may  involve  significant  risks  and  uncertainties,  including  distraction  of  Company 
  our  international  strategy,  and 
t
management  from  domestic  operations,  insufficient  revenue  to  offset the  expenses  associated  with
ternational  markets  is  inherently 
issues  not  discovered  in  our  due  diligence  of  new  markets  or  ventures.  Because  expansion  into  in
risky,  no  assurance  can  be  given  that  such  strategies  and  initiatives  will  be  successful  and  will  not  materially  adversely  affe
ct  our 
financial condition and operating results. Even if our international expansion is successful, our expenses may increase at a greater pace
than our revenue and our operating results could be harmed. 

ff

tt

Further,  our  anticipated  growth  internationally  will  place  additional  strain  on  our  suppliers  and  manufacturers,  resulting  in 
increased need for us to carefully monitor quality assurance. Any failure by us to manage our international growth effectively could 
have an adverse effect on our ability to achieve our development and commercialization goals. 

Cyber  security  risks  and  the  failure  to maintain  the  confidentiality,  integrity,  and  availability  of  our  computer  hardware, 
software, and Internet applications and related tools and functions could result in harm to our business and/or subject us to costs,
fines or lawsuits. 

We rely on sophisticated information technology systems and network infrastructure to operate and manage our business. We
also maintain personally identifiable information (PII) about our employee shareowners, and given the nature of our business, we have 
access to PHI. Our business therefore depends on the continuous, effective, reliable, and secure operation of our computer hardware, 
software, networks, Internet servers, and related infrastructure. To the extent that our hardware or software malfunctions or access to
our data by internal personnel, suppliers or customers through the Internet is interrupted or compromised, our business could suffer. 

24 

The  integrity  and  protection  of  our  customer,  personnel,  financial,  research  and  development,  and  other  confidential  data  is 
critical  to  our  business  and  our  customers  and  employees  have  a  high  expectation  that  we  will  adequately  protect  their  personal
information. The regulatory environment governing information, security and privacy laws is increasingly demanding and continues to
evolve.  Although  our  computer  and  communications  hardware  is protected  through  physical  and  software  safeguards,  it  is  still 
vulnerable  to  system  malfunction,  computer  viruses,  and  cyber-attacks.  These  events  could  lead  to  the  unauthorized  access  of  our uu
information technology systems and result in the misappropriation or unauthorized disclosure of confidential information belonging to
us,  our  employee  shareowners,  partners,  customers,  or  our  suppliers.  The  techniques  used  by  criminal  elements  to  attack  computer 
systems are sophisticated, change frequently and may originate from less regulated and remote areas of the world. As a result, we may 
not  be  able  to  address  these  techniques  proactively  or  implement  adequate  preventative  measures.  If  our  information  technology 
systems are compromised, we could be subject to fines, damages, litigation and enforcement actions and we could lose trade secrets or 
other confidential information, the occurrence of which could harm our business. 

Our operations are vulnerable to interruption or loss due to natural or other disasters, power loss, strikes and other events 

beyond our control.  

We conduct a significant portion of our activities, including administration and data processing, at facilities located in Southern 
California, an area that has experienced major earthquakes, fires and other natural disasters. A major earthquake, fire or other disaster 
(such as a major flood, tsunami, or terrorist attack) affecting our facilities, or those of our suppliers, could significantly disrupt our 
operations, and delay or prevent product shipment or installation during the time required to repair, rebuild or replace our facilities or 
those  of  our  suppliers.    These  delays  could  be  lengthy  and  costly.  If  any  of  our  customers’  facilities  are  negatively  impacted  by  a
disaster, shipments of our products could be delayed. Additionally, customers may delay purchases of our products until operations 
return to normal. Even if we are able to quickly respond to a disaster, the ongoing effects of the disaster could create some uncertainty 
in the operations of our business. In addition, our facilities may be subject to a shortage of available electrical power and other energy 
supplies. Any shortages may increase our costs for power and energy supplies or could result in blackouts, which could disrupt the 
operations  of  our  affected  facilities  and  harm  our  business.  In  addition,  concerns  about  terrorism,  the  effects  of  a  terrorist  attack, 
political  turmoil  or  an  outbreak  of  epidemic  diseases  could  have  a  negative  effect  on  our  operations,  those  of  our  suppliers  and
customers and the ability to travel, which could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

tt

Our insurance policies are expensive and protect us only from some business risks, which will leave us exposed to significant 

uninsured liabilities. 

We do not carry insurance for all categories of risk that our business may encounter. Some of the policies we currently maintain
include  general  liability,  foreign  liability,  employee  benefits  liability,  property,  umbrella,  workers’  compensation,  products liability
and directors’ and officers’  insurance.   We  do not  know,  however,  if  we  will  be  able  to  maintain  existing  insurance  with  adequate
levels of coverage. Any significant uninsured liability may require us to pay substantial amounts, which would adversely affect our
cash position and results of operations. 

t

We bear the risk of warranty claims on our products. 

We  bear  the  risk  of  express  and  implied  warranty  claims  on  products  we  supply,  including  equipment  and  component  parts 
manufactured by third parties. We may not be successful in claiming recovery under any warranty or indemnity provided to us by 
our 
suppliers or vendors in the event of a successful warranty claim against us by a customer or that any recovery from such vendor or 
r
supplier would be adequate. In addition, warranty claims brought by our customers re
lated to third-party components may arise after 
aa
our ability to bring corresponding warranty claims against such suppliers expire, which could result in additional costs to us. There is a 
risk  that  warranty  claims  made  against  us  will  exceed  our  warranty  reserve  and  our  business,  financial  condition  and  results  of
operations could be harmed.

r

25 

Risks Related to Litigation and Intellectual Property 

Defending against litigation or other proceedings or third-party claims of intellectual property infringement could require us
to  spend  significant  time  and  money,  and  if  we  are  unsuccessful,  we  may  be  obligated  to  pay  damages  and  halt  sales  of  our 
products. 

ll

Significant litigation regarding patent rights occurs in our industry and our commercial success depends in part on not infringing 
the patents or violating the other proprietary rights of others.  We have received in the past, and expect to receive in the future, claims
from our competitors alleging infringement of their intellectual property rights as part of business strategies designed to impede our 
successful commercialization of updated and new products and entry into new markets.  A patent infringement suit brought agains
t us 
or  any  of  our  strategic  partners  or  licensees  may  force  us  or  such  strategic  partners  or  licensees  to  stop  or  delay  developing,
manufacturing or selling potential products that are claimed to infringe a third-party’s intellectual property, unless that party grants us
or  our  strategic  partners  or  licensees  rights  to  use  its  intellectual  property.  In  such  cases,  we  may  be  required  to  obtain  lic
enses  to
tt
patents or proprietary rights of others in order to continue to commercialize our products. However, we may not be able to obtain any 
licenses required under any patents or proprietary rights of third parties on acceptable terms, or at all, and any licenses may require
substantial royalties or other payments by us. Even if our strategic partners, licensees or we were able to obtain rights to the third-
party’s  intellectual  property,  these  rights  may  be  non-exclusive,  thereby  giving  our  competitors  access  to  the  same  intellectual
property. Ultimately, we may be unable to commercialize some of our potential products or may have to cease some of our business
operations as a result of patent infringement claims, which could severely harm our business.

y

t

Moreover, we may become party to future adversarial proceedings regarding our patent portfolio or the patents of third parties.
Such  proceedings  could  include  supplemental  examination  or  contested  post-grant  proceedings  such  as  inter  partes  review, 
reexamination,  interference  or  derivation  proceedings  before  the  U.S.  Patent  and  Trademark  Office  and  challenges  in  U.S.  District 
Court. Patents may be subjected to opposition, post-grant review or comparable proceedings lodged in various foreign, both nati
onal 
and regional, patent offices. The legal threshold for initiating litigation or contested proceedings may be low, so that even lawsuits or 
proceedings with a low probability of success might be initiated. Litigation and contested proceedings can also be expensive and time-
consuming, and our adversaries in these proceedings may have the ability to dedicate substantially greater resources to prosecu
ting
these legal actions than we can.  

d

y

Any lawsuits resulting from such allegations could subject us to significant liability for damages and invalidate our proprietary 

rights. Any potential intellectual property litigation also could force us to do one or more of the following:  

• stop making, selling or using products or technologies that allegedly infringe the asserted intellectual property;  
• lose the opportunity to license our technology to others or to collect royalty payments based upon successful protection and 

t

assertion of our intellectual property rights against others;   

• incur significant legal expenses;   
• pay substantial damages or royalties to the party whose intellectual property rights we may be found to be infringing;   
tt
• pay the attorney’s fees and costs of litigation to the party whose intellectual property rights we may be found to be infringing;  
• redesign  those  products  that contain  the  allegedly  infringing  intellectual  property,  which  could be  costly,  disruptive  and/or 

infeasible; or   

• attempt to obtain a license to the relevant intellectual property from third parties, which may not be available on reasonable 

terms or at all.   

Any  litigation  or  claim  against  us,  even  those  without  merit,  may  cause  us  to  incur  substantial  costs,  and  could  place  a
significant strain on our financial resources, divert the attention of management from our core business and harm our reputation. In
addition,  we  generally  indemnify  our  customers  and  international  distributors  with  respect  to  infringement  by  our  products  of  the 
proprietary rights of third parties. If third parties assert infringement claims against our customers or distributors, we may be required 
to initiate or defend protracted and costly litigation on behalf of our customers or distributors, regardless of the merits of these claims. 
If  any  of  these  claims  succeed  or  settle,  we  may  be  forced  to  pay  damages  or  settlement  payments  on  behalf  of  our  customers  or 
aa
distributors or may be required to obtain licenses for the products they use. If we cannot obtain all necessary licenses on commercially 
reasonable terms, our customers may be forced to stop using our products. 

26 

We  are  currently,  and  may  in  the  future  be,  subject  to  claims  and  lawsuits  that  could  cause  us  to  incur  significant  legal 

expenses and result in harm to our business.  

We are currently subject to a purported securities class action lawsuit, shareholder derivative litigation, and various commercial
and product liability lawsuits, and we may be subject to additional claims and lawsuits in the future.  In addition, we, as well as certain 
of our officers and sales representatives, are subject to claims or lawsuits from time to time. Regardless of the outcome, these lawsuits
may result in significant legal fees and expenses and could divert management’s time and other resources. If the claims contained in 
these  lawsuits  are  successfully  asserted  against  us,  we  could  be  liable  for  damages  and  be  required  to  alter  or  cease  certain  of  our 
business practices or product lines. Any of these outcomes could cause our business, financial performance and cash position to be 
negatively impacted. Litigation may also harm our relationships with existing customers and subject us to negative publicity, each of 
which could harm our business and financial results.

Our ability to protect our intellectual property and proprietary technology through patents and other means is uncertain.

Our success depends significantly on our ability to protect our proprietary rights to the technologies used in our products and
procedural  solutions.  We  rely  on  patent  protection,  as  well  as  a combination  of  copyright,  trade secret  and  trademark  laws,  and
nondisclosure,  confidentiality  and  other  contractual  restrictions  to  protect  our  proprietary  technology.  However,  these  legal  means 
afford only limited protection and may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep any competitive advantage. If we
do not adequately protect our intellectual property and proprietary technology, competitors may be able to use our technologies and 
erode or negate any competitive advantage we may have, which could harm our business and ability to achieve profitability.  

Our pending U.S. and foreign patent applications may not issue as patents at all or not in a form that will be advantageous to us
or may issue and be subsequently successfully challenged by others and invalidated. Our existing patents and any patents issued in the 
future may not have claims with a scope sufficient to protect our products, any additional features we develop for our products or any 
new products. Both the patent application process and the process of managing patent disputes can be time consuming and expensive.
patent 
aa
Other parties may have developed technologies that may be related or competitive to our technology, may have filed or may file 
applications and may have received or may receive patents that overlap or conflict with our patent applications, either by claiming the 
same methods or devices or by claiming subject matter that could dominate our patent position.  

d

If  we  seek  to  enforce  our  intellectual  property  rights  through  litigation  or  other  proceedings,  it  could  require  us  to  spend 

tt

significant time and money, with uncertain results. 

In the event a competitor infringes upon our patent or other intellectual property rights, enforcing those rights may be costly,
difficult and time consuming. We may not have sufficient resources to enforce our intellectual property rights or to defend our patents 
against a challenge. Our ability to enforce our patent rights depends on our ability to detect infringement. It may be difficult to detect
infringers who do not advertise the components that are used in their products. Moreover, it may be difficult or impossible to obtain 
evidence  of  infringement  in  a  competitor’s  or  potential  competitor’s  product.  The  medical  device  industry  is  characterized  by  the 
existence of a large number of patents and frequent litigation based on allegations of patent infringement. It is not unusual for parties 
to  exchange  letters  surrounding  allegations of  intellectual  property  infringement  and  licensing  arrangements.  In  addition,  the patent 
positions of medical device companies, including our patent position, may involve complex legal and factual questions, and, therefore, 
the scope, validity and enforceability of any patent claims that we have or may obtain cannot be predicted with certainty.  

ff

r

t

27 

Recent changes in U.S. patent laws may limit our ability to obtain, defend and/or enforce our patents.  

Recent patent reform legislation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of our patent applications 
and  the  enforcement  or  defense  of  our  issued  patents.  The  Leahy-Smith  America  Invents
Act,  or  the  Leahy-Smith  Act,  includes  a 
d
number of significant changes to U.S. patent law. These include provisions that affect the way patent applications are prosecuted and 
also  affect  patent  litigation.  The  U.S.  Patent  and  Trademark  Office  recently  developed  new  regulations  and  procedures  to  govern
administration of the Leahy-Smith Act, and many of the substantive changes to patent law associated with the Leahy-Smith Act, and 
in particular, the first to file provisions, which only became effective on March 16, 2013. The first to file provisions limit the rights of 
an inventor to patent an invention if not the first to file an application for patenting that invention, even if such invention was the first 
invention. Accordingly, it is not clear what, if any, impact the Leahy-Smith Act will have on the operation of our business. The pool of 
prior  art  available  to  inhibit  or  limit  our  ability  to  obtain  issued  patents  on  the  technology  utilized  in  our  products  is  expected  to
expand and the grace period for filing a patent application has been reduced in some ways. It is now possible for a situation to arise in 
which a competitor is able to obtain patent rights to technology which we invented first. Furthermore, the newly enacted patent laws 
have expanded the types of post grant challenges of issued patents and these proceedings may provide our competitors with additional 
opportunities to challenge the validity of our issued patents.

t

Additionally,  the  Leahy-Smith  Act  and  its  implementation  could  increase  the  uncertainties  and  costs  surrounding  the 
enforcement and defense of our issued patents. For example, the Leahy-Smith Act provides that an administrative tribunal known as 
the Patent Trial and Appeals Board, or PTAB, provides a venue for challenging the validity of patents at a cost that is much lower than
district  court  litigation  and  on  timelines  that  are  much  faster. Although  it  is  not  clear  what,  if  any,  long-term  impact  the  PTAB 
proceedings will have on the operation of our business, the initial results of patent challenge proceedings before the PTAB since its 
inception in 2013 have resulted in the invalidation of many U.S. patent claims. The availability of the PTAB as a lower-cost, faster 
and  potentially  more  potent  tribunal  for  challenging  patents  could  increase  the  likelihood  that  our  own  patents  will  be  challenged, 
thereby increasing the uncertainties and costs of maintaining and enforcing them. 

ff

Further, competitors may challenge our issued patents through post-grant challenge procedures (domestically) and/or opposition 
proceedings (internationally). The Leahy-Smith Act amended the post-grant challenge procedures in the U.S. to eliminate inter partes 
reexamination,  maintain  ex  parte  reexamination,  and  add  inter  partes  review  making  it  easier  for  third-parties  to  challenge  iss
ued
aa
patents.  We  are  currently  engaged  in  various  such  proceedings  with  respect  to  our  issued  patents  and  the  Leahy-Smith  Act  and  its 
implementation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the enforcement or defense of our issued patents.

 If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, our business and competitive position could be harmed.  

In addition to patent protection, we also rely upon copyright and trade secret protection, as well as non-disclosure agreements
and  invention assignment  agreements  with our  employee shareowners,  consultants and  third parties,  to protect  our  confidential  and 
proprietary information. In addition to contractual measures, we try to protect the confidential nature of our proprietary information 
using physical and technological security measures. Such measures may not, for example, in the case of misappropriation of a trade 
secret by an employee or third party with authorized access, provide adequate protection for our proprietary information. Our security
measures may not prevent an employee or consultant from misappropriating our trade secrets and providing them to a competitor, and 
recourse we take against such misconduct may not provide an adequate remedy to protect our interests fully. Unauthorized parties may 
also attempt to copy or reverse engineer certain aspects of our products that we consider proprietary. Enforcing a claim that a party
a
illegally disclosed or misappropriated a trade secret can be difficult, expensive and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpred
ictable. 
ff
In addition, trade secrets may be independently developed by others in a manner that could prevent legal recourse by us. If any of our 
y
confidential or proprietary information, such as our trade secrets, were to be disclosed or misappropriated, or if any such information
was independently developed by a competitor, our business and competitive position could be harmed.

ff

We may not be able to enforce our intellectual property rights throughout the world.  

The laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States.
Many  companies  have  encountered  significant  problems  in  protecting  and  defending  intellectual  property  rights  in  certain  foreign
jurisdictions. This could make it difficult for us to stop infringement of our foreign patents, if obtained, or the misappropriation of our 
other intellectual property rights. For example, some foreign countries have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner 
must  grant  licenses  to  third  parties.  In  addition,  some  countries  limit  the  enforceability  of  patents  against  third  parties,  including
government agencies or government contractors. In these countries, patents may provide limited or no benefit. Patent protection must 
ultimately  be  sought  on  a  country-by-country  basis,  which  is  an  expensive  and  time-consuming  process  with  uncertain  outcomes.
Accordingly, we may choose not to seek patent protection in certain countries, and we will not have the benefit of patent protection in
such countries.  

n

Proceedings  to  enforce  our  patent  rights  in  foreign  jurisdictions  could  result  in  substantial  costs  and  divert  our  efforts  and 
attention from other aspects of our business. Accordingly, our efforts to protect our intellectual property rights in such countries may 
be inadequate. In addition, changes in the law and legal decisions by courts in the United States and foreign countries may affect our 
ability to obtain adequate protection for our technology and the enforcement of our intellectual property. 

ff

28 

Third parties may assert ownership or commercial rights to inventions we develop.  

Third  parties may  in  the  future  make  claims  challenging  the  inventorship or ownership of our  intellectual  property.  We have 
written  agreements  with  collaborators  that  provide  for  the  ownership  of  intellectual  property  arising  from  our  collaborations.  In
addition, we may face claims by third parties that our agreements with employee shareowners, contractors or consultants obligating
them to assign intellectual property to us are ineffective or in conflict with prior or competing contractual obligations of assignment,
which  could  result  in  ownership  disputes  regarding  intellectual  property  we  have  developed  or  will  develop  and  interfere  with  our 
ability to capture the commercial value of such intellectual property. Litigation may be necessary to resolve an ownership dispute, and 
if  we  are  not  successful,  we  may  be  precluded  from  using  certain  intellectual  property  or  may  lose  our  exclusive  rights  in  that
intellectual property. Either outcome could harm our business and competitive position. 

Third  parties  may  assert  that  our  employees  or  consultants  have  wrongfully  used  or  disclosed  confidential  information  or 

misappropriated trade secrets. 

We  employ  individuals  who  previously  worked  with  other  companies,  including  our  competitors  or  potential  competitors.
Although  we  try  to  ensure  that  our  employee  shareowners  and  consultants  do  not  use  the  proprietary  information  or  know-how  of 
others  in  their  work  for  us,  we  may  be  subject  to  claims  that  we  or  our  personnel,  consultants  or  independent  contractors  have
inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed intellectual property, including trade secrets or other proprietary information, of a former 
employer or other third party. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. If we fail in defending any such claims or 
settling  those  claims,  in  addition  to  paying  monetary  damages  or  a  settlement  payment,  we  may  lose  valuable  intellectual  property 
rights or personnel. Even if we are successful in defending against such cl
aims, litigation could result in substantial costs and/or be a 
distraction to management and other employee shareowners. 

n

a

If personal injury lawsuits are brought against us, our business may be harmed, and we may be required to pay damages that 

exceed our insurance coverage.  

Our business exposes us to potential product liability claims  that are inherent in the testing, manufacture and sale of medical
devices  for  surgical  procedures,  and  potential  malpractice  claims  that  are  inherent  in  the  IOM  services  provided  through  our 
subsidiary, NuVasive  Clinical  Services.  These  surgeries  involve  significant risk  of  serious  complications,  including bleeding, nerve 
injury,  paralysis  and  even  death.  We  could  become  the  subject  of  product  liability  lawsuits  alleging  that  component  failures, 
malfunctions,  manufacturing  flaws,  design  defects  or  inadequate  disclosure  of  product-related  risks  or  product-related  information 
resulted  in  an  unsafe  condition  or  injury  to  patients.  Additionally,  our  IOM  services  business  could  become  the  subject  of  medical
malpractice lawsuits alleging negligence on the part of our neurophysiologists and/or oversight physicians.  

We have had, and continue to have, a small number of personal injury claims relating to our products and clinical services, none 
of  which  either  individually,  or  in  the  aggregate,  have  resulted,  or  do  we  believe  will  result,  in  a  material  negative  impact  on  our 
business. In  the  future,  we  may  be  subject  to  additional personal  injury claims,  some  of  which  may  have  a  negative  impact  on  our 
business. Regardless of the merit or eventual outcome, personal injury claims may result in: 

• decreased demand for our products;  
• injury to our reputation;   
• significant litigation costs;   
• substantial monetary awards to or costly settlements with patients;   
• product recalls;  
• material defense costs;   
• loss of revenue;   
• increased insurance costs;
• the inability to commercialize new products or product candidates; and   
• diversion of management attention from pursuing our business strategy.   

Our existing insurance coverage for personal injury claims may be inadequate to protect us from any liabilities we might incur.
If a personal injury claim or series of claims is brought against us for uninsured liabilities or in excess of our insurance coverage, our 
business could suffer. In addition, we may not be able to maintain insurance coverage at a reasonable cost or in sufficient amounts or 
scope to protect us against losses. Any claims against us, regardless of their merit, could severely harm our financial condition, strain
our management and other resources and adversely affect or eliminate the prospects for commercialization of our IOM business or
sales of a product or product candidate that is the subject of any such claim. 

29 

Risks Related to Regulatory and Compliance  

We are subject to rigorous FDA and other governmental regula

tions regarding the development, manufacture, and sale of 
our  products  and  we  may  incur  significant  expenses  to  comply  with  these  regulations  and  develop  products  that  satisfy  these 
regulations.

DD

The  medical  devices  we  manufacture  and  market  are  subject  to  rigorous  regulation  by  the  FDA  and  numerous  other  federal,
state  and  foreign  governmental  authorities,  including  regulations  that  cover,  among  other  things,  the  composition,  labeling,  testing, 
clinical study, manufacturing, packaging, marketing and distribution of our products. 

We  are  required  to  register  with  the  FDA  as  a  device  manufacturer  and  tissue  bank.  As  a  result,  we  are  subject  to  periodic 
inspection by the FDA for compliance with the FDA’s Quality System Regulation (QSR) and Good Tissue Practices requirements,
which require manufacturers of medical devices and tissue banks to adhere to certain regulations, including testing, quality control and 
documentation procedures. Our compliance with applicable regulatory requirements is subject to continual review and is rigorously 
monitored  through  periodic  inspections  by  the  FDA.  In  the  European  Community,  we  are  required  to  maintain  certain  ISO
certifications  in  order  to  sell  our  products,  and  are  subject  to periodic  inspections  by  Notified  Bodies  to  obtain  and  maintain these
certifications.  If  we  or  our  suppliers  fail  to  adhere  to  QSR,  ISO  or  other  applicable  regulations  and  standards,  it  could  negatively 
impact product production and regulatory clearances and could result in fines.  Further our products could be subject to recall by the
FDA or other regulatory bodies, or voluntarily by us, in the event of a material deficiency or defect in design, manufacture, labeling of 
a  product  or  in  the  event  that  a  product  poses  an  unacceptable  risk  to  health.  These  and  other  consequences  could  have  a  material
adverse effect on our sales and results of operations.

n

Most medical devices must receive FDA clearance or approval before they can be commercially marketed. In addition, the FDA
may require testing and surveillance programs to monitor the effects of approved products that have been commercialized, and ca
n aa
ff
prevent  or  limit  further  marketing  of  a  product  based  upon  the  results  of  such  post-marketing  programs.  In  addition,  the  Federal 
Medical  Device  Reporting  Regulations  require  us  to  provide  information  to  the  FDA  whenever  there  is  evidence  that  reasonably 
suggests that a device may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury or, if a malfunction were to occur, that could cause
or  contribute  to  a  death  or  serious  injury.  Furthermore,  most  major  markets  for  medical  devices  outside  the  United  States  require 
clearance, approval or compliance with certain standards before a product can be commercially marketed. The process of obtaining 
regulatory  approvals  to  market  a  medical  device,  particularly  from  the  FDA  and  certain  foreign  governmental  authorities,  can  be
costly and time-consuming, and approvals may not be granted for future products or product improvements on a timely basis, if at all. 
Delays in receipt of, or failure to obtain, approvals for future products or product improvements could result in delayed realization of 
product revenue or in substantial additional costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business or results of op
erations
or prospects. At any time after approval of a product, the FDA may conduct periodic inspections to determine compliance with both
QSR requirements and/or current Medical Device Reporting regulations.  If we fail to comply with our reporting obligations, the FDA
could take action, including warning letters, untitled letters, administrative actions, criminal prosecution, imposition of civil monetary
penalties, revocation of our device clearance, seizure of our products or delay in clearance of 
future products.  Product clearances or 
approvals by the FDA can be withdrawn due to failure to comply with regulatory standards or the occurrence of unforeseen problems
following initial clearance or approval.   

d

aa

Also, the procurement and transplantation of allograft bone tissue is subject to the criminal statute National Organ Transplant
Act and state rules and regulations which govern, among other things, payments we make to vendors in consideration for the services 
they provide in connection with the recovery and screening of donors. Failure to comply with such laws could result in enforcement 
action against us and a disruption to these product lines (and the revenue associated therewith).

Failure  or  alleged  failure  to  comply  with  FDA  and  other  governmental  regulations  can  result  in  investigations  and  other 

regulatory proceedings, which are expensive and could divert management attention. 

If  the  FDA  or  other  governmental  authorities  in  the  United  States  or  abroad  believes  we  are  not  conducting  our  business  in
compliance  with  applicable  laws  or  regulations,  such  governmental  authority  can  initiate  investigations  or  other  regulatory 
proceedings.  Responding to such investigations and proceedings may cause us to incur substantial costs, and could place a significant 
strain on our financial resources and divert the attention of management from our core business.  We could be subject to proceedings
to detain or seize our products, product recalls, or operating restrictions, Moreover, governmental authorities can ban or request the 
y of the foregoing actions
recall, repair, replacement or refund of the cost of any device or product we manufacture or distribute. An
could result in decreased sales as a result of negative publicity and product liability claims, and could have a material adverse effect on 
our financial condition, results of operations and prospects.  

tt

We are subject to federal, state and foreign fraud and abuse laws and health information privacy and security laws, which, if 

violated, could subject us to substantial penalties.

There  are  numerous  U.S.  federal  and  state,  as  well  as  foreign,  laws  pertaining  to  healthcare  fraud  and  abuse,  including  anti-
kickback,  false  claims  and  physician  transparency  laws.  Our  relationships  with  physicians,  providers  and  hospitals  are  subject  to
scrutiny under  these  laws. We  may  also  be  subject  to patient  privacy regulation by both the federal  government  and  the  states  andaa
foreign jurisdictions in which we conduct our business.   

30 

Healthcare fraud and abuse laws are broad in scope and are subject to evolving interpretation, which could require us to incur 
substantial costs to monitor compliance or to alter our practices if they are found not to be in compliance. Violations of these laws may 
be  punishable  by  criminal  or  civil  sanctions,  including  substantial  fines,  imprisonment  and  exclusion  from  participation  in
governmental  healthcare  programs.  Despite  implementation  of  a  comprehensive  global  healthcare  compliance  program,  we  cannot 
provide assurance that any of the healthcare fraud and abuse laws will not change or be interpreted in the future in a manner which
restricts or adversely affects our business activities or relationships with healthcare professionals, nor can we make any assurances that 
uu
authorities will not challenge or investigate our current or future activities under these laws.

In  July  2015,  we  entered  into  a  settlement  agreement  with  the  DOJ  pursuant  to  which  we  paid  $13.5  million  to  resolve  an 
investigation into possible false or otherwise improper claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid. We admitted no wrongdoing as
part  of  the  settlement.    In  August  2015,  we  received  a  CID  issued  by  the  DOJ  pursuant  to  the  federal  False  Claims  Act.  The  CID
d
requires the delivery of a wide range of documents and information related to an investigation by the DOJ concerning allegations that 
we  assisted  a  physician  group  customer  in  submitting  improper  claims  for  reimbursement  and  made  improper  payments  to  the
physician  group  in  violation  of  the  Anti-Kickback  Statute.  We  are  cooperating  with  the  DOJ.  No  assurance  can  be  given  as  to  the
timing  or  outcome  of  this  investigation.  Responding  to  government  requests  and  investigations  requires  considerable  resources,
including  the  time  and  attention  of  management.  If  we  were  to  become  the  subject  of  an  enforcement  action,  including  any  action
resulting from the investigation by the DOJ, it could result in negative publicity, penalties, fines, the exclusion of our products from
reimbursement under federally-funded programs and/or prohibitions on our ability to sell our products, which could have a material 
adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.

dd

We may fail to obtain or maintain foreign regulatory approvals to market our products in other countries.

We currently market our products internationally and intend to expand our international marketing. International jurisdictions 
require separate regulatory approvals and compliance with numerous and varying regulatory requirements. The approval procedures
vary  among  countries  and  may  involve  requirements  for  additional  testing.  Clearance  or  approval  by  the  FDA  does  not  ensure 
ff
approval  or  certification  by  regulatory  authorities  in  other  countries  or  jurisdictions,  and  approval  or  certification  by  one  f
oreign
tt
regulatory authority does not ensure approval or certification by regulatory authorities in other foreign countries or by the FDA. The 
foreign regulatory approval or certification process may include all of the risks associated with obtaining FDA clearance or approval. 
We may not obtain foreign regulatory approvals  on a timely basis, if at all. We may  not be able to file for regulatory approvals or 
certifications and may not receive necessary approvals to commercialize our products in any market. If we fail to receive necessary
approvals or certifications to commercialize our products in foreign jurisdictions on a timely basis, or at all, our business, results of 
operations and financial condition could be adversely affected. 

r

If we fail to obtain, or experience significant delays in obtaining, FDA clearances or approvals for our future products or 

product enhancements, our ability to commercially distribute and market our products could suffer.

ii

The  process  of  obtaining  regulatory  clearances  or  approvals  to  market  a  medical  device,  particularly  from  the  FDA,  can  be 
costly and time consuming, and there can be no assurance that such clearances or approvals will be granted on a timely basis, if at all.
In particular, the FDA permits commercial distribution of a new, non-exempt, non-Class I medical device only after the device has 
received  clearance  under  Section  510(k)  of  the  Federal  Food,  Drug  and  Cosmetic  Act,  or  receives  approval  under  the  premarket 
approval application (PMA) process. If clinical trials of our current or future product candidates do not produce results necessary to
support regulatory approval, we will be unable to commercialize these products, which could have a material adverse effect on our 
financial results.

The  FDA  will  clear  marketing  of  a  medical  device  through  the  510(k)  process  if  it  is  demonstrated  that  the  new  product  is 
substantially  equivalent  to  other  510(k)-cleared  products.  The  PMA  process  is  more  costly,  lengthy  and  uncertain  than  the  510(k) 
clearance  process. Additionally,  any  modification  to  a  510(k)-cleared  device  that  could significantly  affect  its safety  or  efficacy, or 
that  would  constitute  a  major  change  in  its  intended  use,  requires  a  new  510(k)  clearance  or,  possibly,  a  PMA.  The  FDA  may  not 
agree  with  any  of  our  decisions  regarding whether  new  clearances  or  approvals  are  necessary.  Our  failure  to  comply  with  such
regulations  could  lead  to  the  imposition  of  injunctions,  suspensions  or  loss  of  regulatory  approvals,  product  recalls,  termination  of 
distribution, or product seizures. In the most egregious cases, criminal sanctions or closure of our manufacturing facilities are possible.

31 

The  misuse  or  off-label  use  of  our  products  may  harm  our  reputation  in  the  marketplace,  result  in  injuries  that  lead  to 
gaged in 

product liability suits or result in costly investigations, fines or sanctions by regulatory bodies if we are deemed to have en
n
r
the promotion of these uses, any of which could be costly to our business. 

Pursuant to FDA regulations, we can only market our products for cleared or approved uses.  Although physicians are permitted 
to  use  medical  devices  for  indications  other  than  those  cleared  or  approved  by  the  FDA  based  on  their  medical  judgment,  we  are 
prohibited from promoting products for such off-label uses.  We train our marketing personnel and independent sales representatives
and  distributors  to not promote  our products  for  uses outside  of  the FDA-cleared  indications.   Although we  believe  our  marketing, 
promotional  materials  and  training programs  for  physicians  do  not  constitute  promotion  of  unapproved  uses  of  our  products,  if  the 
FDA or any foreign regulatory body determines that our marketing, promotional materials or training programs constitute promotion
of an off-label use, we could be subject to significant fines in addition to regulatory enforcement actions.  It is also possible that other
federal, state or foreign enforcement authorities might take action under other regulatory authority, such as false claims laws, if they 
consider our business activities to constitute promotion of an off-label use, which could result in significant penalties, including, but 
not limited to, criminal, civil and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, exclusion from participation in government
healthcare programs and the curtailment of our operations.

In addition, there may be increased risk of injury to patients if physicians attempt to use our products off-label. Furthermore, the 
use  of  our  products  for  indications  other  than  those  cleared  by  the  FDA  or  approved  by  any  foreign  regulatory  body  may  not 
effectively treat such conditions, which could harm our reputation in the marketplace among physicians and patients. 

If  we  or  our  suppliers  fail  to  comply  with  the  FDA’s  quality  system  regulations or  equivalent  regulations  and  standards 
internationally, the manufacture and processing of our products could be delayed and we may be subject to an enforcement action
by the FDA or other government agencies.

We and our suppliers are required to comply with the QSR and other applicable standards and requirements, which cover the 
methods and documentation of the design, testing, production or processing, control, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, storage 
and shipping of our products. The FDA and other regulatory bodies enforce compliance with regulatory requirements and standards
through  periodic  inspections.  If  we  or  one  of  our  suppliers  fail an  inspection  or  if  any  corrective  action  plan  is  not  sufficient,  the 
release  of  our  products  could  be  delayed.  We  have  undergone  inspections  by  the  FDA  and  other  regulatory  bodies  regarding  our 
allograft business and FDA inspections regarding our medical device activities. In connection with these inspections as well as prior 
inspections, regulatory agencies have requested minor corrective actions, which we have implemented. There can be no assurance that 
the  FDA  will  not  subject  us  to  further  enforcement  action  and  the  FDA  and  other  regulatory  agencies  may  impose  additional 
inspections at any time. 

Additionally,  we  are  the  legal  manufacturer  of  record  for  the  products  that  are  distributed  and  labeled  by  us,  regardless  of 
whether  the  products  are  manufactured  by  us  or  our  suppliers.  Thus,  a  failure  by  us  or  our  suppliers  to  comply  with  applicable
regulatory requirements can result in enforcement action against us by the FDA, which may include any of the following sanctions:

• fines, injunctions, and civil penalties;
• recall or seizure of our products;
• operating restrictions, partial suspension or total shutdown of production; 
• refusing our request for 510(k) clearance or premarket approval of new products;
• withdrawing 510(k) clearance or premarket approvals that are already granted; and 
• criminal prosecution.

We  or  our  suppliers  may  be  the  subject  of  claims  for  non-compliance  with  FDA  regulations  in  connection  with  the

processing or distribution of allograft products. 

It  is possible  that  allegations  may  be  made  against  us or against donor recovery groups or  tissue  banks,  including those  with 
which we have a contractual relationship, claiming that the acquisition or processing of tissue for allograft products does not comply 
with  applicable  FDA  regulations  or  other  relevant  statutes  and  regulations.  Allegations  like  these  could  cause  regulators  or  other 
authorities to take investigative or other action against us, or could cause negative publicity for us or our industry in general. These 
actions or any negative publicity could cause us to incur substantial costs, divert the attention of management from our busine
ss, harm 
a
our reputation and cause the market price of our shares to decline. 

t

tt

32 

Compliance with SEC regulations relating to “conflict minerals” may increase our costs and adversely affect our business.  

We are subject to SEC regulations that require us to determine whether our products contain certain specified minerals, referred 
to  under  the  regulations  as  “conflict  minerals”,  and,  if  so,  to  perform  an  extensive  inquiry  into  our  supply  chain,  in  an  effort  to
determine whether or not such conflict minerals originate from the Democratic Republic of Congo (“DRC”), or an adjoining country. 
Compliance with these regulations has increased our costs, and we expect our costs may increase in the future.   We have determined 
that certain of our products contain such specified minerals.  As of the date of our conflict minerals report for the 2015 calendar year,
we were unable to determine whether or not such minerals originate from the DRC or an adjoining country.  We are continuing to 
conduct  inquiries  into  our  supply  chain  in connection  with  the  preparation of our  conflict  minerals  report  for 2016,  which  must bet
audited by an independent auditor pursuant to existing government auditing standards.  Compliance with these requirements has been 
time-consuming for management and our supply chain personnel (as well as time-consuming for our suppliers), and we expect that 
compliance  will  continue  to require  the  expenditure of significant amounts of  time  and  money  by us  and  them.    In addition,  to  the 
extent any of our disclosures are perceived by the market to be “negative,” it may cause customers to refuse to purchase our products. 
Further, if we determine to make any changes to products, processes, or sources of supply, it may result in additional costs, which may 
adversely affect our business.  

rr

t

Legislative or regulatory reforms may make it more difficult and costly for us to obtain regulatory clearances or approvals 

for our products or to produce, market or distribute our products after clearance or approval is obtained.  

From  time  to  time,  legislation  is  drafted  and  introduced  in  Congress  that  could  significantly  change  the  statutory  provisions
governing the regulation of medical devices or the reimbursement thereof. In addition, the FDA regulations and guidance are often 
revised or reinterpreted by the FDA in ways that may significantly affect our business and our products. Any new statutes, regulations
or revisions or reinterpretations of existing regulations may impose additional costs or lengthen review times of any future products or
make it more difficult to manufacture, market or distribute our products or future products. We cannot determine what effect changes
in regulations, statutes, legal interpretation or policies, when and if promulgated, enacted or adopted may have on our business in the
future. Such changes could, among other things, require: 

• additional testing prior to obtaining clearance or approval;  
• changes to manufacturing methods;   
• recall, replacement or discontinuance of our products or future products; or   
• additional record keeping.  

Any of these changes could require substantial time and cost and could harm our business and our financial results.  

Our relationships with physician consultants, owners and investors could be subject to additional scrutiny from regulatory

enforcement authorities and could subject us to possible administrative, civil or criminal sanctions.  

Federal and state laws and regulations impose restrictions on our relationships with physicians who are consultants, owners and
investors.  We  have  entered  into  consulting  agreements,  license  agreements  and  other  agreements  with  physicians  in  which  we 
provided  equity  awards  or  cash  or  both  as  compensation.  Some  of  the  physicians  with  which  we  have  such  consulting  and  other 
agreements are affiliated with some of our customers. Finally, we have other arrangements with physicians, including for research and 
development grants and for other purposes as well. 

We could be adversely affected if regulatory agencies were to interpret our financial relationships with these physicians, who
may be in a position to influence the ordering of and use of our products for which governmental reimbursement may be available, as
being in violation of applicable laws. If our relationships with physicians are found to be in violation of the laws and regulations that 
apply to us, we may be required to restructure the arrangements and could be subject to administrative, civil and criminal penalties,
including exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any 
of which could negatively impact our ability to operate our business and our results of operations. 

33 

Our  business  involves  the  use  of  hazardous  materials  and  we  and  our  third-party  manufacturers  must  comply  with

environmental laws and regulations, which may be expensive and restrict how we do business.  

Our  third-party  manufacturers’  activities  and our  own  activities  involve  the  controlled  storage,  use  and disposal  of  hazardous 
materials. We and our manufacturers are subject to federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations governing the use, generation,
manufacture,  storage,  handling  and  disposal  of  these  hazardous  materials.  We  currently  carry  no  insurance  specifically  covering
environmental claims relating to the use of hazardous materials, but we do reserve f
deral 
ff
f
and  state  levels.  Although  we  believe  that  our  safety  procedures  for  handling  and  disposing  of  these  materials  and  waste  products 
comply with the standards prescribed by these laws and regulations, we cannot eliminate the risk of accidental injury or contamination 
from  the  use,  storage,  handling  or  disposal  of  hazardous  materials.  In  the  event  of  an  accident,  state  or  federal  or  other  applicable 
authorities may curtail our use of these materials and interrupt our business operations. In addition, if an accident or environmental
discharge occurs, or if we discover contamination caused by prior operations, including by prior owners and operators of properties 
we  acquire,  we  could  be  liable  for  cleanup  obligations,  damages  and  fines.  If  such  unexpected  costs  are  substantial,  this  could
significantly harm our financial condition and results of operations.  

unds to address these claims at both the fe

rr

Risks Related to Our Financial Results and Need for Financing

We may be unable to grow our revenue or earnings as anticipated, which may have a material adverse effect on our future 

operating results.

We have experienced rapid growth since our inception, and have increased our revenue from $38.4 million in 2004, the year of 
our initial public offering, to $962.1 million in 2016. Our ability to achieve future growth will depend upon, among other things, the
success of our growth strategies, which we cannot assure will be successful. In addition, we may have more difficulty maintaining our 
prior rate of growth of revenue or recent levels of profitability and cash flow. Our future success will depend upon various factors, 
including  the  strength  of  our  brand  image,  the  market  success  of  our  current  and  future  products,  competitive  conditions  and  our 
ability to manage increased revenue, if any, or implement our growth strategy. In addition, we anticipate significantly expanding our 
infrastructure and adding personnel in connection with our anticipated growth, which we expect will cause our selling, general and 
administrative expenses to increase in absolute dollars and as a percentage of revenue. Because these expenses are generally fixed, 
particularly  in  the  short-to-medium  term,  our  operating  and  financial  results  may  be  adversely  impacted  if  we  do  not  achieve  our 
anticipated growth.

The sale of Convertible Senior Notes significantly increased our amount of long-term debt, and our financial condition and 

results of operations could be adversely affected if we do not efficiently manage our liabilities.

In June 2011, we  issued  $402.5  million  aggregate principal  amount of  our 2.75%  Convertible Senior  Notes  due  in 2017  (the
2017 Notes). Additionally, in March 2016, we issued $650 million aggregate principal amount of our 2.25% Convertible Senior Notes 
due  in  2021  (the  2021  Notes).  Although  we  have  repurchased  a  significant  portion  of  the  aggregate  principal  amount  of  the  2017
Notes, we continue to have a substantial amount of long-term debt as a result of the sale of the 2017 and 2021 Notes. Our maintenance 
of such debt could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. 

In addition, there are a large number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon the potential conversion of our 2017
sactions. The issuance of these shares 

Notes and our 2021 Notes and the warrants that we issued as part of the related bond hedge tran
may depress the market price of our common stock. 

t

If we fail to comply with the covenants and other obligations under our credit facility, the lenders may be able to accelerate

dd

amounts owed under the facilities and may foreclose upon the assets securing our obligations.  

In  February  2016,  we  entered  into  a  credit  agreement  with  Bank  of  America,  N.A.,  or  Bank  of  America, that  provides  for 
secured revolving facility loans, multicurrency loan options and letters of credit in an aggregate amount of up to $150.0 million. The
credit agreement also contains an expansion feature, which allows us to increase the aggregate principal amount of the credit facility
provided we remain in compliance with the underlying financial covenants. All of our assets and the assets of our material domestic
subsidiaries  and  certain  material  international  subsidiaries  are  pledged  as  collateral  under  the  credit  facility  (subject  to  customary
exceptions) and each of our material domestic subsidiaries guarantee the credit facility. The covenants set forth in the credit agreement 
restrict, among other things, our ability to: create liens on assets, incur additional indebtedness, make investments, make acquisitions
and other  fundamental  changes,  sell  and dispose  of  property  or  assets, pay  dividends  and  other  distributions,  change  the  business 
conducted,  engage  in  certain  transactions  with  affiliates,  enter  into  burdensome  agreements,  limit  certain  use  of  proceeds,  amend
organizational  documents,  change  accounting  policies  or  reporting  practices,  modify  or  terminate  documents  related  to  certain
indebtedness, enter into sale and leaseback transactions, fund sanctions and use proceeds for any breach of anti-corruption laws. If we 
fail to comply with the covenants and our other obligations under the credit facility, Bank of America would be able to accelerate the
required repayment of amounts due under the loan agreement and, if they are not repaid, could foreclose upon our assets securing our
obligations under the credit facility. 

qq

ff

34 

We  may  need additional financing  in  the future  to  meet  our  capital  needs or  to  make opportunistic  acquisitions  and  such

financing may not be available on favorable terms, if at all, and may be dilutive to existing stockholders. 

In furtherance of our growth strategy and global expansion efforts, we intend to continue to invest in our business, including 
through acquisitions and strategic transactions.  These investments will be expensive, and we may need to seek additional financing in
the future to meet our capital needs.  As of December 31, 2016, we had $153.6 million in cash and cash equivalents. Subsequent to 
December  31,  2016,  we  anticipate  making  a  payment  of  $30.0  million  to  former  stockholders  of  Ellipse  Technologies  under  the 
merger agreement in connection with the acquisition of Ellipse Technologies. We may seek to raise capital from public and private
debt and equity offerings, borrowings under our existing or future credit facilities or other sources.  We may be unable to obtain any
desired  additional  financing  on  terms  favorable  to  us,  if  at  all. If  adequate  funds 
are  not  available  on  acceptable  terms,  we  may  be
unable  to  fund  our  expansion,  successfully  develop  or  enhance  products  or  respond  to  competitive  pressures,  any  of  which  could
negatively affect our business. If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity securities, our stockholders will experience 
dilution of their ownership interest. If we raise additional funds by issuing debt, we may be subject to limitations on our operations
due  to  restrictive  covenants.  Additionally,  our  ability  to  make  scheduled  payments  or  refinance  our  obligations  will  depend  on our 
operating  and  financial  performance,  which  in  turn  is  subject  to  prevailing  economic  conditions  and  financial,  business  and  other 
factors beyond our control.  

d

a

We could be subject to changes in tax rates, the adoption, evolution or change of new and/or amended U.S. or international 

tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. 

We are subject to taxes in the United States and numerous foreign jurisdictions, including the Netherlands, where a number of 
our subsidiaries are located. Significant judgment is required to determine and estimate our worldwide tax liabilities. Due to economic 
and political conditions, tax rates in various jurisdictions may be subject to significant change. Our effective income tax rates have
been,  and  could  in  the  future  be  adversely  affected  by  changes  in  tax  laws  or  interpretations  of  those  tax  laws,  by  stock-based
compensation and other non-deductible expenses, by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, or 
by changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities. 

As  part  of  our  globalization  initiative,  we  have  centralized  international  operations  in  the  Netherlands  and  have  entered  into 
intercompany  transfer  pricing  arrangements,  including  the  licensing  of  intangibles.  We  intend  to  continue  to  streamline  our 
international operations to better align with and support our international business activities and markets through changes in how we 
develop, license and use our intangible property and how we structure our international procurement and customer service functions. 
We  anticipate  a  negative  impact  to  our  effective  tax  rate  over  the  next  several  years  while  achieving  an  overall  reduction  to  our 
effective tax rate over the longer term. There can be no assurance that the taxing authorities of the jurisdictions in which we operate or 
will operate or to which we are otherwise deemed to have sufficient tax presence will not challenge the tax benefits that we ultimately
expect to realize as a result of our international structure. In addition, future changes to U.S. or non-U.S. tax laws, including proposed 
legislation  to  reform  the  U.S.  taxation  of  international  business,  could  negatively  impact  the  anticipated  tax  benefits  of  our 
international structure. Any long term benefits to our tax rate will also depend on our ability to achieve our anticipated international 
growth  projections  and  to  operate  our  business  in  a  manner  consistent  with  our  international  structure  and  intercompany  transfer 
pricing  arrangements. If we do not  operate  our business consistent with  the  structure and  applicable  tax  provisions,  we  may  fail  to
achieve the financial efficiencies that we anticipate as a result of the structure and our future operating results and financial condition 
may be negatively impacted. 

Finally, we may be subject in the future to examination of our income tax returns by the Internal Revenue Service and other 
taxing  authorities  which  may  result  in  the  assessment  of  additional  income  taxes.  We  regularly  assess  the  likelihood  of  an  adverse
outcome resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of our provision for taxes. There can be no assurance as to the
outcome of these examinations. If our effective tax rates were to increase, particularly in the U.S. or the Netherlands or if the ultimate 
determination  of  our  taxes  owed  is  for  an  amount  in  excess  of  amounts  previously  accrued,  our  financial  condition,  cash  flows  or 
results of operations could be adversely affected.

35 

Risks Related to the Securities Markets and Ownership of Our Common Stock 

We  expect  that  the  price  of  our  common  stock  will  fluctuate  substantially,  potentially  adve

tt

rsely  affecting  the  ability  of 

investors to sell their shares.

The market price of our common stock may be subject to wide fluctuations, which may negatively affect the ability of investors 

to sell our shares at consistent prices. Fluctuation in the stock price may occur due to many factors, including, without limitation: 

• general market conditions and other factors related to the economy or otherwise, including fact

mm

ors unrelated to our operating 

performance or the operating performance of our competitors;  

• people’s expectations, favorable or unfavorable, as to the likely unit growth of the spine sector; 
• negative stock market reactions to the results of litigation;
• negative  publicity  regarding  spine  surgeon’s  practices  or  outcomes,  whether  warranted  or  not,  that  cast  the  sector  in  a 

negative light;

• the introduction of new products or product enhancements by us or our competitors;
• changes in the availability of third-party reimbursement in the United States or other countries; 
• disputes or other developments with respect to intellectual property rights or other potential legal actions; 
• our ability to develop, obtain regulatory clearance or approval for, and market new and enhanced products on a timely basis; 
• quarterly variations in our or our competitor’s results of operations;
• sales of large blocks of our common stock, including sales by our executive officers and directors; 
• announcements of technological or medical innovations for the treatment of spine pathology; 
• changes in governmental regulations or in the status of our regulatory approvals, clearances or applications; 
• the acquisition or divestiture of businesses, products, assets or technology by us or by our competitors;
• litigation (including intellectual property litigation) and any associated negative verdicts or ruling; 
• announcements of actions by the FDA or other regulatory agencies; and 
• changes in earnings or operating margin estimates or recommendations by us or by securities analysts.

Anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents and Delaware law may discourage or prevent a change of control, 
even if an acquisition would be beneficial to our stockholders, which could affect our stock price adversely and prevent attempts by
our stockholders to replace or remove our current management. 

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that could delay or prevent a change of control of our company or 

changes in our board of directors that our stockholders might consider favorable. Some of these provisions: 

• authorize the issuance of preferred stock which can be created and issued by the board of directors without prior stockholder 

approval, with rights senior to those of the common stock;

• provide for a classified board of directors, with each director serving a staggered three-year term; 
• provide that our stockholders may remove our directors only for cause; 
• prohibit  our  stockholders  from  filling  board  vacancies,  calling  special  stockholder  meetings,  or  taking  action  by  written 

consent;

• prohibit  our  stockholders  from  making  certain  changes  to  our  certificate  of  incorporation  or  bylaws  except  with  66  2/3% 

stockholder approval; and 

• require advance written notice of stockholder proposals and director nominations.

In  addition,  we  are  subject  to  the  provisions  of  Section  203  of  the  Delaware  General  Corporation  Law,  which  may  prohibit 
certain business combinations with stockholders owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock. These and other provisions in 
our certificate of incorporation, our bylaws and Delaware law could make it more difficult for stockholders or potential acquirers to
obtain control of our board of directors or initiate actions that are opposed by our then-current board of directors, including
 delay or 
t
impede a merger, tender offer, or proxy contest involving our company. Any delay or prevention of a change of control transaction or 
changes in our board of directors could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

36 

We do not intend to pay cash dividends. 

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any 
future  earnings  for  use  in  the  operation  and  expansion  of  our  business  and  do  not  anticipate  paying  any  cash  dividends  in  the
foreseeable future. In addition, the terms of any future debt or credit facility may preclude us from paying any dividends. As a result, 
capital appreciation, if any, of our common stock will be our stockholders’ source of potential gain for the foreseeable future. 

Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments

None. 

Item 2. 

Properties

The following table sets forth our principal properties as of December 31, 2016, all of which are leased unless otherwise noted

f

as owned:

y

Primary Use
Manufacturing facilities (2)
Corporate office and training facilities (1) 
Fulfillment and warehouse operations (2)
Office facilities
Office facilities and warehouse 
Office facilities and warehouse 
Office facilities
Office facilities
Office facilities
Office facilities
Office facilities
Office facilities

(1) Our corporate headquarters
(2) Owned 

Item 3.

Legal Proceedings

Square Footage 

Location

180,000     
154,000     
100,000     
53,000     
25,000     
23,000     
12,000     
11,000     
11,000     
11,000     
10,000     
7,000     

West Carrollton, OH
San Diego, CA
Memphis, TN
Aliso Viejo, CA
Japan
n
Germany
Ann Arbor, MI
Australia
Columbia, MD
Netherlands
Brazil
KUK

For  a  description  of  our  material  pending  legal  proceedings,  refer  to  “Note  11.  Contingencies”  in  the  Notes  to  Consolidated 

Financial Statements included in this Annual Report. 

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.  

Item 5.  Market  for  the  Registrant’s  Common  Equity,  Related  Stockholder  Matters  and  Issuer  Purchases  of  Equity

PART II

Securities

Common Stock Market Price

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “NUVA.” The following table presents 

the high and low per share sale prices of our common stock during the periods indicated, as reported on NASDAQ.  

High

Low

2015 

First Quarter 
Second Quarter 
Third Quarter 
Fourth Quarter 

2016 

First Quarter 
Second Quarter 
Third Quarter 
Fourth Quarter 

  $

  $

51.23          $
51.25     
56.61 
55.98           

55.53          $
60.09           
69.00           
69.50           

42.64
41.52
46.06
44.22

36.81
47.87
59.02
56.70

37 

  
  
  
 
    
 
    
 
    
  
  
           
 
 
            
 
   
 
 
 
            
 
 
 
We had approximately 86 stockholders of record as of January 31, 2017. We believe that the number of beneficial owners is 
substantially  greater  than  the  number  of  record  holders  because  a  large  portion  of  our  common  stock  is  held  of  record  through 
brokerage firms in “street name.”  

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities 

During the fourth quarter of 2016, we did not issue any securities that were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as 

amended (the Securities Act). 

Dividend Policy 

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain future earnings, if any, for 
development of our business and do not anticipate that we will declare or pay cash dividends on our capital stock in the foreseeable 
future.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The  following  table  provides  certain  information  with  respect  to  all  of  our  compensation  plans  in  effect  as  of December 31, 

2016:

Plan Categoryg y
Equity Compensation Plans approved by
stockholders 
Equity Compensation Plans not approved by
stockholders 
Total 

(A) 
Number of Securities to
be Issued Upon Exercise
of Outstanding Options,
Warrants and Rights

(B)
Weighted Average
Exercise Price of
Outstanding
Options, Warrants
and Rights

(C)
Number of Securities
Remaining Available for
Future Issuance Under
Equity Compensation
Plans (excluding
securities reflected in
column(A))

2,559,805 (1)$

34.93      

5,781,029 (2)(3)

——  

2,559,805   $

— —      
34.93      

——    

5,781,029

(1)

(2)

(3)

Consists  of  shares  subject  to  outstanding  stock  options,  restricted  stock  units  and  performance  restricted  stock 
units under the NuVasive 2004 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan, the NuVasive 2014 Equity Incentive
Plan,  and  the  Ellipse  Technologies  2015  Incentive  Award Plan,  some  of  which  are  vested  and  some  of  which 
remain subject to the vesting and/or performance criteria of the respective equity award. 

Consists  of  shares  available  for  future  issuance  under  the  NuVasive  2014  Equity  Incentive  Plan,  the  Ellipse 
Technologies  2015  Incentive  Award  Plan,  and  the  Amended  and  Restated  2004  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan
(ESPP). As of December 31, 2016, an aggregate of 2,958,287 shares of common stock were available for issuance
under the NuVasive 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, 1,425,024 shares of common stock were available for issuance 
under the Ellipse Technologies 2015 Incentive Award Plan, and 1,397,718 shares of common stock were available
for issuance under the 2004 Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

The  NuVasive  2004  Amended  and  Restated  Equity  Incentive  Plan  terminated  in  February  2014,  upon  the  tenth
anniversary of its effective date, and we are no longer granting awards under that plan.  However, awards granted 
under  the  plan  will  remain  outstanding  until  they  are  exercised,  issued,  terminated,  cancelled  or  they  expire.  
Pursuant  to  the  terms  of  the  plan,  shares  subject  to  awards  granted  under  the  NuVasive  2004  Amended  and 
Restated  Equity  Incentive  Plan  may  be  utilized  for  future  grants  of  awards  under  the  NuVasive  2014  Equity 
Incentive  Plan,  to  the  extent  such  awards  are  terminated,  cancelled  or  they expire,  or  shares  subject  thereto  are
withheld to cover taxes.  During the year ended December 31, 2016, we registered 2,200,637 of such shares for re-
use under the NuVasive 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. 

38 

  
  
     
   
 
 
 
PERFORMANCE GRAPH

The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return data on our common stock with the cumulative return of 
(i) The  NASDAQ  Stock  Market  Composite  Index,  and  (ii) NASDAQ  Medical  Equipment  Index  over  the  five  year  period  ending 
December  31,  2016.  The  graph  assumes  that  $100  was  invested  on  December 31, 2011  in  our  common  stock  and  in  each  of  the
comparative  indices.  The  stock  price  performance  on  the  following  graph  is  not  necessarily  indicative  of  future  stock  price 
performance. 

The  following  graph  and  related  information  shall  not  be  deemed  “soliciting  material”  or  be  deemed  to  be  “filed”  with  the 
Commission, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filing, except to the extent that we specifically
incorporate it by reference into such filing. 

ff

COMPARISON OF 5 YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN*

AMONG NUVASIVE, INC., 

THE NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX

AND THE NASDAQ MEDICAL EQUIPMENT INDEX

$600

$500

$400

$300

$200

$100

$0

12/11 3/12 6/12 9/12 12/12 3/13 6/13 9/13 12/13 3/14 6/14 9/14 12/14 3/15 6/15 9/15 12/15 3/16 6/16 9/16 12/16

NuVasive, Inc.

NASDAQ Composite

NASDAQ Medical Equipment

* 

$100 invested on December 31, 2011 in stock or index, including reinvestment of dividends.

39 

Item  6.

Selected Financial Data

The selected consolidated financial data set forth in the table below has been derived from our audited financial statements. The 
data set forth below should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results 
of Operations” and our audited financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this report.  

Year Ended December 31, 

2016 (1)

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

(In thousands, except per share amounts) 

Statement of Operations Data:
Total revenues
Gross profit 
Consolidated net income (loss)
Net income (loss) attributable to 
NuVasive, Inc. 
Net income (loss) per share attributable 
to NuVasive, Inc.:

$ 962,072 $ 811,113 $ 762,415 $ 685,173     $  620,255
504,689       466,846
2,442

580,057
(17,496)

721,979
35,426

616,634
65,290

6,985      

37,147

66,291

(16,720)

7,902      

3,144

Basic
Diluted 

$
$

0.74 $
0.69 $

1.36 $
1.26 $

(0.36) $
(0.36) $

0.18     $ 
0.17     $ 

0.07
0.07

December 31,

2016 (1)

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012 

(In thousands, except per share amounts) 

Balance Sheet Data: 
Working capital 
Total assets 
Senior Convertible Notes (net of current 
pportion)
Non-current liabilities (excluding 
convertible notes) 
Non-controlling interests (2)
Total equity (3)

$ 332,946 $ 603,210 $ 490,972 $ 418,856     $  349,474
1,179,568       1,163,785
1,343,459

1,570,804

1,289,649

564,412

376,542

360,746

346,060      

332,404

63,371
——
700,524

111,288
——
702,202

119,456
——
648,358

111,478      
— —      
604,878      

119,528
10,003
537,575

(1) The  selected  consolidated  financial  data  set  forth  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2016  includes  the
t
operations  and  results  of  Ellipse  Technologies,  Inc.,  BNN  Holdings  Corp.  and  our  other  acquisitions
from their respective dates of acquisition. See Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included 
in this Annual Report for further discussion. 

a

(2) On June 13, 2013, the non-controlling interest in Progentix Orthobiology, B.V. became non-redeemable 
and therefore was reclassified out of mezzanine equity to its own component of total equity within the
Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet. 

(3) The  Company  elected  to  early  adopt  ASU  2016-09  in  the  second  quarter  of  2016.  As  a  result,  the 
Company  recorded  a  modified  retrospective  adjustment  of  $16.6  million  to  deferred  tax  assets  and 
accumulated  deficit  as  of  January 1,  2016.  See  Note  1  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements 
included in this Annual Report for further discussion. 

40 

 
 
     
 
  
  
  
  
          
 
  
  
 
       
 
 
     
 
  
  
  
         
Item 7.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

As noted earlier, this Annual Report, including the following discussion and analysis, may contain forward-looking statements 
that  involve  risks,  uncertainties,  assumptions  and  other  factors  which,  if  they  do  not  materialize  or  prove  correct,  could  cause  our 
results to differ from historical results or those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Please review this Annual 
Report and the following discussion and analysis in light of the forward-looking statements provisions outlined at the outset of Part I.

o

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with

the Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes to those statements included in this Annual Report. 

Overview 

We  are  a  leading  medical  device  company  in  the  global  spine  surgery  market,  focused  on  developing  minimally-disruptive 
surgical  products  and  procedurally-integrated  solutions  for  spine  surgery.  Currently,  our  marketed  product  portfolio  is  focused on 
applications for spine fusion surgery, including biologics used to aid in the spinal fusion process. For the year ended December 31,
2016, we generated global revenues of $962.1 million, including sales in over 40 countries.

d

Our  principal  product  offering  includes  a  minimally-disruptive  surgical  platform  called  Maximum  Access  Surgery,  or  MAS.
The MAS platform combines three categories of solutions that collectively minimize soft tissue disruption during spine fusion surgery, 
provide  maximum  visualization  and  are  designed  to  enable  safe  and  reproducible  outcomes  for  the  surgeon  and  the  patient.  The
platform includes our proprietary software-driven nerve detection and avoidance systems, NVM5, and Intraoperative Monitoring, or 
IOM,  services  and  support;  MaXcess,  an  integrated  split-blade  retractor  system;  and  a  wide  variety  of  specialized  implants  and 
biologics. Many of our products, including the individual components of our MAS platform can also be used in open or traditional 
spine  surgery.  Our  spine  surgery  product  line  offerings,  which  include  products  for  the  thoracolumbar  and  the  cervical  spine,  are aa
primarily  used  to  enable  surgeon  access  to  the  spine  to  perform  restorative  and  fusion  procedures  in  a  minimally-disruptive 
fashion.  In May 2015, we launched Integrated Global Alignment, or iGA, in which products and computer assisted technology under 
our  MAS  platform  help  achieve  more  precise  spinal  alignment.  Our  biologics  products,  which  are  used  to  aid  in  the  spinal  fusion
process or bone healing process, include allograft (donated human tissue) and synthetic offerings.

We  believe  our  MAS  platform  and  its  related  offerings  provide  a  unique  and  comprehensive  solution  for  the  safe  and 
reproducible  minimally-disruptive  surgical  treatment  of  spine  disorders  by  enabling  surgeons  to  access  the  spine  in  a  manner  that 
affords  both  direct  visualization  and  detection  and  avoidance  of  critical  nerves.  The  fundamental  difference  between  our  MAS 
platform, which is sometimes referred to in the industry as “minimally invasive surgery” or “MIS”, is the ability to customize safe and 
reproducible access to the spine while allowing surgeons to continue to use instruments that are familiar to them and effective during 
surgery.  Accordingly,  the  MAS  platform  does  not  force  surgeons  to  reinvent  or  learn  new  approaches  that  add  complexity  and 
undermine safety, ease of use and/or efficacy. We have dedicated and continue to dedicate significant resources toward training spine 
surgeons around the world; both those who are new to our MAS and other product platforms, as well as ongoing education for MAS-
trained surgeons attending advanced courses. An important ongoing objective of ours has been to maintain a leading position in access
and nerve avoidance, as well as to pioneer and remain the ongoing leader in minimally invasive spine surgery. Our MAS platform,
with  the  unique  advantages  provided  by  our  nerve  monitoring  systems,  enables  an  innovative  lateral  procedure  known  as  eXtreme 
Lateral  Interbody  Fusion,  or  XLIF,  in  which  surgeons  access  the  spine  for  a  fusion  procedure  from  the  side  of  the  patient’s  body, dd
rather than from the front or back. It has been demonstrated clinically that XLIF and other procedures facilitated by our MAS platform 
decrease trauma and blood loss, and lead to faster overall patient recovery

times compared to open spine surgery.

d

41 

We continue to focus significant research and development efforts to expand our MAS and other product platforms and advance 
the  applications  of  our  unique  technology  into  procedurally-integrated  surgical  solutions  that  improve  clinical  and  economic 
outcomes.  During  2016,  we  acquired  businesses  and  technologies  to  further  expand  our  product  and  services  offerings  and  drive 
growth in our business: 

•

•

•

In  February  2016,  we  acquired  Ellipse  Technologies, 
Inc.,  or  Ellipse  Technologies,  which  developed  and 
commercialized expandable growing rod implant systems that can be non-invasively lengthened following implantation with
precise,  incremental  adjustments  via  an  external  remote  controller  using  magnetic  technology  called  MAGnetic  External 
Control,  or  MAGEC. Following  the  acquisition,  these  product  offerings  are  now  sold  by  our NuVasive  Specialized
Orthopedics division, or NSO. 

In  July  2016,  we  acquired  BNN  Holdings  Corp.,  or  BNN  Holdings,  which through  its  subsidiaries  and  affiliates,  owns  and
operates  Biotronic  NeuroNetwork,  a  patient-centric  healthcare  organization  that  provides  intraoperative  neurophysiological 
monitoring services to surgeons and healthcare facilities across the U.S. Following the acquisition, we combined the service 
offerings  of Biotronic  NeuroNetwork  with  our  existing  IOM  business,  Impulse  Monitoring,  Inc.,  under  the  newly  created 
division NuVasive Clinical Services, or NCS. 

In  September  2016,  we  acquired  the  LessRay  software  technology  suite,  which  is  designed  to  be  integrated  into  current 
surgeon workflow and utilizes an algorithm to drive image registration and help surgeons and hospital staff manage radiation 
exposure  using  low-dose  image quality  enhancement.  This  technology  is  expected  to become  an  integral  component  of our 
IOM service and MAS platform. 

We expect to continue to pursue business and technology acquisition targets and strategic partnerships.

Revenues and Operations

To date, the majority of our revenues are derived from the sale of implants, biologics and disposables and we expect this trend to 
continue for the foreseeable future. Additionally, with our acquisition of BNN Holdings on July 1, 2016, we expect our IOM service
and support revenue to increase compared to previous periods. We loan our proprietary software-driven nerve monitoring systems and 
surgical instrument sets at no cost to surgeons and hospitals that purchase disposables and implants for use in individual procedures. In 
cess  and  other  MAS  instrument  sets  with 
tt
addition,  we  often  place  our  proprietary  software-driven  nerve  monitoring  systems,  MaX
hospitals for an extended period at no up-front cost to them. Our implants, biologics and disposables are currently sold and shipped 
from  our  distribution  and  warehousing  operations.  We  generally  recognize  revenue  for  implants,  biologics  and  disposables  upon 
receiving acknowledgement of a purchase order and upon completion of delivery. Our service revenue is recognized in the period the
service  is  performed  for  the  amount  of  payment  we  expect  to receive.  We  sell  MAS  instrument  sets,  MaXcess  devices,  and  our 
proprietary software-driven nerve monitoring systems, however this does not make up a material part of our business. 

d

The majority of our operations are located and the majority of our sales have been generated in the United States. We sell our 
products in the United States through a sales force comprised primarily of exclusive independent sales agents and directly-employed 
sales representatives, both engaged to sell only NuVasive products. Our sales force provides a delivery and consultative service to our 
surgeon  and  hospital  customers  and  is  compensated  based  on  sales  and  product  placements  in  their  territories.  Sales  force 
commissions are reflected in the sales, marketing and administrative operating expense line item within our statement of operations.
We  continue  to  invest  in  international  expansion  with  the  focus  on  European,  Asia-Pacific  and  Latin  American  markets.  Our 
international sales force is comprised of directly-employed sales personnel, independent sales agents, as well as exclusive and non-
exclusive independent third-party distributors. As of December 31, 2016, we did not have any significant backlog. 

d

a

Critical Accounting Policies 

Our  discussion  and  analysis  of  our  financial  condition  and  results  of  operations  is  based  upon  our  audited  Consolidated
Financial  Statements,  which  have  been  prepared  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles  in  the  United  States
(GAAP). The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts
of  assets,  liabilities,  revenues  and  expenses.  On  an  ongoing  basis,  we  evaluate  our  estimates  including  those  related  to  revenue 
recognition,  bad  debts,  inventories,  valuation  of  financial  instruments,  goodwill,  intangibles,  property  and  equipment,  stock-based 
compensation, income taxes, and legal proceedings. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions
we  believe  to  be  reasonable  under  the  circumstances,  the  results  of  which  form  the  basis  for  making  judgments  about  the  carrying
values of assets and liabilities not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates.  

We  believe  the  following  accounting  policies  to  be  critical  to  the  judgments  and  estimates  used  in  the  preparation  of  our 

Consolidated Financial Statements.   

42 

Revenue Recognition 

In  accordance  with  the  Commission’s  guidance,  we  recognize  revenue  when  all  four  of  the  following  criteria  are  met: 
(i) persuasive evidence that an arrangement exists; (ii) delivery of the products and/or services has occurred; (iii) the selli
ng price is 
rr
fixed or determinable; and (iv) collectability is reasonably assured. Specifically, revenue from the sale of implants and disposables is
generally  recognized  upon  acknowledgement  of  a  purchase  order from  the  hospital  indicating  product  use  or  implantation  or  upon
shipment to third-party customers who immediately accept title. Revenue from our monitoring services is recognized in the period the 
service is performed for the amount of payment we expect to receive. Revenue from the sale of our instrument sets is recognized upon
receipt of a purchase order and the subsequent shipment to customers who immediately accept title. Instrument sales account for anr
immaterial amount of annual sales.

d

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Sales Return Reserve

d
We  maintain  an  allowance  for  doubtful  accounts  for  estimated  losses  resulting  from  the  inability  of  our  customers  to  make 
required  payments.  The  allowance  for  doubtful  accounts  is  reviewed  quarterly  and  is  estimated  based  on  the  aging  of  account 
balances, collection history and known trends with current customers and in the economy in general. As a result of this review, the
allowance  is  adjusted  on  a  specific  identification  basis  for  significant  accounts  and  a  general  reserve  approach  for  non-significant 
accounts.  We  also  review  the  overall  quality  and  age  of  those  invoices  not  specifically  identified.  In  determining  the  provision  for 
invoices  not  specifically  reviewed,  we  analyze  historical  collection  experience  and  current  economic  trends.  An  increase  to  the
allowance  for doubtful  accounts  results  in  a  corresponding  charge  to  sales,  marketing  and  administrative  expenses. If  the historical 
data  used  to  calculate  the  allowance  provided  for  doubtful  accounts  does  not  reflect  our  future  ability  to  collect  outstanding
in impairment of their ability to make payments, an 
f
receivables or if the financial condition of customers were to deteriorate, resulting 
increase in the provision for doubtful accounts may be required. We maintain a relatively large customer base that mitigates the risk of 
Historically, our reserves have been adequate to cover losses.
concentration with any one particular customer.  Historically, our reserves have been adequate to cover losses. 

ff

In addition, we establish a reserve for estimated sales returns and pricing adjustments that is recorded as a reduction to revenue. 
This reserve is maintained to account for future return of products or pricing adjustments on products sold in the current period. This 
reserve  is  reviewed  quarterly  and  is  estimated  based  on  an  analysis  of  our  historical  experience  and  expected  future  trends. 
Historically, our reserves have been adequate to account for returns and pricing adjustments.

Inventory 

Inventory consists primarily of purchased finished goods, which includes specialized implants and disposables, and is stated at
iew 

the lower of cost or market determined by utilizing a standard cost method which approximates the weighted average cost. We rev
the components of our inventory on a periodic basis for excess and obsolescence and record a reserve for the identified items.

y

Excess and Obsolete Inventory 

We  provide  an  inventory  reserve  for  estimated  obsolescence  and  excess  inventory  based  upon  historical  turnover  and 
assumptions about future demand for our products and market conditions. Our allograft products have shelf lives ranging from two to
five years and are subject to demand fluctuations based on the availability and demand for alternative products. Our inventory, which 
consists primarily of disposables and specialized implants, is at risk of obsolescence following the introduction and development of 
new or enhanced products. Our estimates and assumptions for excess and obsolete inventory are reviewed and updated on a quarterly 
basis.  The  estimates  we  use  for  demand  are  also  used  for  near-term  capacity  planning  and  inventory  purchasing  and  are  consistent 
with our revenue forecasts. Increases in the reserve for excess and obsolete inventory result in a corresponding charge to cost of goods 
sold.  

Historically our reserves have been adequate to cover losses.

t

A stated goal of our business is to focus on continual product innovation and to obsolete our own products. While we believe 
this provides a competitive edge, it also results in the risk that our products and related capital instruments will become obsolete prior 
to sale or to the end of their anticipated useful lives.  

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

ASC  Topic  820,  Fair  Value  Measurements  and  Disclosures,

r 
defines  fair  value  and  requires  us  to  establish  a  framework  for
measuring  fair  value  and  disclosure  about  fair  value  measurements.  The  framework  requires  the  valuation  of  assets  and  liabiliti
 es
subject to fair value measurements using a three tiered approach and fair value measurement be classified and disclosed in one of the 
following  three  categories. 
servable  or  unobservable.  Observable  inputs  reflect  market  data 
Inputs  to  valuation  techniques  are  ob
obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect our market assumptions.  

Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for assets or liabilities. 

Level 2: Observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted on active markets, but corroborated by market data. 

Level 3: Unobservable inputs are used when little or no market data is available.  

Carrying value of the financial instruments measured and classified within Level 1 is based on quoted prices.

43 

 
The types of instruments that trade in markets that are not considered to be active, but are valued based on quoted market prices, 
broker or dealer quotations, or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency are generally classified within
Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. 

Certain  contingent  consideration  liabilities  are  classified  within  Level  3  of  the  fair  value  hierarchy  because  they  use 
unobservable  inputs.  For  those  liabilities,  fair  value  is  determined  using  a  probability-weighted  discounted  cash  flow  model,  the 
significant inputs which are not observable in the market. 

Valuation of Goodwill and Intangible Assets with Indefinite Lives

Our goodwill represents the excess of the cost over the fair value of net assets acquired from our business combinations. The 
determination  of  the  value  of  goodwill  and  intangible  assets  arising  from  business  combinations  and  asset  acquisitions  requires
extensive use of accounting estimates and judgments to allocate the purchase price to the fair value of the net tangible and intangible
velopment,  or  IPR&D.  Intangible  assets  acquired  in  a  business 
assets  acquired,  including  capitalized  in-process  research  and  de
capitalized
combination that are used for IPR&D activities are considered indefinite lived until the completion or abandonment of the assoc
iated 
d
research  and  development  efforts.  Upon  reaching  the  end  of  the  relevant  research  and  development  project,  we  will  amortize  the
d
acquired  in-process  research  and  development  over  its  estimated
useful  life  or  expense  the  acquired  in-process  research  and
d 
development should the research and development project be unsuccessful

with no future alternative use.

 Goodwill and IPR&D are not amortized; however, they are assessed for impairment using fair value measurement techniques
 be

on an annual basis or more frequently if facts and circumstance warrant such a review. The goodwill or IPR&D are considered to 
impaired if we determine that the carrying value of the reporting unit or IPR&D

exceeds its respective fair value.  

u
We perform ou
r annual impairment analysis by either doing a qualitative assessm

  our  reporting  structure  and 
h
We  perform  our  goodwill  impairment  analysis  at  the  reporting  unit  level,  which  aligns  with
d
availability of discrete financial information. 
ent of a 
reporting unit’s fair value from the last quantitative assessment to determine if there is potential impairment, or comparing a reporting 
unit’s estimated fair value to its carrying amount. We may do a qualitative assessment when the results of the previous quantitative 
test indicated the reporting unit’s estimated fair value was significantly in excess of the carrying value of its net assets and we do not
believe there have been significant changes in the reporting unit’s operations that would significantly decrease its estimated fair value 
or significantly increase its net assets. If a quantitative assessment is performed the evaluation includes management estimates of cash
flow  projections  based  on  internal  future  projections 
and/or  use  of  a  market  approach  by  looking  at  market  values  of  comparable
hted
companies. Key assumptions for these projections include revenue growth, future gross and operating margin growth, and its weig
d 
cost of capital and terminal growth rates. The revenue and margin growth is based on increased sales of new and existing produc
ts as
we maintain our investment in research and development. Additional assumed value creators may include increased efficiencies fr m om
capital  spending.  The  resulting  cash  flows  are  discounted  using  a  weighted  average  cost  of  capita
l.  Operating  mechanisms  and
d 
requirements  to  ensure  that  growth  and  efficiency  assumptions  will  ultimately  be  realized  are  also  considered  in  the  evaluation, 
including  timing  and  probability  of  regulatory  approvals  for  our  products  to  be  commercialized.  Our  market  capitalization  is  also 
considered as a part of this analysis.

a

Our annual evaluation for impairment of goodwill consists of two reporting units; the Progentix reporting unit and the remainder 
of the Company. In accordance with our policy, we completed our most recent annual evaluation for impairment as of October 1, 2016 
and determined that no impairment existed, and it was determined that no reporting unit of the Company was at risk of impairment t
when  assessing  the  unit’s  fair  value  compared  to  its  carrying  value.  In  addition,  no  indicators  of  impairments  were  noted  through 
December 31, 2016 and consequently, no impairment charge has been recorded during the year. 

t

Valuation of Intangible Assets

Our intangible assets are comprised primarily of purchased technology, customer relationships, manufacturing know-how and 
trade secrets, and trade name and trademarks. We make significant judgments in relation to the valuation of intangible assets resulting
from business combinations and asset acquisitions.   

Intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives of 1 to 17 years. We base the useful lives
l
se be
and related amortization or depreciation expense on the period of time we estimate the assets will generate revenues or otherwi
f
used by the Company. We also periodically review the lives assigned to our intangible assets to ensure that our initial estimat
es do not 
t
exceed any revised estimated periods from which we expect to realize cash flows from the technologies. If a change were to occur in 
n
any of the above-mentioned factors or estimates, the likelihood of a material change in

our reported results would increase.

44 

 
  
 
 
  
We evaluate our intangible assets with finite lives for indications of impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances 
indicate  that  the  carrying value  may  not  be  recoverable. Factors  that  could  trigger  an impairment  review  include  significant  under-
performance relative to expected historical or projected future operating results, significant changes in the manner of our use of the
acquired assets or the strategy for our overall business or significant negative industry or economic trends. If this evaluation indicates 
that the value of the intangible asset may be impaired, we make an assessment of the recoverability of the net carrying value of the 
asset  over  its  remaining  useful  life.  If  this  assessment  indicates  that  the  intangible  asset  is  not  recoverable,  based  on  the  estimated 
undiscounted  future  cash  flows  of  the  technology  over  the  remaining  amortization  period,  we  reduce  the  net  carrying  value  of  the
related intangible asset to fair value and may adjust the remaining amortization period. 

During the year ended December 31, 2014, we recorded an impairment charge of $10.7 million related to developed technology
acquired  from  Cervitech  in  2009.  The  primary  factor  contributing  to  this  impairment  charge  was  the  reduction  in  management’s 
revenue estimate and the related decrease to the estimated cash flows for this technology. 

Significant judgment is required in the forecasts of future operating results that are used in the discounted cash flow valuation 
models.  It  is  possible  that  plans  may  change  and  estimates  used  may  prove  to  be  inaccurate.  If  our  actual  results,  or  the  plans  and 
estimates used in future impairment analyses, are lower than the original estimates used to assess the recoverability of these assets, we
could incur additional impairment charges. 

Valuation of Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based  compensation  expense  for  equity-classified  awards,  principally  related  to  restricted  stock  units,  or  RSUs,  and 
performance  restricted  stock  units,  or  PRSUs,  is  measured  at  the  grant  date  based  on  the  estimated  fair  value  of  the  award  and  is
recognized over the employee’s requisite service period on an accelerated basis. The fair value of equity instruments that are expected 
to  vest  is  recognized  and  amortized  over  the  requisite  service  period.  We  have  granted  awards  with  up  to  five  year  graded  or  cliff 
vesting terms (in each case, with service through the date of vesting being required). No exercise price or other monetary payment is 
required for receipt of the shares issued in settlement of the  respective award; instead, consideration is furnished in the form of the 
participant’s service to the Company. 

The fair value of RSUs including PRSUs with pre-defined performance criteria is based on the stock price on the date of grant 
whereas  the  expense  for  PRSU  with  pre-defined  performance  criteria  is  adjusted  with  the  probability  of  achievement  of  such
performance criteria at each period end. The fair value of the PRSUs that are earned based on the achievement of pre-defined market 
conditions for total shareholder return, is estimated on the date of grant using a Monte Carlo valuation model. The key assumptions in
applying this model are an expected volatility and a risk-free interest rate.  

Stock-based  compensation  expense  is  adjusted  from  the  grant  date  to  exclude  expense  for  awards  that  are  expected  to  be
forfeited. The forfeiture estimate is adjusted as necessary through the vesting date so that full compensation cost is recognized only for 
awards  that  vest.  We  assess  the  reasonableness  of  the  estimated  forfeiture  rate  at  least  annually,  with  any  change  to  be  made  on  a 
cumulative basis in the period the estimated forfeiture rates change. We considered our historical experience of pre-vesting forfeitures
on awards by each homogenous group of shareowners as the basis to arrive at our estimated annual pre-vesting forfeiture rates.

We estimate the fair value of stock options issued under our equity incentive plans and shares issued to shareowners under our 
employee stock purchase plan, or ESPP, using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model on the date of grant. The Black-Scholes option-
pricing model incorporates various and highly sensitive assumptions including expected volatility, expected term and risk-free interest 
rates. The expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of our common stock over the most recent period commensurate with
the estimated expected term of our stock options and ESPP which is derived from historical experience. The risk-free interest rate for 
periods  within  the  contractual  life  of  the  option  is  based  on  the  U.S. Treasury  yield  in  effect  at  the  time  of  grant.  We  have  never 
declared or paid dividends and have no plans to do so in the foreseeable future. 

Stock-based compensation expense was $26.9 million, $26.2 million, and $33.7 million for 2016, 2015, and 2014, respectively.  
Stock-based compensation expense for 2016 and 2015 was relatively consistent. Stock-based compensation expense decreased $7.5 
million in 2015 compared to 2014. This decrease in 2015 was primarily attributed to an increase in award forfeitures, including several 
sizeable awards held by key executives that left the Company during 2015. 

As of December 31, 2016, there was approximately $18.5 million and $29.5 million of unrecognized compensation expense for 
RSUs and PRSUs, respectively, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.0 years and 
2.6 years, respectively. In addition, as of December 31, 2016, there was $0.8 million of unrecognized compensation expense for shares 
expected  to  be  issued  under  the  ESPP  which  is  expected  to  be  recognized  through  April  2017.  There  was  no  unrecognized
amortization expense for stock options as of December 31, 2016. 

d

Accounting for Income Taxes

The asset and liability approach is used to recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences 
of  temporary  differences  between  the  carrying  amounts  and  the  tax  bases  of  assets  and  liabilities.  Tax  law  and  rate  changes  are
reflected  in  income  in  the  period  such  changes  are  enacted.  We  include  interest  and  penalties  related  to  income  taxes,  including
unrecognized tax benefits, within income tax expense.

45 

Our  income  tax  returns  are  based  on  calculations  and  assumptions  that  are  subject  to  examination  by  the  Internal  Revenue
Service and other tax authorities. In addition, the calculation of our tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application 
of  complex  tax  regulations.  We  recognize  liabilities  for  uncertain tax  positions  based  on  a  two-step  process.  The  first  step  is  to 
evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that 
the  position  will  be  sustained  on  audit,  including  resolution  of  related  appeals  or  litigation  processes,  if  any.  The  second  step  is  to 
measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon settlement. While we believe we
have appropriate support for the positions taken on our tax returns, we regularly assess the potential outcomes of examinations by tax 
authorities in determining the adequacy of its provision for income taxes. We continually assess the likelihood and amount of potential 
adjustments and adjusts the income tax provision, income taxes payable and deferred taxes in the period in which the facts that give 
rise to a revision become known.

t

t

t

Significant judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes, our deferred tax assets and liabilities and the
valuation allowance recorded against our net deferred tax assets. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined using the enacted 
tax rates in effect for the years in which those tax assets are expected to be realized. A valuation allowance is established when it is 
more likely than not the future realization of all or some of the deferred tax assets will not be achieved. The evaluation of the need for 
a valuation allowance is performed on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis, and includes a review of all available positive and negative
evidence. Factors reviewed include projections of pre-tax book income for the foreseeable future, determination of cumulative pre-tax 
book income after permanent differences, earnings history, and reliability of forecasting. 

d

t

Based on our review, we concluded that it was more likely than not that we would be able to realize the benefit of our domestic
and foreign deferred tax assets, with the primary exception of California, in the future. This conclusion was based on historical and 
projected  operating  performance,  as  well  as  our  expectation  that  our  operations  will  generate  sufficient  taxable  income  in  futu
re 
t
periods to realize the tax benefits associated with the deferred tax assets well within the statutory carryover periods. But, due to the 
inclusion of foreign losses, lower state apportionment, and the generation of research credits in California, we concluded that it is not 
 we have maintained a full valuation
more likely than not that we will be able to utilize our California deferred tax assets. Therefore,
allowance on our California deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2016.       

dd
t

r

We will continue to assess the need for a valuation allowance on our deferred tax assets by evaluating both positive and negative 
evidence  that  may  exist.  Any  adjustment  to  the  net  deferred  tax  asset  valuation  allowance  would  be  recorded  in  the  statement  of
operations for the period that the adjustment is determined to be required. 

Legal Proceedings

We  are  involved  in  a  number  of  legal  actions  arising  out  of  the  normal  course  of  our  business.  The  outcomes  of  these  legal 
actions are not within our complete control and may not be known for prolonged periods of time. In some actions, the claimants seek 
damages as well as other relief, including injunctions barring the sale of products that are the subject of the lawsuit, that could require 
significant expenditures or result in lost revenues. In accordance with authoritative guidance, we disclose information regarding each
accrued 
material claim where the likelihood of a loss contingency is probable or reasonably possible. An estimated loss contingency is
in  our  financial  statements  if  it  is  both  probable  that  a  liability  has  been  incurred  and  the  amount  of  the  loss  can  be  reasonably 
a
estimated. If a loss is reasonably possible and can be reasonably estimated, the estimated loss or range of loss is disclosed in the notes
to the Consolidated Financial Statements. In most cases, significant judgment is required to estimate the amount and timing of a loss
to be recorded. Our significant legal proceedings are discussed in Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this
Annual Report.

a

f
The  above  listing  is  not  intended  to  be  a  comprehensive  list  of  all  of  our  accounting  policies.  In  many  cases,  the  accounting
treatment of a particular transaction is specifically dictated by GAAP. See our Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto 
included in this Annual Report, which contain accounting policies and other disclosures required by GAAP.  

46 

Results of Operations

Revenue 

Spinal Hardware 
Surgical Support 
Total Revenue 

2016 

2014 

Year Ended December 31, 
2015 
(Dollars in thousands)
$559,388
251,725
$811,113

$522,683
239,732
$762,415

  $ 674,057
    288,015
  $ 962,072

2015 to 2016
$ Change % Change

2014 to 2015
$ Change % Change

$114,669
36,290
$150,959

20%   $  36,705
14%      11,993
19%   $  48,698

7%
5%
6%

Our spinal hardware product line offerings include our implants and fixation products, and following the acquisition of Ellipse
Technologies,  include  the  MAGEC-EOS  spinal  bracing  and  lengthening  system  and  the  PRECICE  limb  lengthening  system.  Our 
surgical support product line offerings include IOM services, disposables and biologics, all of which are used to aid spinal surgery. 

The  continued  adoption  of  minimally  invasive  procedures  for  spine  has  led  to  the  expansion  of  our  procedure  volume.  In 
addition, increased market acceptance in our international markets contributed to the increase in revenues for the periods presented.
We  expect  continued  adoption  of  our  innovative  minimally  invasive  procedures  and  deeper  penetration  into  existing  accounts  and 
international markets  as our  sales force  executes on our strategy of  selling  the  full  mix of our  products  and  services. However,  the
continued consolidation and increased purchasing power of our hospital customers and group purchasing organizations, the continued 
existence of physician-owned distributorships, recent changes in the public and private insurance markets regarding reimbursement,
and  ongoing  policy  and  legislative  changes  in  the  United  States  have  created  less  predictability  in  the  lumbar  portion  of  the  spine
market and have limited the domestic spine market’s procedural growth rate. Accordingly, we believe that our growth in revenue in
2017 will come primarily from share gains in the shift toward less invasive spinal surgery, revenue from new products and services, 
and international growth.  

n

Our  total  revenues  increased  $151.0  million  in  2016  compared  to  2015  and  $48.7  million in  2015  compared  to  2014, 
representing total revenue growth of 19% and 6%, respectively. To date, foreign currency fluctuations have not materially impacted 
our overall revenues as a percentage of growth year over year.  

Revenue from our spinal hardware product line offerings increased $114.7 million, or 20%, in 2016 compared to 2015. Revenue
associated with our 2016 acquisitions accounted for approximately 11% of the increase in spinal hardware revenue for the year ended 
December 31, 2016 as compared to 2015, which included a $4.8 million purchase order from an organization established by certain
former stockholders of Ellipse Technologies. See Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for 
further discussion on the purchase order. Product volume for our spinal hardware business, excluding 2016 acquisitions, increased our 
revenue by approximately 11%, offset by unfavorable changes in price of approximately 2% for the year ended December 31, 2016 as 
compared to 2015. Foreign currency fluctuation from 2015 to 2016 did not have a material impact on spinal hardware revenue.  

t

Revenue from our spinal hardware product line offerings increased $36.7 million, or 7%, in 2015 compared to 2014 as the result
of  increased  product  volume  of  approximately  11%,  offset  by  unfavorable  changes  of  approximately  2%  in  both  price  and  foreign
currency fluctuation, for the year ended December 31, 2015 as compared to 2014. 

Revenue from our surgical support product line offerings increased $36.3 million, or 14%, in 2016 compared to 2015. Revenue
associated with our 2016 acquisitions accounted for approximately 11% of the increase in surgical support revenue for the year ended 
December 31, 2016 as compared to 2015. Product and service volume for our surgical support business, excluding 2016 acquisitions, 
increased our revenue by approximately 4%, offset by unfavorable changes in price of approximately 1% compared to the same period
in 2015. Foreign currency fluctuation from 2015 to 2016 did not have a material impact on surgical support revenue. 

Revenue from our surgical support product line offerings increased $12.0 million, or 5%, in 2015 compared to 2014 as the result
of increased product and service volume of approximately 7%, offset by unfavorable changes of approximately 1% in both price and 
foreign currency fluctuation, for the year ended December 31, 2015 as compared to 2014. 

47 

 
 
 
  
     
       
  
  
 
 
 
Cost of Goods Sold, excluding amortization of purchased technology 

2016 

Year Ended December 31, 
2015 
(Dollars in thousands)

2014 

2015 to 2016 
$ Change % Change

2014 to 2015
$ Change % Change

Cost of Goods Sold 
% of total revenue 

  $ 240,093 

$194,479   $182,358   $ 45,614     

23 %   $  12,121

7%

25%

24%

24%

Cost  of  goods  sold  consists  primarily  of  purchased  goods,  raw  materials,  labor  and  overhead  associated  with  product 
manufacturing, inventory-related costs and royalty expenses, as well as the cost of providing IOM services, which includes personnel
and  physician  oversight  costs.  We  primarily  procure  and  manufacture  our  goods  in  the  United  States,  and  accordingly,  foreign 
currency fluctuations have not materially impacted our cost of goods sold. 

Cost of goods sold increased $45.6 million, or 23%, during the year ended December 31, 2016 compared to 2015. Cost of goods 
sold for our business, excluding our 2016 acquisitions, increased as a result of the growth in volume, slightly offset with favorable
shifts in purchase price, for an overall increase of approximately 13%. Inventory expense associated with the purchase accounting for 
our  acquisition  of  Ellipse  Technologies accounted  for  approximately  8%  of  the  total  increase  compared  to  2015. The  cost of  goods 
sold associated with the operations of our 2016 acquisitions accounted for approximately 14% of the total increase during the year 
ended December 31, 2016 compared to 2015. The overall increases in cost of goods sold were partially offset by decreases in other 
cost of goods sold expenses of approximately 11%, related to reductions in costs from the repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s medical
device  tax  in  2016, expiring  royalty  obligations  for  certain  product  lines,  and  other  non-recurring  inventory  related  items  including
obsolescence of certain products in 2015 resulting from newer product launches.

Cost of goods sold increased $12.1 million, or 7%, during the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to 2014. The increase 
was primarily due to increased volume and obsolescence of existing products due to new product launches in 2015, partially offset by 
expiring royalty obligations for certain product lines and sales price decreases in 2015. Cost of goods sold as a percentage of revenue 
remained relatively consistent for the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to 2014 for the reasons described above.

f

On a long term basis, we expect cost of goods sold, as a percentage of revenue, to decrease moderately.  

48 

 
 
 
         
  
       
   
  
   
       
  
     
  
Operating Expenses  

Sales, marketing, and administrative

% of total revenue 
Research and development 
% of total revenue 
Amortization of intangibles 
Impairment of intangible assets
Litigation liability 
Business transition costs 

Sales, Marketing and Administrative 

Year Ended December 31, 

2015 to 2016 

2014 to 2015 

2016 

2015 

2014 

$ Change

  % Change   

   $ Change % Change  

  $ 533,624

(Dollars in thousands)
$457,280

$456,700

$ 76,344    

17%   $ 

580

55%

56%

60%  

    47,999

35,833

37,486

12,166    

34%    

(1,653)

5%

4%

5%  

    42,001
——
    (43,310)
    18,138

12,516
——
(41,826)
13,748

13,571
10,708
30,000
13,448

29,485    
——  
(1,484)   
4,390    

(1,055)
236 %    
*   
    (10,708)
4 %     (71,826)
300

32%    

0%

4%

8%
*  
239%
2%

Sales,  marketing  and  administrative  expenses  consist  primarily  of  compensation  costs,  commissions  and  training  costs  for 
shareowners  engaged  in  sales,  marketing  and  customer  support  functions.  The  expense  also  includes  commissions  to  sales 
representatives, freight expenses, surgeon training costs, depreciation expense for property and equipment such as surgical instrument
sets, and administrative expenses for both shareowners and third party service providers.   

Sales,  marketing  and  administrative  expenses  increased  by $76.3  million  or  17%  during  the year  ended  December  31,  2016
compared  to  the  same  period  in 2015,  primarily  related  to  a  $49.2  million  increase  in  shareowner  compensation  due  to  increased 
headcount and commissions to our direct sales representatives from increased sales. Other costs which increased as a function of the
increase in revenue and international expansion, such as distributor commissions, freight, and travel, in the aggregate, accounted for 
approximately  3%  of  the  increase  compared  to  2015.  The  sales,  marketing  and  administrative  expenses  associated  with  our  2016 
acquisitions, which is included in the results discussed herein, accounted for approximately 11% of the increase in sales, marketing 
and administrative expenses compared to 2015.

Sales, marketing and administrative expenses increased by $0.6 million during the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to 
the same period in 2014, primarily related to increases of $4.3 million in distributor commissions, which is a function of the increase
in  revenue  and  international  expansion,  $3.6  million  increase  in  depreciation  of  loaned  systems  and  instrument  sets,  $3.6  million 
increase in expenses for third party service providers, and an increase of $0.5 million in compensation expense. These increases were
partially  offset  by  a  $2.1  million  decrease in  freight  costs,  a  $4.0  million  decrease  in  legal  expenses  mostly  resulting  from  settled 
litigation in 2015, and a decrease of $5.3 million in other general operating expenses. 

On  a  long-term  basis,  we  expect  total  sales,  marketing  and  administrative  costs,  as  a  percentage  of  revenue,  to  decrease 

moderately. To date, foreign currency fluctuations have not materially impacted our sales, marketing and administrative expenses. 

Research and Development 

Research  and  development  expense  consists  primarily  of  product  research  and  development,  clinical  trial  and  study  costs, 
regulatory  and  clinical  functions,  and  compensation  and  other  shareowner  related  expenses.  In  the  last  several  years,  we  have 
introduced  numerous  new  products  and  product  enhancements  that  have  significantly  expanded  our  MAS  platform,  including  iGA, 
and our comprehensive product portfolio. We have also acquired complementary and strategic assets and technology, particularly in 
the area of spinal hardware products. We continue to invest in research and development programs.  

Research and development expense increased by $12.2 million or 34% in 2016 compared to 2015. The increase in spending is 

r

primarily due to product related expenses associated with NSO, as well as increased spending for our other technologies.

Research  and  development  expense  decreased  by  $1.7  million  or  4%  in  2015  compared  to  2014.  The  decrease  is  primarily 
related to decreases in shareowner compensation and travel expenses, and reduction in expense related to prototypes for new product 
launches  that  occurred  in  2015.  These  decreases  were  partially  offset  by  increases  in  equipment  expenses  related  to  iGA  software 
development projects and other research and development projects and grants.

Research and development costs as a percentage of revenue remained relatively consistent with the previous year. On a long-
term  basis,  we  expect  total  research  and  development  costs  as  a  percentage  of  revenue  to  increase  moderately  in  support  of  our 
ongoing development and regulatory approval efforts. 

49 

  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
       
  
       
  
  
    
     
  
     
 
  
 
     
  
     
 
  
   
Amortization of Intangible Assets 

f
Amortization  of  intangible  assets  relates  to  the  amortization  of  finite-lived  intangible  assets  acquired.  Amortization  expense 
increased $29.5 million in 2016 compared to 2015 due to our 2016 acquisitions including Ellipse Technologies and BNN Holdings. 
Amortization expense decreased $1.1 million in 2015 compared to 2014, primarily due to certain intangible assets reaching the end of 
their useful lives. During the year ended December 31, 2016, we acquired $251.2 million in definite-lived intangible assets, and began 
amortizing the assets over their respective useful lives.

We expect future amortization of our current intangible assets as a percentage of revenue to be relatively consistent, excluding

future acquisitions.

Impairment of Intangible Assets

During  the  year  ended  December 31,  2014  we  recorded  $10.7  million  of  impairment  charges  related  to  intangible  assets 
acquired  from  Cervitech  in  2009. The primary  factor  contributing  to  these  impairment  charges were the  reduction  in  management's
estimates of current and future revenue and the related cash flows due to updated views of the competitive and regulatory landscape in
the cervical market.  

Litigation Liability Gain (Loss) 

During the year ended December 31, 2016, we settled our ongoing litigation with Medtronic. Under the terms of the settlement,
we paid Medtronic $45.0 million, which resulted in a gain of $43.3 million as we eliminated our previous accrual of $88.3 million
related  to  this  matter.  Litigation  liability  gain  of  $41.8  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2015  primarily  related  to  the 
recognition of a $56.4 million gain stemming from a favorable appeal in the first phase of the Medtronic litigation, which revised the 
award  for  lost  profits  and  convoyed  sales,  and  a  gain  of  $2.8  million  in  litigation  accrual  change  related  to  the  settlement  of the
NeuroVision trademark litigation reducing the accrual from $30.0 million to $27.2 million. The litigation liability gains were partially 
offset by litigation liability losses of $13.8 million in connection with a definitive settlement agreement we entered into with the U.S.
Department of Justice, or DOJ, to settle the investigation brought by the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of 
Health and Human Services and $3.6 million in a general litigation matter. See Note 11 and Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial 
Statements included in this Annual Report for further discussion. 

f

Business Transition Costs 

We incur certain costs related to acquisition, integration and business transition activities which include severance, relocation, 
consulting,  leasehold  exit  costs,  third  party  merger  and  acquisitions  costs  and  other  costs  directly  associated  with  such  activities.
During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2016,  we  incurred  $18.1  million  of  such  costs,  which  consisted  primarily  of  acquisition  and 
integration  activities,  and  $7.3  million  of  fair  value  adjustments  on  contingent  consideration  liabilities  associated  with  our  2016 
acquisitions. During the year ended December 31, 2015, we incurred $13.7 million of business trans
ition costs, which included $3.0 
million in restructuring and impairment charges associated with the exit of our New Jersey location and termination of the respective 
lease, and a $3.4 million charge associated with the resignation of our former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. The
$3.4 million charge includes certain severance and compensation-related charges, net of certain forfeitures of previously recognized 
equity-based compensation. During the year ended December 31, 2014, we incurred $13.4 million of business transition costs, which 
included  $6.4  million  related  to  the  restructuring  and  impairment  charges  associated  with  our  exit  of  the  New  Jersey  location  and 
termination of the respective lease, and approximately $4.2 million in accelerated depreciation associated with abandoned leasehold 
improvements related to our consolidation of our San Diego headquarters. 

d

a

50 

Interest and Other Expense, Net 

Interest income 
Interest expense 
Loss on repurchases of convertible notes
Other (expense) income, net 
Total interest and other expense, net 
% of total revenue 

2014 

2016 

Year Ended December 31, 
2015 
(Dollars in thousands)
$ 1,589
$
(29,078)
—— 
425 

$  1,091
  (40,520)
  (19,085)
(305)

968
(27,911)
—— 
(2,411)

2015 to 2016
$ Change % Change

2014 to 2015
$ Change % Change

$

(498)
(11,442)    
(19,085) 

 31%  $ 
621
 39%       (1,167)
*
*  
 172%       2,836
(117)%   $  2,290

64%
4%
*  
118%
8%

(730)    
$ (58,819) $(27,064) $(29,354) $(31,755)    

6%

3%

4%   

Total  interest  expense  increased  by  $11.4 million  during  the  year ended  December  31,  2016  compared  to  the  same  period  in
2015 as a result of issuance of the 2021 Senior Convertible Notes in March 2016. Additionally, a loss of $19.1 million was recognized 
during the year ended December 31, 2016 related to the repurchase of a portion of the 2017 Senior Convertible Notes. Other (expense)
income,  net,  includes  foreign  currency  exchange  and  derivative  instrument  (losses)  gains  of  $(0.3)  million,  net  of  foreign  currency 
hedges during the year ended December 31, 2016 and $0.3 million during the year ended December 31, 2015. Our currency exposures
vary, but are primarily concentrated in the pound sterling, the euro, the Australian dollar, the Singapore dollar, and the yen. The total
interest and other expense, net, for all years presented included marginal income earned on marketable securities.  

Total interest and other expense, net, decreased by $2.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to the same 
period in 2014. The interest expense increased by $1.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2015, compared to 2014 for the 
same  period  due  to  amortization  of  the  debt  discount.  Other  (expense)  income,  net  increased  $2.8  million  during  the  year 
ended December 31, 2015 compared to 2014 due to the losses on foreign currency rate changes in 2014 of $2.6 million, net of hedges,
compared to a gain on foreign currency rate changes, net of hedges, of $0.3 million in 2015.

Income Tax Expense   

Income tax expense
Effective income tax rate 

Year Ended December 31, 
2015 

2014 

2016 

  $  29,282 

(Dollars in thousands)
$ 46,729 

$ 6,286  

2015 to 2016 
$ Change      % Change   

2014 to 2015
$ Change % Change  

$ (17,447)   

37%   $  40,443

643%

45%

42%

(56)%  

The  provision  for  income  taxes  as  a  percentage  of  pre-tax  income  from  continuing  operations  was  45%  for  the  year  ended 
December 31, 2016 compared with 42% for the year ended December 31, 2015. The effective tax rate for 2016 is higher than 2015
primarily  due to  current  year  increases  in  non-deductible acquisition related  costs,  offset  by current year  share-based  compensation 
windfall tax benefits and the non-recurrence of prior year reserve and valuation allowance releases.

The  provision  for  income  taxes  as  a  percentage  of  pre-tax  income  from  continuing  operations  was  42%  for  the  year  ended 
December 31,  2015  compared  with  negative  56%  for  the  year  ended  December 31,  2014.  The  effective  tax  rate  for  2015  is  more 
normalized and higher than 2014 primarily due to small prior year domestic earnings offset by larger foreign losses in jurisdictions 
where we get little to no tax benefit.

We are subject to audits by federal, state, local, and foreign tax authorities. We believe that adequate provisions have been made 
for any adjustments that may result from tax examinations. However, the outcome of tax audits cannot be predicted with certainty.tt
Should any issues addressed in our tax audits be resolved in a manner not consistent with Management’s expectations, we could be 
required to adjust our provision for income taxes in the period such resolution occurs.  

We expect our future effective income tax rate to exceed the U.S federal and statutory income tax rates due to various factors,
including non-deductible expenses, state income taxes, net of federal benefits, and the continuing impacts of the implementation of 
our  planned  globalization  initiative  which  became  effective  in  January  2014.  The  initiative  involved  establishing  new  international 
operations  and  entering  into  new  intercompany  transfer  pricing  arrangements,  including  the  transfer
  of  intangibles.  We  continue  to 
aa
streamline  our  international  operations,  including  procurement,  logistics  and  customer  service  functions,  in  an  effort  to  improve
overall operational efficiencies. As international tax rules and regulations change, the Company may be subjected to changes in tax
rates. 

r

51 

  
       
  
        
   
  
  
 
 
      
 
     
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
         
  
       
   
  
   
       
 
      
  
Liquidity, Cash Flows and Capital Resources 

Liquidity and Capital Resources 

r

Our  principal  sources  of  liquidity  are  our  existing  cash,  cash  equivalents  and  marketable  securities,  cash  generated  from 
operations, proceeds from our convertible notes issuances, and access to our revol
ving line of credit. We expect that cash provided by 
operating activities may fluctuate in future periods as a result of a number of factors, including fluctuations in our operating results, 
working capital requirements and capital deployment decisions. We have historically invested our cash primarily in the U.S. treasuries 
and government agencies, corporate debt, and money market funds. Certain of these investments are subject to general credit, liquidity 
and other market risks. The general condition of the financial markets and the economy may increase those risks and may affect the
tt
value and liquidity of investments and restrict ability to access the capital markets. 

Our  future  capital  requirements  will  depend  on  many  factors  including  our  rate  of  revenue  growth,  the  timing  and  extent  of 
spending to support development efforts, the expansion of sales, marketing and administrative activities, the timing of introductions of 
new  products  and  enhancements  to  existing  products,  successful  vertical  integration  of  our  manufacturing  process,  the  continuing 
market  acceptance  of  our  products,  the  expenditures  associated  with  possible  future  acquisitions  or other  business  combination 
transactions,  the  outcome  of  current  and  future  litigation,  the  evolution  of  our  globalization  initiative,  and  continuous  international 
expansions of our business. We believe that our cash flow from operations and growing operations will continue to fund the ongoing
core business.  As current borrowing sources become due, we may be required to access the capital markets for additional funding. As 
we  assess  inorganic  growth  strategies,  we  may  need  to  supplement  our  internally  generated  cash  flow  with  outside  sources.  In  th
e 
t
event that we are required to access the debt market, we believe we can do so at reas
onable borrowing rates. As part of our liquidity 
strategy, we will continue to monitor our current level of earnings and cash flow generation as well as our ability to access the market 
in light of those earning levels.

rr

r

tt

t

A substantial portion of our operations are located in the United States, and the majority of our sales and cash generation since 
inception have been made in the United States. Accordingly, we do not have material net cash flow exposures to foreign currency rate
fluctuations. However, as our business in markets outside of the United States continues to increase, we will be exposed to foreign
currency exchange risk related to our foreign operations. Fluctuations in the rate of exchange between the United States dollar and 
foreign currencies, primarily in the pound sterling, the euro, the Australian dollar, the Singapore dollar, and the yen, could adversely 
affect  our  financial  results,  including  our  revenues,  revenue  growth  rates,  gross  margins,  income  and  losses  as  well  as  assets  and 
liabilities. We enter into forward currency contracts to partially offset the impact from fluctuations of the foreign currency rates on our 
third party and short-term intercompany receivables and payables between our domestic and international operations. We currently do
not hedge future forecasted transactions but will continue to assess whether that strategy is appropriate. At December 31, 2016, the 
cash balance held by our foreign subsidiaries with currencies other than the United States dollar was approximately $26.4 milli
on and 
t
it is our intention to indefinitely reinvest all of current foreign earnings in order to partially support foreign working capital and to
expand  our  existing  operations  outside  the  United  States.  As  of December  31,  2016
balance  held  by  our 
f
, 
foreign  subsidiaries  with  currencies  other  than  the  United  States  dollar  was  approximately  $23.3  million.  We  have  operations  in
markets  in  which  there  is  governmental  financial  instability  which  could  impact  funds  that  flow  into  the  medical  reimbursement 
system. In addition, loss of financial stability within these markets could lead to delays in reimbursement or inability to remit payment
due to currency controls.  Specifically, we have operations and/or sales in Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela. We do
 not 
r
have any material financial exposure to one customer or one country that would significantly hinder our liquidity.

r  was  approximately  $23.3  million. 

our  account  receivable  b

y

r

During the year ended December 31, 2016, we entered into a settlement and patent license agreement with Medtronic to settle
ongoing litigation. Under the terms of the settlement, we paid Medtronic $45.0 million, which resulted in a gain of $43.3 million as we
eliminated our previous accrual of $88.3 million related to this matter. See Note
11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included 
in this Annual Report for further discussion.

f

On August 31, 2015, we received a civil investigative demand, or CID, issued by

 the DOJ pursuant to the federal False Claims
Act. The CID requires the delivery of a wide range of documents and information related to an investigation by the DOJ concerning 
allegations  that  we  assisted  a  physician  group  customer  in  submitting  improper  claims  for  reimbursement  and  made  improper 
payments to the physician group in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. We are cooperating with the DOJ. No assurance can be
given as to the timing or outcome of this investigation, and the probable outcome of this matter cannot be determined.

d

52 

 
We are involved in a number of legal actions and investigations arising out of the normal course of our business as discussed in 
Note 11 of the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report. Due to the inherent uncertainties associated with
pending  legal  actions  and  investigations,  we  cannot  predict  the outcome,  and,  with  respect  to  certain  pending  litigation  or  claims 
where no liability has been accrued, to make a meaningful estimate of the reasonably possible loss or range of loss that could result 
from  an  unfavorable  outcome,  other  than  those  matters  disclosed in  this  Annual  Report. We  have no  material  accruals  for  pending
litigation  or  claims  for  which  accrual  amounts are  not  disclosed  in  our  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  included  in  this  Annual
Report. It is reasonably possible, however, that an unfavorable outcome that exceeds our current accrual estimate, if any, for one or 
more of the matters described in our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report could have a material adverse 
effect on our liquidity and access to capital resources.  Additionally, it is possible that as part of the ongoing legal appeals process,
regardless  of  our  assessment  of  the  probability of  a  loss,  we  could  be  required  to  set 
aside  funds  in  an  escrow  or  purchase  a 
performance bond. These requirements to escrow funding could have an adverse impact on our ability to access our current liquidity 
or impact our access to additional capital resources. 

y

We currently have $63.3 million in principal outstanding of senior convertible notes that will mature on July 1, 2017. Holders 

of 
the notes may elect to convert at any time beginning January 1, 2017. It is our intent to settle all conversions through combination
settlement, whereby we would repay the principal amount in cash and the excess conversion value in shares of common stock. During 
2016,  we  repurchased  approximately  $339.1  million  in  principal  of  these  notes for  $441.5  million,  including  accrued  interest.
Additionally, a minimal amount of holders of the 2017 Notes had elected to convert their notes in 2016 for which we settled through 
combination settlement. Refer to the below section subtitled “2.75% Senior Convertible Notes due 2017” for further details.

r

On September 12, 2016, we completed an acquisition of an imaging software and technology platform known as LessRay. In 
connection with the acquisition we recorded a purchase accounting fair value estimate of $33.8 million for contingent consideration 
liabilities  related  to  the  achievement  of  certain  regulatory  and  commercial  milestones.  We  anticipate  these  milestones  will  become
payable at varying times between 2017 and 2020. We expect the imaging software and technology platform to be incorporated into 
our MAS platform to form a foundational element in our imaging, navigation and automation platform development strategy. 

On July 1, 2016, we completed our acquisition of BNN Holdings for an upfront payment of $98.0 million, which was funded 
through cash and investments on hand. In connection with the closing, we used approximately $92.5 million (net of cash acquired and 
amounts retained for acquired provisional obligations) of our available cash and investments on hand to pay the upfront payment tot
security holders of BNN Holdings, as well as related transaction fees and expenses.

d

On  February  11,  2016,  we  acquired  Ellipse  Technologies  for  an  upfront  payment  of  $380.0  million  (including  holdbacks  for 
retained employment of Ellipse Technologies leadership that is to be expensed and is not considered part of the final purchase price) 
and  a  potential  milestone  payment  of  $30.0  million  payable  in  2017  related  to  the  achievement  of  specific  revenue  targets. In
connection with the closing, we used approximately $380.1 million (net of cash acquired) of our available cash and investments on 
hand  to  pay  the  upfront  payment  to  security  holders  of  Ellipse  Technologies,  as  well  as  related  transaction  fees  and  expenses.  The
revenue-based milestone was achieved as of December 31, 2016, and we expect to pay the $30.0 million milestone payment by April
2017.  See  Note  4  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  included  in  this  Annual  Report  for  further  discussion  on  the  milestone
payment.

In furtherance of our initiative to increase the amount of products that we self-manufacture, in 2015, we added an approximately
180,000 square foot manufacturing facility in West Carrollton, Ohio; and throughout 2016, we have worked to build out and equip the 
new facility and initial production is underway. 

53 

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $153.6 million and $470.1 million at December 31, 2016 and December 
31, 2015, respectively. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents and available liquidity will be sufficient to meet our 
anticipated  cash  needs  for  the  next  12  months.  We  could  have  varying  needs  for  cash  as  a  result  of  the  achievement  of  certain 
acquisition related milestones. We anticipate funding these milestones from cash on hand and operations, however, we have the ability
to fund these from our existing line of credit if necessary. The change in liquidity during the year ended December 31, 2016 of $316.5
million  was  mainly  driven  by  the  funding  of  our  acquisition  of  Ellipse  Technologies  of  approximately  $380.1  million  (net  of  cash 
acquired),  $441.5  million  repurchase  of  a  portion  of  our  outstanding  2017  Notes,  $92.5  million  (net  of  cash  acquired  and  amounts 
retained for acquired provisional obligations) for the acquisition of BNN Holdings, $66.3 million net for the call spread on the sale 
and purchase of warrants and bond hedge in connection with our issuance of Senior Convertible Notes due 2021, which we refer to as
the 2021 Notes, $24.7 million cash tax payments on behalf of shareowners with net share settlement, and ordinary seasonal payments 
such as annual bonuses, offset by inflows of $634.1 million in net proceeds from the issuance of the 2021 Notes and cash flow from 
operations. At December 31, 2016, we have cash totaling $7.4 million in restricted accounts which are not available to us to meet any 
ongoing  capital  requirements  if  and  when  needed.  Future  litigation  or  requirements  to  escrow  funds  could  materially  impact  our 
liquidity and our ability to invest in and run our business on an ongoing basis. 

a

ff

f

Cash Flows

The following table summarizes our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in thousands):  

Year Ended December 31, 

2015 to 2016 

2016 

2015 

2014 

$ Change

  % Change

Cash provided by operating activities
  $  156,295 $ 88,727 $ 115,548 $ 67,568    
Cash used in investing activities 
(297,371)    
    (304,885)
Cash (used in) provided by financing activities 
141,167    
    110,823
(12)    
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
(929)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   $  (38,696) $ 49,952 $ 39,562 $ (88,648)    

(104,825)
30,277
(1,438)

(7,514)
(30,344)
(917)

3,958 %    

2014 to 2015 
  $ Change % Change  
23%
93%
200%
36%
26%

76%   $ (26,821)
97,311
465 %     (60,621)
521
177 %   $  10,390

1 %    

Cash flows from operating activities 

Cash provided by operating activities was $156.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, compared to $88.7 million for 
the  same  period  in  2015.  The  $67.6  million  increase  in  cash  provided  by  operating  activities  was  primarily  due  to  income  tax 
payments in the prior year shifting to income tax refunds in the current year.  

Cash provided by operating activities was $88.7 million in 2015, compared to $115.5 million in 2014. The decrease of $26.8 
million  in  cash  provided  by  operating  activities  was  primarily  due  to  increases  in  cash  income  tax  obligations  and  the  payment  of 
ff
litigation settlements, partially offset by cash generated from ope

rations and accrual adjustments. 

Cash flows used in investing activities 

r
Cash used in investing activities was $304.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, compared to $7.5 million used for 
the same period in 2015. The $297.4 million increase in cash used in investing activities was primarily due to the $380.1 million cash
payment (net of cash received) to fund the acquisition of Ellipse Technologies, the $92.5 million cash payment (net of cash acquired 
and  amounts  retained  for  acquired  provisional obligations)  for  the  acquisition  of  BNN  Holdings,  and  $22.0  million  used  in  other
acquisition  related  investments  including  purchases  of  intangible  assets.  The  funding  of  these  acquisitions  and  investments  was
partially  offset  by  a  net  increase  of  $176.5  million  cash  received  related  to  activities  within  investment  portfolios  over  the  periods 
presented. 

Cash used in investing activities was $7.5 million in 2015, compared to $104.8 million in 2014. The $97.3 million decrease in 
cash  used  in  investing  activities  in  2015  as  compared  to  2014  is  primarily  due  to  the  proceeds  resulting  from  transferring  $114.1
million of restricted  cash  and  investments into unrestricted  cash  and  investment  accounts,  and  a $25.9  million  increase  in proceeds 
from the sales and maturities of marketable securities, offset by $17.3 million increase in purchases of property, plant, and e
quipment,
y
and  $32.0  million  in  cash  paid  for  intangible  assets,  including  payment  of  $27.4  million  for  intangible  assets  that  were  payable  at 
December 31, 2014. 

f
For 2017, we expect capital expenditures to support expansions of

 our business globally to be in the range of $95.0 million to
$105.0 million which is expected to be sourced by the cash generated from operations and the credit facility, as described below in 
section “Revolving Senior Credit Facility”.

54 

 
 
  
  
 
 
   
 
 
Cash flows from financing activities 

Cash  provided  by  financing  activities  was  $110.8  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2016,  compared  to  $30.3  million 
cash used for the same period in 2015. The $141.2 million increase in cash provided by financing activities was primarily due to the
net proceeds from the issuance of the 2021 Notes of $634.1 million, offset by the use of $66.3 million net for the call spread on the
sale  and  purchase  of  warrants  and  bond  hedge  in  connection  with  the  2021  Notes  issuance.  Additionally,  we  used  approximately 
$441.5 million in 2016 to repurchase a portion of the outstanding 2017 Notes, including accrued interest. 

Our  equity  incentive  plans  allow  for  “net  share  settlement”  of  certain  equity  awards  whereby,  in  lieu  of  (i)  making  cash 
payments in satisfaction of the exercise price owed respective to non-qualified stock option awards, or (ii) open market selling award 
shares to generate cash proceeds for use in satisfaction of statutory tax obligations respective to an award’s settlement or exercise, we
offset the award shares being settled in a respective transaction by the number of shares of our common stock with a value equal to the
respective obligation, and, in the case of taxes, making a cash payment to the respective taxing authority on behalf of the shareowner 
using our cash on hand. The net share settlement is accounted for with the cost of any award shares that are net settled being included 
in treasury stock and reported as a reduction in total equity at the time of settlement. 

rr

During 2017, we approximate at least $15.0 million of such cash tax payments will be made, however the actual remittance can 
be largely different depending on our share price at the date of RSU or PRSU release or option exercises or actual volume of such
activities. We anticipate using cash generated from operating activities and the credit facility to fund all such payments. 

Cash provided by financing activities was $30.3 million in 2015, compared to cash used in financing activities of $30.3 million
in  2014.  The  $60.6  million  increase  in  cash  used  in  financing  activities  is  primarily  due  to  purchases  of  treasury  shares  of  $56.9 
million in 2015 for employee minimum tax withholding payments, and decrease in cash proceeds received in the exercise of employee 
stock options.  

Senior Convertible Notes

2.25% Senior Convertible Notes due 2021

aa

In  March  2016,  we  issued $650.0  million principal  amount  of  unsecured  senior  convertible  notes  with  a  stated  interest  rate
of 2.25% and a maturity date of March 15, 2021. The net proceeds from the offering, after deducting initial purchasers' discounts and
costs directly related to the offering, were approximately $634.1 million. Interest on the 2021 Notes began accruing upon issuance and 
is payable semi-annually. The 2021 Notes may be settled in cash, stock, or a combination thereof, solely at our discretion. It is our 
current  intent  and  policy  to  settle  all  conversions  through  combination  settlement,  which  involves  satisfying  the  principal  amount 
outstanding with cash and any note conversion value over the principal amount in shares of our common stock. The initial conversion
rate  of  the  2021  Notes  is 16.7158 shares  per $1,000  principal  amount,  which  is  equivalent  to  a  conversion  price  of 
approximately $59.82 per share, subject to adjustments. Prior to September 15, 2020, holders may convert their 2021 Notes only under 
the following conditions: (a) during any calendar quarter beginning June 30, 2016, if the reported sale price of our common stock for 
at  least 20 days  out  of 30 consecutive  trading  days  ending  on  the  last  trading  day  of  the  immediately  preceding  calendar  quarter  is
greater than 130% of the conversion price on each applicable trading day; (b) during the five business day period in which the trading 
price of the 2021 Notes falls below 98% of the product of (i) the last reported sale price of our common stock and (ii) the conversion 
rate on that date; and (c) upon the occurrence of specified corporate events, as defined in the 2021 Notes. From September 15, 2020
and until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding March 15, 2021, holders may convert their 
2021 Notes at any time (regardless of the foregoing circumstances). We may not redeem the 2021 Notes prior to March 20, 2019. W  e
may redeem the 2021 Notes, at our option, in whole or in part on or after March 20, 2019 until the close of business on the business
day  immediately  preceding  September 15,  2020 if  the  last  reported  sale  price  of  our  common  stock  has  been  at  least  130%  of  the
ing, the
conversion price then in effect for at least 20 trading days during any 30 consecutive trading day period ending on, and includ
trading day immediately preceding the date on which we deliver written notice of a redemption. The redemption price will be equ
al to
r
100% of the principal amount of such 2021 Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption
maturity. Other  than  restrictions  relating  to  certain  fundamental 
date
changes  and  consolidations,  mergers  or  asset  sales  and  customary  anti-dilution  adjustments,  the  2021  Notes  do  not  contain  any
financial  covenants  and  do  not  restrict  us  from  paying  dividends  or  issuing  or  repurchasing  any  of our  other  securities. We  are
unaware of any current events or market conditions that would allow holders to convert the 2021 Notes. The impact of the convertible 
feature will be dilutive to our earnings per share when our stock price average for the period is greater than the conversion price. 

. No  principal  payments  are  due  on  the  2021  Notes  prior  to

f

In connection with the offering of the 2021 Notes, we entered into the 2021 Hedge with the 2021 Counterparties, entitling us to
purchase up to 10,865,270 shares of our own common stock at an initial stock price of $59.82 per share, each of which is subject to 
adjustment.  The  cost  of  the  2021  Hedge  was $111.2  million.  The  2021  Hedge  will  expire  on  March 15,  2021.  The  2021  Hedge  is 
expected  to  reduce  the  potential  equity  dilution upon  conversion of  the 2021 Notes  if the  daily volume-weighted  average price  per 
share of our common stock exceeds the strike price of the 2021 Hedge. Our assumed exercise of the 2021 Hedge is considered anti-
dilutive since the effect of the inclusion would always be anti-dilutive with respect to the calculation of diluted earnings per share.  

55 

 
In addition, we sold the 2021 Warrants to the 2021 Counterparties to acquire up to 10,865,270 common shares of our stock. The
2021 Warrants will expire on various dates from June 2021 through December 2021 and may be settled in cash or net shares. It is our 
current intent and policy to settle all conversions in shares of our common stock. We received $44.9 million in cash proceeds from the 
sale of the 2021 Warrants. The 2021 Warrants could have a dilutive effect on our earnings per share to the extent that the price of our 
common stock during a given measurement period exceeds the strike price of the 2021 Warrants, which is $80.00 per share. 

ff

2.75% Senior Convertible Notes due 2017

m

In June 2011, we issued $402.5 million principal amount of Senior Convertible Notes, which we refer to as the 2017 Notes, 
with  a  stated  interest  rate  of  2.75%  and  a  maturity  date  of  July 1,  2017.  The  net  proceeds  from  the  offering,  after  deducting  i
nitial 
purchasers’ discounts and costs directly related to the offering, were approximately $359.2 million. The 2017 Notes may be settled in 
cash,  stock,  or  a  combination  thereof,  solely  at  our  discretion.  It  is  our  current  intent  and  policy  to  settle  all  conversions through 
combination  settlement,  which  involves  repayment  of  an  amount  of  cash  equal  to  the  principal  amount  and  any  excess  of  the 
conversion value over the principal amount in shares of common stock. The initial conversion rate of the 2017 Notes is 23.7344 shares 
per  $1,000  principal  amount,  or  equivalent  to  conversion  price  of  approximately  $42.13  per  share,  which  is  subject  to  adjustment. 
Beginning January 1, 2017 and until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding July 1, 2017, 
holders  may  convert  their  2017  Notes  at  any  time.  Prior  to  January  1,  2017,  holders  may  convert  their  2017  Notes  only  under  the
conditions  as  described  in  Note  6  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  included  in  this  Annual  Report,  which  includes  our 
common stock trading at 130% of the conversion price for 20 out of 30 consecutive trading days. It is our current intent and policy to
settle all conversions through combination settlement, which involves satisfying the principal amount outstanding with cash and any
note conversion value over the principal amount in shares of our common stock. The impact of the convertible feature will be dilutive
to our earnings per share when our stock price average for the period is greater than the conversion price. Interest on the 2017 Notes 
began accruing upon issuance and is payable semi-annually on January 1st and July 1st each year. At December 31, 2016, holders of 
the  2017  Notes  were  in  a  convertible  position,  as  the  reported  sale  price  of  the  our  common  stock  for  20  days  out  of  the  last  30 
consecutive trading days ending with December 31, 2016 exceeded 130% of the $42.13 per share conversion price on each applicable 
trading day. At December 31, 2016, a minimal amount of holders of the 2017 Notes had elected to convert their notes. We settled such 
conversions through the combination settlement described above. The 2017 Notes are recorded as current liabilities on the December m
31, 2016 Consolidated Balance Sheet.

d

d

In connection with the offering of the 2017 Notes, we entered into convertible note hedge transactions, which we refer to as the 
2017 Hedge, with the initial purchasers and/or their affiliates, which we refer to as the 2017 Counterparties, entitling us to purchase up
to 9,553,096 shares of our common stock at an initial stock price of $42.13 per share, each of which is subject to adjustment. The cost 
of the 2017 Hedge was $80.1 million. The 2017 Hedge expires on July 1, 2017. The 2017 Hedge is expected to reduce the potential
equity dilution upon conversion of the 2017 Notes if the daily volume-weighted average price per share of our common stock exceeds 
the strike price of the 2017 Hedge. Our assumed exercise of the 2017 Hedge is considered anti-dilutive since the effect of the inclusion
would always be anti-dilutive with respect to the calculation of diluted earnings per share. 

In  addition,  we  sold  warrants,  which  we  refer  to  as  the  2017  Warrants,  to  the  2017  Counterparties  to  acquire  up
to 477,654 shares of our Series A Participating Preferred Stock, at an initial strike price of $988.51 per share, subject to adjustment. 
Each share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock is initially convertible into 20 shares of our common stock. The 2017 Warrants
expire on various dates from September 2017 through January 2018 and may be settled in cash or net shares.  It is our current intent 
and policy to settle all conversions in shares of our common stock, should the conversion occur. We received $47.9 million in cash 
proceeds from the sale of the 2017 Warrants. The 2017 Warrants could have a dilutive effect on our earnings per share to the extent 
that the price of our common stock during a given measurement period (the quarter or year-to-date period) exceeds the strike price of 
the 2017 Warrants, which is $49.43 per share. 

d

In  March  2016,  we  used  approximately  $345.2  million  of  the  net  proceeds  from  the  2021  Notes  offering  to  repurchase 

approximately $276.8 million in principal amount outstanding of the $402.5 million 2017 Notes. 

In the fourth quarter of 2016, we used approximately $96.3 million of cash on hand to repurchase an additional $62.3 million in
principal  amount  outstanding  of  the  2017  Notes.  As  of  December  31,  2016,  we  had  $63.3  million  principal  amount  of  2017  Notes
outstanding.

56 

Revolving Senior Credit Facility 

In February 2016, we entered into a credit agreement, which we refer to as the Credit Agreement, for a revolving senior credit
facility, which we refer to as the Facility, that provides for secured revolving loans, multicurrency loan options and letters of credit in 
an aggregate amount of up to $150.0 million. The Credit Agreement also contains an expansion feature, which allows us to increase 
the aggregate principal amount of the Facility provided we remain in compliance with the underlying financial covenants. The Fa
cility
matures on February 8, 2021, and includes a sub-limit of $15.0 million for letters of credit and a sub-limit of $5.0 million for swing 
are pledged
d
f
line loans. All of our assets and assets of our material domestic subsidiaries and ce
greement
as collateral under the Facility (subject to customary exceptions) pursuant to the terms set forth in the Security and Pledge A
t 
executed in favor of the administrative agent by the Company. Each of our material domestic and international subsidiaries guar
antees
the Facility

any outstanding revolving loan under the Facility. 

y. At December 31, 2016 we did not carry

rtain material international subsidiaries

Borrowings  under  the  Facility  are  used  by  us  to  provide  financing  for  working  capital  and  other  general  corporate  purposes, 
including  potential  mergers  and  acquisitions.  Loans  under  the  Facility  bear  interest,  at  our  option,  at  either  LIBOR  (determined  in
accordance with the Credit Agreement) plus an applicable margin ranging from 1.00 % - 2.00 % per annum subject to our applicable 
consolidated leverage ratio or the Base Rate (determined in accordance with the Credit Agreement), plus an applicable margin ranging 
from 0.0% - 1.25% per annum subject to our applicable consolidated leverage ratio. The Facility has a commitment fee, which accrues
at a rate of 0.2% - 0.4% per annum (determined in accordance with the Credit Agreement) based on our current leverage ratio.  

The Credit Agreement contains affirmative, negative and financial covenants, and events of default customary for financings of 
this  type.  The  financial  covenants  require  us  to  maintain  ratios of  consolidated  earnings  before  interest,  taxes,  depreciation  and 
amortization (EBITDA) to consolidated interest expense, and to consolidated debt, respectively, as defined in the Credit Agreement, at
varying scales throughout the life of the Credit Agreement. The Facility grants the lenders preferred first priority liens and 
security
interests in our capital stock, intercompany debt and all of our present and future property and assets, including each guarantor. We are 
currently in compliance with the Credit Agreement covenants. 

ff

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

Contractual obligations and commitments represent future cash commitments and liabilities under agreements with third parties, 

including our 2017 Notes, 2021 Notes, operating leases and other contractual obligations.

The  following  table  summarizes  our  long-term  contractual  obligations  and  commitments  as  of  December  31,  2016  (in

thousands): 

Payments Due by Period 

$

   1 to 3 Years        4 to 5 Years 
43,875   $  657,313
13,872
27,107       
——
1,018       
——
— —      
3,530       
——
75,530     $  671,185

$

$

    After 5 Years
——
4,621
——
——
——
4,621

$

Convertible Notes (1) 
Operating leases
Capital leases
Achieved milestones in connection with acquisitions
Other long-term liabilities
Total

Total
779,130
57,875
1,649
30,000
3,530
872,184

$

$

Less Than 
1 Year

$

$

77,942
12,275
631
30,000
——
120,848

57 

 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
(1) Convertible  Notes  includes  the  expected  coupon  interest  payments  on  the  outstanding  debt.  See  Note 6  to  the
Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for further discussion of the terms of the convertible 
notes. 

Total contractual obligations and commitments listed in the table above excludes the following liabilities:

•

•

Potential  contingent  consideration  payments  pursuant  to  certain  merger,  purchase,  and  product  development 
agreements, other than the milestone payment under the merger agreement for the acquisition of Ellipse Technologies. 
See Notes 4 and 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for further discussion on 
the contingent consideration obligations and product development agreements, respectively. 

Potential performance based long-term cash incentive awards granted to certain executive officers. These awards are 
contingent  upon  future  Company  performance  and  totaled  $5.3  million  in  the  Consolidated  Balance  Sheet  as  of 
December 31, 2016.

• Amounts  related  to  uncertain  tax  benefits  were  excluded  because  we  cannot  make  a  reasonably  reliable  estimate
regarding  the  timing  of  settlements  with  taxing  authorities, if  any.  Such  liabilities  are  included  in  the  Consolidated
Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2016, and considered immaterial to the overall financial statements. See Note 9 to
the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  included  in  this  Annual  Report  for  further  discussion  of  our  provision  for 
income taxes. 

•

Certain amounts related to tax liabilities in foreign jurisdictions were excluded because we cannot make a reasonably 
reliable estimate regarding the timing of settlements with taxing authorities, if any. Such liabilities totaling $6.5 million, 
including interest and penalties, are included in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2016. 

The  expected  timing  of  payments  of  the  obligations  discussed  above  is  estimated  based  on  current  information.  Timing  of 
 for 

payment and actual amounts paid may be different depending on the time of receipt of services or changes to agreed-upon amounts
some obligations. 

f

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

As of December 31, 2016, we did not have any off-balance sheet activities. 

Item 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Interest Rate Sensitivity and Risk 

Our  exposure  to  interest  rate  risk  at  December  31,  2016  is  related  to  our  investment  portfolio  which  cons

ists  largely  of  cash 
equivalents  in  the  form  of  debt  instruments  of  high  quality  corporate  issuers  and  the  U.S. government  and  its  agencies.  Due  to the 
short-term  nature  of  these  investments,  we  have  assessed  that  there  is  no  material  exposure  to  interest  rate  risk  arising  from  our 
investments.  Fixed  rate  investments  and  borrowings  may  have  their  fair  market  value  adversely  impacted  from  changes  in  interest
rates.  At  December  31,  2016,  we  do  not  hold  any  material  asset-backed  investment  securities  and  in  2016,  we  did  not  realize  any
losses related to asset-backed investment securities. Based upon our overall interest rate exposure as of December 31, 2016, a change 
of 10 percent in interest rates, assuming the amount of our investment portfolio and overall economic environment remains constant,
would not have a material effect on interest income. 

t

The primary objective of our investment activities is to preserve the principal while at the same time maximizing yields withou
t 
significantly  increasing  the  risk.  To  achieve  this  objective,  we  maintain  our  portfolio  of  cash  equivalents  and  investments  in
instruments that meet high credit quality standards, as specified in our investment policy. None of our investments are held for trading 
purposes. Our policy also limits the amount of credit exposure to any one issue, issuer and type of instrument.  

t

As of December 31, 2016, we only held investments in securities of a short-term nature classified as cash equivalents. During 
the periods presented, we did not hold any investments that were in a significant unrealized loss position and no impairment charges
were  recorded.  Realized  gains  and  losses  and  interest  income  related  to  marketable  securities  were  immaterial  during  all  periods 
presented.

Market Price Sensitive Instruments

In order to reduce the potential equity dilution, we entered into the 2017 Hedge and 2021 Hedge in connection with the issuance
of the 2017 Notes and 2021 Notes, respectively, entitling us to purchase our common stock. Upon conversion of our convertible notes,
the 2017 Hedge and 2021 Hedge are expected to reduce the equity dilution if the daily volume-weighted average price per share of our 
common stock exceeds the strike price of the applicable hedge. We also entered into warrant transactions with the counterparties of 
the 2017 Hedge and 2021 Hedge entitling them to acquire shares of our common stock. The warrant transactions could have a dilut
ive 
f
effect on our earnings per share to the extent that the price of our common stock during a given measurement period (the quarter or 
year  to  date  period)  exceeds  the  strike  price  of  the  warrants.  See  Note  6  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  included  in  this 
Annual Report for further discussion.

58 

Foreign Currency Exchange Risk 

A substantial portion of our operations are located in the United States, and the majority of our sales since inception have been
made in the United States dollars. Accordingly, we have assessed that we do not have any material net exposure to foreign currency 
rate fluctuations. However, as our business in markets outside of the United States continues to increase, we will be exposed to foreign 
currency exchange risk related to our foreign operations. Fluctuations in the rate of exchange between the United States dollar and 
foreign currencies, primarily the pound sterling the euro, the Australian dollar and the yen, could adversely affect our financial results,
including our revenues, revenue growth rates, gross margins, income and losses as well as assets and liabilities. In addition, loss of 
financial  stability  within  these  markets  could  lead  to  delays  in  reimbursement  or  inability  to  remit  payment  due  to  currency 
controls.  Specifically, we have operations in Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela that have financial instability or currency 
controls. We do not have any material financial exposure to one customer or one country that would significantly hinder our liquidity.   

q

r

We translate the financial statements of our foreign subsidiaries with functional currencies other than the United States dollar 
into the United States dollar for consolidation using end-of-period exchange rates for assets and liabilities and average exchange rates
during each reporting period for results of operations. Net gains or losses resulting from the translation of foreign financial statements 
and the effect of exchange rate changes on intercompany receivables and payables of 
a long-term investment nature are recorded as a 
n
separate component of stockholders’ equity. These adjustments will affect net income only upon sale or liquidation of the underlying
investment in foreign subsidiaries. Exchange rate fluctuations resulting from the translation of the short-term intercompany balances
between domestic entities and our foreign subsidiaries are recorded as foreign currency transaction gains or losses and are included in
other income (expense) in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. For those short-term intercompany balances, we enter into the 
foreign currency forward contracts to partially offset the impact from fluctuation of the foreign currency rates. The notional amount of 
the outstanding foreign currency forward contracts was $15.1 million as of December 31, 2016, which was settled in January 2017.
During the year ended December 31, 2016, a gain of $0.7 million was recognized in other income due to the change in the fair value 
of the derivative instruments, and the fair value of the hedge contracts we held was immaterial on our Consolidated Balance Sheet as
of December 31, 2016. The notional principal amounts provide one measure of the transaction volume outstanding as of period end,
but do not represent the amount of our exposure to market loss. The estimates of fair value are based on applicable and commonly
used pricing models using prevailing financial market information. The amounts ultimately realized upon settlement of these financial
instruments,  together  with  the  gains  and  losses  on  the  underlying  exposures,  will  depend  on  actual  market  conditions  during  the
remaining  life  of  the  instruments.    The  financial  exposures  by  exchange  rate  fluctuations  are  monitored  and  managed  by  us  as  an
The  financial  exposures  by  exchange  rate  fluctuations  are  monitored  and  managed  by  us  as  an
integral part of our overall risk management program, which recognizes the unpredictability of financial markets and seeks to reduce
ppotentially adverse effects on our results.

tt

Item 8.

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

The  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  and  supplementary  data  required  by  this  item  are  set  forth  at  the  pages  indicated  in 

Item 15. 

Item 9.

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

None.  

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

Disclosure Controls and Procedures 

We  maintain  disclosure  controls  and  procedures  that  are  designed  to  ensure  that  information  required  to  be  disclosed  in  our 
reports  under  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended  (Exchange  Act)  is  recorded,  processed,  summarized  and  reported 
within the timelines specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to 
our  management,  including  our  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer,  as  appropriate,  to  allow  timely  decisions 
regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognized that anyaa
controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving the desired 
control  objectives,  and  in  reaching  a  reasonable  level  of  assurance,  management  necessarily  was  required  to  apply  its  judgment  in 
evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.

Under  the  supervision  and  with  the  participation  of  our  management,  including  our  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  our  Chief 
Financial Officer, we carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Comp
any’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in 
SEC Rules 13a — 15(e) and 15d — 15(e) of the Exchange Act) as of December 31, 2016. Based on such evaluation, our management 
has concluded as of December 31, 2016, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective. 

t

59 

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting 

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in
Rule 13a-15(f)  under  the  Exchange  Act.  Internal  control  over  financial  reporting  refers  to  the  process  designed  by,  or  under  the 
supervision of, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, and effected by our board of directors, management and other 
personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements
for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

d

Management has used the framework set forth in the report entitled Internal Control — Integrated Framework published by the 
Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission  (2013  framework)  to  evaluate  the  effectiveness  of  the 
Company’s internal control over financial reporting. On May 14, 2013, the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway
Commission  published  a  2013  framework  and  related  illustrative  documents.  We  adopted  the  new  framework during  2014. 
Management has concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, excluding our acquisition of BNN Holdings, 
was effective as of December 31, 2016, based on those criteria. Ernst & Young LLP, the Company’s independent registered public 
accounting firm, has issued an attestation report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting which is included herein.  

k

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting 

We are involved in ongoing evaluations of internal controls. In anticipation of the filing of this Form 10-K, our Chief Executive 
Officer and Chief Financial Officer, with the assistance of other members of our management, performed an evaluation of any change
in  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  that  occurred  during  our  last  fiscal  quarter  that  has  materially  affected,  or  is  likely  to 
materially  affect,  our  internal  controls  over  financial  reporting.  There  has  been  no  change  to  our  internal  control  over  financial 
reporting  during  our  most  recent  fiscal  quarter  that  has  materially  affected,  or  is reasonably  likely  to  materially  affect,  our internal
control over financial reporting.  

aa

r

60 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 

The Board of Directors and Stockholders of NuVasive, Inc.

We  have  audited  NuVasive,  Inc.’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as of  December 31,  2016,  based  on  criteria 
established  in  Internal  Control—Integrated  Framework  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway 
Commission  (2013  framework)  (the  COSO  criteria).  NuVasive, Inc.’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 Management’s Report 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.

t

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, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of 
es. 
tt
internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstanc
We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

nn

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 fi
nancial 
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.

d

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.

t

In  our  opinion,  NuVasive,  Inc.  maintained,  in  all  material  respects,  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of 

December 31, 2016, based on the COSO criteria. 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the 
consolidated  balance  sheets  of  NuVasive,  Inc.  as  of  December 31,  2016  and  2015,  and  the  related  consolidated  statements  of 
operations, comprehensive income (loss), equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2016 of 
NuVasive, Inc. and our report dated February 9, 2017 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon. 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

San Diego, California 
February 9, 2017 

61 

Item 9B.  Other Information 

None. 

PART III 

Certain information required by Part III is omitted from this report because the Company will file a definitive proxy statement
within  120 days  after  the  end  of  its  fiscal  year  pursuant  to  Regulation 14A  (the  Proxy  Statement)  for  its  2017  annual  meeting  of 
stockholders, and certain information included in the Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference. 

Item 10.  Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

We have adopted a Code of Ethical Business Conduct for all officers, directors and shareowners. The Code of Ethical Business
Conduct is available on our website, www.nuvasive.com. We intend to disclose future amendments to, or waivers from, provisions of 
our Code of Ethical Business Conduct that apply to our Principal Executive Officer, Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting
Officer, or Controller, or persons performing similar functions, within four business days of such amendment or waiver. 

The  other  information  required  by  this  Item 10  will  be  set  forth in  the  Proxy  Statement  and  is  incorporated  in  this  report  by 

reference.  

Item 11.  Executive Compensation

The information required by this item will be set forth in the Proxy Statement and is incorporated in this report by reference.  

Item 12.  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

The information required by this item will be set forth in the Proxy Statement and is incorporated in this report by reference.  

Item  13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

The information required by this item will be set forth in the Proxy Statement and is incorporated in this report by reference.  

Item  14.  Principal Accounting Fees and Services

The information required by this item will be set forth in the Proxy Statement and is incorporated in this report by reference.  

PART IV  

Item  15.  Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules

(a)  The following documents are filed as a part of this report:  

(1)  Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm  

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2016 and 2015

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 

m

Consolidated Statements of Equity for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 

(2)  Financial Statement Schedules: Schedule II — Valuation Accounts  

All  other  financial  statement  schedules  have  been  omitted  because  they  are  not  applicable,  not  required  or  the 
information required by such schedules is shown in the financial statements or the notes thereto. 

62 

(2)

Exhibits

See Item 15, subsection (b) below.

(b) The following exhibits are filed as part of this report:  

Exhibit
Number 

2.1† 

2.2 

3.1 

3.2 

3.3 

3.4 

3.5 

4.1 

4.2 

4.3 

4.4 

4.5 

4.6 

10.1#

10.2#

10.3#

Description

Agreement  and  Plan  of  Merger,  dated  January  4, 2016,  by  and  among  the  Company,  Magneto  Acquisition
Corporation, a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, Ellipse Technologies, Inc., and
the  equity  holders’
Fortis  Advisors  LLC,  a  Delaware 
representative  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K  filed  with  the  Commission  on
February 11, 2016)

liability  corporation, 

its  capacity  as 

limited 

in 

Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated June 6, 2016, by and among the Company, Bionic Acquisition Corporation, a 
Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, BNN Holdings Corp., and GPP I-BNN, LLC, a
Delaware  limited  liability  corporation,  in  its  capacity  as  the  security  holders’  agent  to  BNN  Holdings  Corp. 
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on July 5, 2016) 

Restated Certificate of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the 
Commission on August 13, 2004)

Certificate  of  Amendment  to  the  Restated  Certificate  of  Incorporation  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Current
Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on September 28, 2011) 

Restated  Bylaws  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Current  Report  on  Form 8-K  filed  with  the  Commission  on
January 6, 2012)

Amendment No. 1 to the Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with 
the Commission on May 19, 2014) 

Amendment No. 2 to the Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with 
the SEC on August 1, 2016)

Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the 
Commission on March 16, 2006) 

Certificate  of  Designations  of  Series A  Participating  Preferred  Stock  filed  with  the  Delaware  Secretary  of  State  on
June 28, 2011 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 
2011) 

Indenture dated June 28, 2011 between the Company and U.S. National Association (incorporated by reference to ouru
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011) 

Form of 2.75% Convertible Senior Note due 2017 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed 
with the Commission on June 29, 2011) 

Indenture,  dated  March  16,  2016,  between  the  Company  and  Wilmington  Trust,  National  Association,  as  Trustee
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16, 2016) 

Form of 2.25% Convertible Senior Note due 2021 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed
with the Commission on March 16, 2016)

2004 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
filed with the Commission on July 26, 2012)

Amendment No. 1 to the 2004 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Annual
Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on March 3, 2014)

Form of Stock Option Award Notice under the 2004 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by
reference  to  Amendment  No. 1  to  our  Registration  Statement  on  Form S-1  filed  with  the  Commission  on  April 8, 
2004)

63 

 
 
   
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Exhibit
Number 

10.4#

10.5#

10.6#

10.7#

10.8#

10.9#

10.10#

10.11#

10.12#

10.13#

10.14#

10.15#

10.16#

10.17#

10.18#

10.19#

10.20#

10.21#

10.22#

Description

Form of Option Exercise and Stock Purchase Agreement under the 2004 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan
(incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Commission 
on April 8, 2004) 

Form  of  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Award  Agreement  under  the  2004  Amended  and  Restated  Equity  Incentive  Plan
(incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on February 26, 2010)

Form of Restricted Stock Grant Notice and Restricted Stock Agreement under the 2004 Amended and Restated Equity
Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Amendment No.1 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with 
the Commission on April 8, 2004) 

NuVasive,  Inc.  2004  Amended  and  Restated  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on October 30, 2014) 

2014 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to our Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the
Commission on March 27, 2014) 

Form of Performance Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (with accompanying Form Notice of Grant) under the 2014
Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on
May 4, 2015) 

Form  of  Executive  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Form  Notice  of  Grant)  under  the  2014
Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on
May 4, 2015) 

Form  of  Performance  Cash  Award  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Form  Notice  of  Grant)  under  the  2014  Equity
Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on May 4, 
2015) 

Form  of  Performance  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Notice  of  Grant)  for  grants  after
February 11, 2016 under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-
K filed with the Commission on February 11, 2016)

Form  of  Executive  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Form  Notice  of  Grant)  for  grants  afte
r
February 11, 2016 under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-
K filed with the Commission on February 11, 2016)

f

Form  of  Performance  Cash  Award  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Form  Notice  of  Grant)  for  grants  after
February 11, 2016 under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-
K filed with the Commission on February 11, 2016)

Form  of  Performance  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Notice  of  Grant)  for  grants  after
February 8, 2017 under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan

Form  of  Executive  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Form  Notice  of  Grant)  for  grants  afte
r
February 8, 2017 under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan 

f

Form of Performance Cash Award Agreement (with accompanying Form Notice of Grant) for grants after February 8,
2017 under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan 

NuVasive, Inc. 2014 Executive Incentive Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit B to our Definitive
Proxy Statement filed with the Commission on March 27, 2014)

2015  Ellipse  Technologies,  Inc.  Incentive  Award  Plan  (incorporated  by  reference  to our  Registration  Statement  on
Form S-8 filed with the Commission on February 11, 2016) 

Form  of  Indemnification Agreement  between  the  Company  and  its  directors  and  certain  executives  thereof
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 19, 2014)

NuVasive, Inc. Amended and Restated Executive Severance Plan (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed with the Commission on August 6, 2015)

Form  of  Change  in  Control  Agreement  between  the  Company  and  certain  executives  thereof  (incorporated  by
reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 19, 2014) 

64 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Exhibit
Number 

10.23#

10.24#

10.25#

10.26#

10.27#

10.28#

10.29#

10.30

10.31

10.32

10.33

10.34

10.35

10.36

10.37

10.38

10.39

10.40

10.41

Description

NuVasive, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with 
the Commission on August 6, 2015)

Letter Agreement dated May 22, 2015 between the Company and Gregory T. Lucier (incorporated by reference to our
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 26, 2015) 

Letter Agreement dated September 11, 2016 between the Company and Patrick S. Miles (incorporated by reference to 
our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on October 26, 2016)

Notice of Grant of Share Purchase Matching Performance Restricted Stock Units and Award Agreement granted to
Gregory  T.  Lucier  on  May  22,  2015  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K  filed  with  the 
Commission on May 26, 2015) 

Notice of Grant of “Inducement” Performance Restricted Stock Units and Award Agreement granted to Gregory T.
Lucier on May 22, 2015 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on
May 26, 2015) 

Notice of Grant of Share Purchase Matching Performance Restricted Stock Units and Award Agreement granted to
Patrick S. Miles on September 11, 2016 (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with
the Commission on October 26, 2016) 

Non-Employee  Director  Cash  Compensation  Plan  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K
filed with the Commission on March 3, 2014) 

Lease  Agreement  for  Sorrento  Summit  dated  November 6,  2007  between  the  Company  and  HCPI/Sorrento,  LLC 
(incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on November 8, 2007)

Confirmation for base call option transaction dated June 22, 2011 between the Company and Bank of America, N.A.
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation for additional call option transaction dated June 24, 2011, between the Company and Bank of America,
m
N.A. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Formrr

 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011) 

Confirmation for base call option transaction dated June 22, 2011 between the Company and Goldman, Sachs & Co.
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation for additional call option transaction dated June 24, 2011 between the Company and Goldman, Sachs &
Co. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation  for  base  warrant  transaction  dated  June 22,  2011  between  the  Company  and  Bank  of  America,  N.A.
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation  for  additional  warrant  transaction  dated  June 24,  2011  between  the  Company  and  Bank  of  America,
N.A. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation  for  base  warrant  transaction  dated  June 22,  2011  between  the  Company  and  Goldman,  Sachs  &  Co.
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation  for  additional  warrant  transaction  dated  June 24,  2011  between  the  Company  and  Goldman,  Sachs  &
Co. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Credit Agreement, dated February 8, 2016, by and among the Company, as the Borrower, Certain Subsidiaries of the
Company,  Bank  of  America,  N.A.  and  each  of  those  additional  Lenders  that  are  a  party  to  such  agreement
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on February 11, 2016)

Security and Pledge Agreement, dated February 8, 2016, by and among the Company, as the Borrower, and Certain
Subsidiaries of the Company in favor of Bank of America, N.A. (incorporated 
by reference to our Current Report on
f
Form 8-K filed with the Commission on February 11, 2016) 

Amendment  No.  1  to  Credit  Agreement,  dated  March  9,  2016,  by  and  among  the  Company,  as  the  Borrower,  the
Other Loan Parties, Bank of America, N.A. and each of those additional Lenders that are a party to such agreement
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 9, 2016) 

65 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Exhibit
Number 

10.42

10.43

10.44

10.45

10.46

10.47

10.48

10.49

10.50

10.51†

10.52†

10.53†

10.54†

21.1 

23.1 

31.1

31.2

32.1*

Description

Confirmation  for  base  call  option  transaction,  dated  March  10,  2016,  by  and  between  the  Company  and  Bank  of
America,  N.A.  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K  filed  with  the  Commission  on
March 16, 2016) 

Confirmation for additional call option transaction, dated March 11, 2016, by and between the Company and Bank of
America,  N.A.  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K  filed  with  the  Commission  on
March 16, 2016) 

Confirmation  for  base  call  option  transaction,  dated  March  10,  2016,  by  and  between  the  Company  and  Goldman,
Sachs & Co. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16, 
2016) 

Confirmation  for  additional  call  option  transaction,  dated  March  11,  2016,  by  and  between  the  Company  and
Goldman, Sachs & Co. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on
March 16, 2016) 

Confirmation  for  base  warrant  transaction,  dated  March  10,  2016,  by  and  between  the  Company  and  Bank  of
America,  N.A.  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K  filed  with  the  Commission  on
March 16, 2016) 

Confirmation  for  additional  warrant  transaction,  dated  March  11,  2016,  by  and  between  the  Company  and  Bank  of
America,  N.A.  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K  filed  with  the  Commission  on
March 16, 2016)

Confirmation for base warrant transaction, dated March 10, 2016, by and between the Company and Goldman, Sachs
& Co. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16, 2016) 

Confirmation for additional warrant transaction, dated March 11, 2016, by and between the Company and Goldman,
Sachs & Co. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16, 
2016) 

Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement dated January 13, 2009 among the Company, Progentix Orthobiology, B.V. and
the sellers listed on Schedule A thereto (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the 
Commission on February 26, 2010) 

Option  Purchase  Agreement  dated  January 13,  2009  among  the  Company,  Progentix  Orthobiology,  B.V.  and  the
sellers  listed  on  Schedule A  thereto  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Annual  Report  on  Form 10-K  filed  with  the
Commission on February 26, 2010) 

Exclusive Distribution Agreement  dated  January 13, 2009  between  the Company  and Progentix  Orthobiology,  B.V.
(incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on May 8, 2009)

Settlement and License Agreement dated April 25, 2013 among the Company, Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc.,
Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc., Medtronic Puerto Rico Operations Co. and Medtronic Sofamor Danek Deggendorf, GmbH
(incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on July 30, 2013)

Settlement and Patent License Agreement dated July 13, 2016 between the Company and Medtronic plc together with
its wholly owned subsidiaries Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc., Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc., Medtronic Puerto Rico
m
Operations Co., and Medtronic Sofamor Danek Deggendorf GmbH (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report 
on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on October 26, 2016)

  List of subsidiaries of the Company 

  Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended 

Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended 

Certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(b) of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and 18 U.S.C. section 1350 

66 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Exhibit 
Number 

Description

101 

101 

101 

101 

101 

101 

† 

# 
* 

  XBRL Instance Document 

  XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document 

  XBRL Taxonomy Calculation Linkbase Document

  XBRL Taxonomy Label Linkbase Document 

  XBRL Taxonomy Presentation Linkbase Document 

  XBRL Taxonomy Definition Linkbase Document 

Certain confidential information contained in this exhibit was omitted by means of redacting a portion of the text and replacing
it with an asterisk. We have filed separately with the Commission an unredacted copy of the exhibit. 
Indicates management contract or compensatory plan. 
These certifications are being furnished solely to accompany this annual report pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, and are not 
being filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are not to be incorporated by reference into 
any filing of NuVasive, Inc., whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in
such filing.

67 

 
   
 
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this

report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.  

SIGNATURES

Date: February 9, 2017

Date: February 9, 2017

Date: February 9, 2017

NUVASIVE, INC. 

By: /s/ Gregory T. Lucier 
Gregory T. Lucier 
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer 
(Principal Executive Officer)

By: /s/ Quentin S. Blackford 
Quentin S. Blackford 
Executive Vice President and 
Chief Financial Officer 
(Principal Financial Officer) 

By: /s/ Jereme M. Sylvain
Jereme M. Sylvain
Vice President, Corporate Controller and 
Chief Accounting Officer 
(Principal Accounting Officer) 

68 

 
 
 
POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW  ALL  PERSONS  BY  THESE  PRESENTS,  that  each  person  whose  signature  appears  below  constitutes  and  appoints
Gregory T. Lucier and Quentin S. Blackford, jointly and severally, his or her attorneys-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for 
him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this Report on Form 10-K, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto 
and other documents in connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that 
each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his or her substitute or substitutes may do or cau

se to be done by virtue hereof.  

r

t

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons

on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated. 

Signature 

Title

Date

/s/    Gregory T. Lucier 

Gregory T. Lucier 

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer  
(Principal Executive Officer) 

February 9, 2017 

/s/    Quentin S. Blackford 

Quentin S. Blackford 

/s/    Jereme M. Sylvain

Jereme M. Sylvain 

/s/    Robert F. Friel 

Robert F. Friel

/s/    Vickie L. Capps 

Vickie L. Capps 

/s/    Peter C. Farrell, Ph.D, AM 

Peter C. Farrell, Ph.D, AM 

/s/    Lesley H. Howe 

Lesley H. Howe 

/s/    Leslie V. Norwalk, Esq. 

Leslie V. Norwalk, Esq. 

/s/    Daniel J. Wolterman 

Daniel J. Wolterman

/s/    Donald J. Rosenberg 

Donald J. Rosenberg 

/s/    Patrick S. Miles 

Patrick S. Miles 

/s/    Michael D. O'Halleran 

Michael D. O'Halleran

Executive Vice President and Chief 
Financial Officer 
(Principal Financial Officer) 

Vice President, Corporate Controller 
and Chief Accounting Officer  
(Principal Accounting Officer)

February 9, 2017 

February 9, 2017 

Director 

February 9, 2017

Director 

February 9, 2017

Director 

February 9, 2017

Director 

February 9, 2017

Director 

February 9, 2017

Director 

February 9, 2017

Director 

February 9, 2017

Director 

February 9, 2017 

Director 

February 9, 2017

69 

   
NUVASIVE, INC.

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm ..............................................................................................................
   71
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 .....................................................................................................     72
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 ....................................................     73
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 .....................     74
Consolidated Statements of Equity for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 ...........................................................     75
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 ...................................................    76
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements ......................................................................................................................................    77

m

70 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 

The Board of Directors and Stockholders of NuVasive, Inc.

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of NuVasive, Inc. as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, and the 
related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the
period ended December 31, 2016. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility 
is to express an opinion on these financial statements 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 NuVasive, Inc. at December 31, 2016 and 2015, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of 
the three years in the period ended December 31, 2016, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

r

As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed its method for accounting for employee 
share based payments as a result of the adoption of the amendments to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification resulting from
Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-09, “Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment,” effective January 1, 2016.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), 
NuVasive, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016, based on criteria established in Internal Control — 
Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) and our 
report dated February 9, 2017 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon. 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

San Diego, California 
February 9, 2017

71 

NUVASIVE, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS 

(In thousands, except par value and shares)

Current assets:

ASSETS 

Cash and cash equivalents
Short-term marketable securities
Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $8,912 and $5,320, respectively 
Inventory, net 
Prepaid income taxes 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets

Total current assets

Property and equipment, net 
Long-term marketable securities
Intangible assets, net 
Goodwill 
Deferred tax assets 
Restricted cash and investments 
Other assets 

Total assets 

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

Current liabilities: 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 
Contingent consideration liabilities 
Accrued payroll and related expenses
Income tax liabilities 
Short-term senior convertible notes 

Total current liabilities 
Long-term senior convertible notes 
Deferred and income tax liabilities, non-current 
Non-current litigation liabilities
Other long-term liabilities
Commitments and contingencies 
Stockholders’ equity:

$

   $

   $

Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized, none outstanding
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 120,000,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2016 
and December 31, 2015, 55,184,660 and 52,616,471 issued and outstanding at 
December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively 
Additional paid-in capital
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Accumulated deficit 
Treasury stock at cost; 4,758,828 shares and 3,316,794 shares at December 31, 2016 and 
December 31, 2015, respectively

Total NuVasive, Inc. stockholders’ equity 

Non-controlling interests
Total equity 
Total liabilities and equity

See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

   $

72 

December 31,

2016 

2015 

$

$

$

153,643  
— — 
171,595  
208,249  
31,926  
10,030  
575,443  
181,524  
— — 
291,143  
485,685  
5,810  
7,405  
23,794  
1,570,804  

77,585  
49,742  
51,000  
2,469  
61,701  
242,497  
564,412  
18,607  
— — 
44,764  

192,339
165,423
127,595
168,140
40,540
8,790
702,827
141,441
112,332
85,076
154,281
83,691
5,615
17,404
1,302,667

60,986
——
37,640
990
——
99,616
372,920
8,602
88,261
14,425

— — 

——

55 
1,010,238  
(10,631) 
(66,859) 

(237,867) 
694,936  
5,588  
700,524  
1,570,804  

$

53
989,387
(12,112)
(104,006)

(161,788)
711,534
7,309
718,843
1,302,667

 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
   
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
NUVASIVE, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

2016 

Year Ended December 31, 
2015 

2014 

Revenue 
Cost of goods sold (excluding below amortization of intangible assets)

  $

Gross profit 
Operating expenses:

   Sales, marketing and administrative
   Research and development 
   Amortization of intangible assets 
   Impairment of intangible assets
   Litigation liability (gain) loss 
   Business transition costs 

Total operating expenses
Interest and other expense, net: 

Interest income 
Interest expense
Loss on repurchases of convertible notes
Other (expense) income, net 

Total interest and other expense, net 
Income (loss) before income taxes 

Income tax expense

Consolidated net income (loss)

Add back net loss attributable to non-controlling interests 

Net income (loss) attributable to NuVasive, Inc. 

Net income (loss) per share attributable to NuVasive, Inc.: 

   Basic 
   Diluted 

Weighted average shares outstanding:

   Basic 
   Diluted 

  $
  $
  $

  $
  $

962,072
240,093
721,979

533,624
47,999
42,001

——   

(43,310)
18,138
598,452

1,091
(40,520)
(19,085)
(305)
(58,819)
64,708
(29,282)
$ 
35,426
(1,721) $ 
$ 
37,147

$ 

$

811,113
194,479
616,634

457,280
35,833
12,516
——
(41,826)
13,748
477,551

1,589
(29,078)
——
425
(27,064)
112,019
(46,729)
$
65,290
(1,001) $
$
66,291

0.74
0.69

$ 
$ 

1.36
1.26

$
$

50,077
54,102

48,687
52,424

762,415
182,358
580,057

456,700
37,486
13,571
10,708
30,000
13,448
561,913

968
(27,911)
——
(2,411)
(29,354)
(11,210)
(6,286)
(17,496)
(776)
(16,720)

(0.36)
(0.36)

46,715
46,715

See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

73 

 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

NUVASIVE, INC.

(In thousands) 

Consolidated net income (loss)
Other comprehensive income (loss): 

Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities, net of tax
Translation adjustments, net of tax 

Other comprehensive income (loss): 
Total consolidated comprehensive income (loss) 

Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests

Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NuVasive, Inc.

  $

2016 

Year Ended December 31, 
2015 

2014 

  $

35,426

$ 

65,290

$

(17,496)

330
1,151
1,481
36,907
1,721
38,628

$ 

(344)
(2,098)
(2,442)
62,848
1,001
63,849

$

(161)
(6,271)
(6,432)
(23,928)
776
(23,152)

See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

74 

  
  
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
NUVASIVE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY 
(In thousands) 

Balance at December 31, 2013 

44,943    $

45

$

769,203

$ 

(3,238) $ 

(170,218 )    

—— $

—— $ 

595,792

$ 

9,086

$

604,878  

Common Stock 

Shares

     Amount

Additional 
Paid-in
Capital 

Other 
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)

Accumulated 
Deficit 

Treasury Stock 

    Shares 

Amount

NuVasive, Inc.
Stockholders' 
Equity 

Non- 
Controlling
Interests 

Total 
Equity 

Issuance of common stock under employee and
director stock option and purchase plans
Stock-based compensation expense 
Tax benefits related to stock-based compensation
awards 
Issuance of common stock in connection with
royalty milestone achievement 
Net loss attributable to NuVasive, Inc.
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests
Other comprehensive loss 

Balance at December 31, 2014 

Issuance of common stock under employee and
director stock option and purchase plans
Stock-based compensation expense 
Tax benefits related to stock-based compensation
awards 
Net income attributable to NuVasive, Inc. 
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests
Other comprehensive loss 

Balance at December 31, 2015 

Adjustment for modified retrospective adoption of 
accounting standard 

Balance at December 31, 2015, as adjusted

Issuance of common stock under employee and
director stock option and purchase plans
Stock-based compensation expense 
Tax benefits related to convertible note repurchase
Issuance of common stock in connection with
royalty milestone achievement 
Issuance of common stock through conversion of 
notes payable
Sale of warrants
Convertible note hedge
Equity component of convertible note issuance 
Equity component of convertible note repurchase 
Debt issuance costs attributable to convertible 
feature 
Securities registration fees
Net income attributable to NuVasive, Inc. 
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests
Other comprehensive income 

Balance at December 31, 2016 

2,660  
— —   

3

——   

30,106
33,687

— —   

——   

10,988

88   
— —   
— —   
— —   
47,691    $

4,925  
— —   

— —   
— —   
— —   
— —   
52,616    $

— —   
52,616    $

2,480  
— —   
— —   

88   

1   
— —   
— —   
— —   
— —   

— —   
— —   
— —   
— —   
— —   
55,185    $

——   
——   
——   
——   
$
48

5

——   

——   
——   
——   
——   
$
53

——   
$
53

2

——   
——   

3,161

——   
——   
——   
$ 

847,145

106,434
25,364

10,444

——   
——   
——   
$ 

989,387

——   
$ 

989,387

60,720
24,981
13,374

——   

5,761

——   
——   
——   
——   
——   

——   
——   
——   
——   
——   
$
55

——   

44,850
(111,150 )
84,784
(100,524 )

(1,931 )
(14)
——   
——   
——   
$ 

1,010,238

——   
——   

——   

——   
——   
——   

(6,432)
(9,670) $ 

——   
——   

——   
——   
——   

(2,442)
(12,112) $ 

——   
(12,112) $ 

——   
——   
——   

——   

——   
——   
——   
——   
——   

——   
——   
——   
——   

1,481

(10,631) $ 

——  
——      

(233)

——   

——  

——   

——  
(16,720 )    
——      
——      
(186,938 )    

——   
——   
——   
——   
(233) $

(10,537)

——   

——   

——   
——   
——   
——   
(10,537) $ 

——  
——      

(3,083)

(151,251 )

——   

——   

——  
66,291      
——      
——      
(120,647 )    

——   
——   
——   
——   
(3,316) $

——   
——   
——   
——   
(161,788 ) $ 

16,641  
(104,006 )    

——   
(3,316) $

——   
(161,788 ) $ 

——  
——      
——      

——  

——  
——      
——      
——      
——      

(1,443)

(76,079)

——   
——   

——   

——   
——   
——   
——   
——   

——   
——   

——   

——   
——   
——   
——   
——   

——  
——      
37,147      
——      
——      
(66,859 )    

——   
——   
——   
——   
——   
(4,759) $

——   
——   
——   
——   
——   
(237,867 ) $ 

See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

75 

19,572
33,687

10,988

3,161
(16,720)

——   

(6,432 )
640,048

$ 

(44,812)
25,364

10,444
66,291

——   

$ 

$ 

(2,442 )
694,893

16,641
711,534

(15,357)
24,981
13,374

5,761

——   

44,850
(111,150 )
84,784
(100,524 )

(1,931 )
(14)
37,147

——   
——   

19,572   
33,687   

——   

10,988   

-

——   

(776)

——   
$

8,310

——   
——   

——   
——   

(1,001 )

——   
$

7,309

3,161  
(16,720) 
(776) 
(6,432 ) 
648,358  

(44,812) 
25,364   

10,444   
66,291   
(1,001 ) 
(2,442 ) 
702,202  

——   
$

7,309

16,641   
718,843  

——   
——   
——   

(15,357) 
24,981   
13,374   

——   

5,761  

——   
——   
——   
——   
——   

——   
——   
——   

——   
44,850   
(111,150 ) 
84,784   
(100,524 ) 

(1,931 ) 
(14 ) 
37,147   
(1,721 ) 
1,481  

700,524

——   

1,481
694,936

$ 

(1,721 )

——   
$

5,588

     
     
 
  
  
       
 
     
 
  
 
   
 
  
 
 
    
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
    
 
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
  
    
 
  
    
 
  
    
 
  
  
    
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
    
 
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
    
 
  
    
 
  
    
 
  
  
    
 
  
 
 
 
  
    
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
    
 
  
  
    
 
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
    
 
  
  
    
 
  
  
    
 
  
  
    
 
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
    
 
  
  
    
 
  
    
 
  
    
 
  
  
    
NUVASIVE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands) 

Operating activities:

Consolidated net income (loss)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities: 

  $

35,426  

$ 

65,290

$

(17,496)

Year Ended December 31, 
2015 

2014

2016 

Depreciation and amortization
Deferred income tax expense (benefit) 
Loss on repurchases of convertible notes 
Amortization of non-cash interest 
Stock-based compensation
Impairment of intangible assets 
Reserves on current assets 
Other non-cash adjustments
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions:

Accounts receivable
Inventory 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 
Accrued royalties
Accrued payroll and related expenses
Litigation liability 
Income taxes

Net cash provided by operating activities 

Investing activities: 

Acquisition of Ellipse Technologies, net of cash acquired 
Other acquisitions and investments 
Purchases of intangible assets 
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment 
Purchases of property and equipment 
Purchases of marketable securities 
Proceeds from sales of marketable securities 
Proceeds from sales of restricted investments 
Purchases of restricted investments 

Net cash used in investing activities 

Financing activities:

Incremental tax benefits related to stock-based compensation awards
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock 
Payment of contingent consideration
Purchase of treasury stock 
Proceeds from issuance of convertible debt, net of issuance costs 
Proceeds from sale of warrants 
Purchase of convertible note hedge 
Repurchases of convertible notes 
Proceeds from revolving line of credit 
Repayments on revolving line of credit 
Other financing activities 

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents 

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 

Supplemental disclosure of non-cash transactions:

Intangible asset purchase 
Issuance of common stock in connection with royalty milestone achievement 

Supplemental cash flow information: 

Interest paid 
Income taxes (refunded) paid 

102,713  
26,265  
19,085  
22,721  
26,924  
——  
11,408  
16,928  

(33,250 )
(22,636 )
(5,665)
11,854  
 471  
8,849 
(88,450 )
23,652  
156,295  

(380,080)
(108,591)
(5,918)
——  
(88,372 )
(128,956)
407,032  
——  
——  
(304,885)

——  
9,492 
(422)
(24,734 )
634,140  
44,850  
(111,150)
(439,519)
50,000  
(50,000 )
(1,834)
110,823  
(929)
(38,696 )
192,339  
153,643  

——  
5,761 

13,249  
(20,499 )

$ 

$ 
$ 

$ 
$ 

65,915
34,757
——
17,851
26,203
——
9,454
17,581

(9,463)
(25,984)
1,239
7,742
(46,092)
(192)
(36,270)
(39,304)
88,727

——
(1,357)
(32,020)
40
(75,772)
(427,945)
411,471
180,694
(62,625)
(7,514)

15,185
12,106
(514)
(56,929)
——
——
——
——
——
——
(192)
(30,344)
(917)
49,952
142,387
192,339

$

—— $
—— $

11,069
36,303

$
$

65,837
(23,231)
——
16,490
33,687
10,708
1,856
13,191

(18,465)
(21,343)
(5,183)
5,855
12,410
7,179
30,000
4,053
115,548

——
(500)
——
241
(58,424)
(217,158)
174,816
——
(3,800)
(104,825)

11,896
23,354
(498)
(3,782)
——
——
——
——
——
——
(693)
30,277
(1,438)
39,562
102,825
142,387

27,389
3,161

11,069
13,640

  $

  $
  $

  $
  $

See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

76 

 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NUVASIVE, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

1.    Organization and Significant Accounting Policies 

Description of Business 

NuVasive, Inc. (the “Company” or “NuVasive”) was incorporated in Delaware on July 21, 1997, and began commercializing its 
products  in  2001.  The  Company’s  principal  product  offering  includes  a  minimally-disruptive  surgical  platform  called  Maximum 
Access Surgery, or MAS. The MAS platform combines three categories of solutions that collectively minimize soft tissue disruption 
during  spine  fusion  surgery,  provide  maximum  visualization  and  are  designed  to  enable  safe  and  reproducible  outcomes  for  the 
surgeon and the patient. The platform includes the Company’s proprietary software-driven nerve detection and avoidance systems and 
Intraoperative Monitoring (“IOM”) services and support; MaXcess, an integrated split-blade retractor system; and a wide variety of 
specialized implants and biologics. In May 2015, the Company launched Integrated Global Alignment (“iGA”); in which products and
computer assisted technology under the MAS platform help achieve more precise spinal alignment. The individual components of the 
MAS platform, and many of the Company’s products, can also be used in open or traditional spine surgery. The Company continues to 
focus  research  and development  efforts  to  expand  its  MAS product  platform  and  advance  the  applications  of  its  unique  technology
into  procedurally-integrated  surgical  solutions.  The  Company  dedicates  significant  resources  toward  training  spine  surgeons  on its
unique technology and products. 

The Company’s primary business model is to loan its MAS systems to surgeons and hospitals that purchase implants, biologics and
disposables  for  use  in  individual  procedures.  In  addition,  for  larger  customers,  the  Company’s  proprietary  nerve  monitoring  systems, 
MaXcess and surgical instrument sets are placed with hospitals for an extended period at no up-front cost to them. The Company also 
offers a range of bone allograft in patented saline packaging, disposables and spine implants, which include its branded CoRoent products 
ms to
aa
and fixation devices such as rods, plates and screws. The Company sells MAS instrument sets, Ma
Xcess and nerve monitoring syste
hospitals, however, such sales are immaterial to the Company’s results of operations.

nn

On February 11, 2016, the Company acquired Ellipse Technologies, Inc. (“Ellipse Technologies”), which operates as a wholly 
owned  subsidiary  under  the  renamed  legal  entity  NuVasive  Specialized  Orthopedics,  Inc.  (“NSO”).   NSO  designs  and  sells 
expandable  growing  rod  implant  systems  that  can  be  non-invasively  lengthened  following  implantation  with  precise,  incremental
adjustments  via  an  external  remote  controller  using  magnetic  technology  called  MAGnetic  External  Control,  or  MAGEC. The
technology  platform  provides  the  basis  of  NSO’s  core  product  offerings,  including  MAGEC-EOS,  which  allows  for  the  minimally 
invasive  treatment  of  early-onset  and  adolescent  scoliosis,  as  well  as  the  PRECICE  limb  lengthening  system,  which  allows  for  the 
aa
correction of long bone limb length discrepancy, as well as enhanced bone healing in patients that have experienced traumatic i

njury. 

In July  2016,  the  Company  acquired  BNN  Holdings  Corp.,  which through  its  subsidiaries  and  affiliates,  owns  and  operates 
Biotronic NeuroNetwork, a patient-centric healthcare organization that provides intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring services 
to surgeons and healthcare facilities across the U.S. The Company combined the service offerings of Biotronic NeuroNetwork with its
Impulse Monitoring, Inc. business under the newly created division NuVasive Clinical Services (“NCS”).  

ff

In  September  2016,  the  Company  acquired  the  LessRay  software  technology  suite,  which  is  designed  to  be  integrated  into 
current surgeon workflow and utilizes an algorithm to drive image registration and help surgeons and hospital staff manage radiation 
exposure  using  low-dose  image  quality  enhancement.  This  technology  is  expected  to  become  an  integral  component  of  the  IOM 
service and MAS platform although, sales related to this technology are currently immaterial to the Company’s results of operations.

The  Company  intends  to  continue  development  on  a  wide  variety  of  projects  intended  to  broaden  surgical  applications  for 
greater  procedural  integration  of  its  MAS  techniques  and  additional  applications  of  the  MAGEC  technology.  Such  applications 
include tumor, trauma, and deformity, as well as increased fixation options, sagittal alignment products, imaging and navigation. The 
Company also expects to continue expanding its other product and services offerings as it executes on its strategy to offer customers
an end-to-end, integrated procedural solution for spine surgery.   

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation 

The  accompanying  Consolidated  Financial Statements  include  the  accounts  of  the  Company  and  its  majority-owned  or
controlled subsidiaries, collectively referred to as either NuVasive or the Company. The Company translates the financial statements 
of  its  foreign  subsidiaries  using  end-of-period  exchange  rates  for  assets  and  liabilities  and  average  exchange  rates  during  each 
reporting  period  for  results  of  operations.  When  there  is  a  portion  of  equity  in  an  acquired  subsidiary  not  attributable,  directly  or 
indirectly, to the respective parent entity, the Company records the fair value of the non-controlling interests at the acquisition date
and  classifies  the  amounts  attributable  to non-controlling  interests  separately  in  equity  in  the  Company's  Consolidated  Financial
Statements.  Any  subsequent  changes  in  a  parent's  ownership  interest  while  the  parent  retains  its  controlling  financial  interest in  its 
subsidiary  are accounted  for as  equity  transactions. All  significant  intercompany  ba
lances  and  transactions have been  eliminated  in 
consolidation. 

q

t

77 

The  Company  has  reclassified  historically  presented  product  line  revenue  to  conform  to  the  current  period  presentation. 
The
Company  has  also  reclassified  certain  operating  expenses  into  business  transition  costs.  Both  reclassifications  have  no  impact  on
counting  Standards”  below  for 
ppreviously  reported  results  of  operations  or  financial  positio .  Refer  to  “Recently  Adopted  Ac
information regarding historical financial information adjusted for a change in accounting policy.  

n

Use of Estimates

To prepare financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) accepted in the United 
States,  management  must  make  estimates  and  assumptions  that  affect  the  amounts  reported  in  the  financial  statements  and 
accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted 

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2014-09, Revenue 
from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”), an updated standard on revenue recognition. ASU 2014-09 provides enhancements
to the quality and consistency of how revenue is reported by companies while also improving comparability in the financial statements 
of  companies  reporting  using  International  Financial  Reporting  Standards  or  GAAP. The  main  purpose  of  the  new  standard  is  for 
companies to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration to
which  a  company  expects  to  be  entitled  in  exchange  for  those  goods  or  services.  The  new  standard  also  will  result  in  enhanced
disclosures  about  revenue,  provide  guidance  for  transactions  that  were  not  previously  addressed  comprehensively  and  improve 
guidance  for  multiple-element  arrangements. In  August  2015,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  No.  2015-14,  Revenue  from  Contracts  with 
Customers: Deferral of the Effective Date, which deferred the effective date of the new revenue standard for periods beginning after 
December 15, 2016 to December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted but not earlier than the original effective date. Accordingly,
the  updated  standard  is  effective  for  the  Company  in  the  first  quarter  of  fiscal  2018.  The  Company  performed  a  preliminary 
assessment of the impact of ASU 2014-09 on the Consolidated Financial Statements, and considered all items outlined in the standard.
In assessing the impact, the Company has outlined all revenue generating activities, mapped those activities to deliverables and traced 
those deliverables to the standard. The Company is now assessing what impact the change in standard will have on those deliverables.
The Company will continue to evaluate the future impact and method of adoption of ASU 2014-09 and related amendments on the 
Consolidated  Financial  Statements  and  related  disclosures  throughout  2017.  The  Company  will  adopt  the  new  standard  beginning 
January 2018.

a

In January 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments-Overall: Recognition and 
Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (“ASU 2016-01”), which requires that (i) all equity investments, other than 
 and (ii) when the fair value
equity-method investments, in unconsolidated entities generally be measured at fair value through earnings
option  has  been  elected  for  financial  liabilities,  changes  in  fair  value  due  to  instrument-specific  credit  risk  will  be  recogni
zed 
r
separately  in  other  comprehensive  income.  Additionally,  the  ASU  2016-01  changes  the  disclosure  requirements  for  financial 
instruments. The new standard will be effective for the Company starting in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted 
for certain provisions. The Company is in the process of determining the effects the adoption will have on its Consolidated Financial 
Statements as well as whether to adopt certain provisions early. 

r

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases, which outlines a comprehensive lease 
accounting  model  and  supersedes  the  current  lease  guidance.  The  new  accounting  standard  requires  lessees  to  recognize  lease
liabilities  and  corresponding  right-of-use  assets  for  all  leases  with  lease  terms  of  greater  than  twelve months.  It  also  changes  the
definition of a lease and expands the disclosure requirements of lease arrangements. The new accounting standard must be adopte
d 
using  the  modified  retrospective  approach  and  will  be  effective  for  the  Company  starting  in  the  first  quarter  of  fiscal  2019.  Early 
adoption is permitted. The Company is in the process of determining the effects the adoption will have on its Consolidated Financial 
Statements as well as whether to adopt the new guidance early.

f

In  June  2016,  the  FASB  issued  Accounting  Standards  Update  No.  2016-13, Financial  Instruments  –  Credit  Losses,  which
changes  the  accounting  for  recognizing  impairments  of  financial assets.  Under  the  new  guidance,  credit  losses  for  certain  types  of 
financial  instruments  will  be  estimated  based  on  expected  losses.  The  new  guidance  also  modifies  the  impairment  models  for 
available-for-sale debt securities and for purchased financial assets with credit deterioration since their origination. The new guidance
will be effective for the Company starting in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. Early adoption is permitted starting in the fir
st quarter of 
fiscal 2020. The Company is in the process of determining the effects the adoption will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements 
as well as whether to adopt the new guidance early. 

f

78 

In August 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash 
Payments (“ASU  2016-15”),  which  eliminates  the  diversity  in  practice  related  to  the  classification  of  certain  cash  receipts  and 
payments for debt prepayment or extinguishment costs, the maturing of a zero coupon bond, the settlement of contingent liabilities
arising  from  a  business  combination,  proceeds  from  insurance  settlements,  distributions  from  certain  equity  method  investees  and 
beneficial  interests  obtained  in  a  financial  asset  securitization.  ASU  2016-15  designates  the appropriate  cash  flow  classification, 
including requirements to allocate certain components of these cash receipts and payments among operating, investing and financing
activities.  The  retrospective  transition  method,  requiring  adjustment  to  all  comparative  periods  presented,  is  required  unless it  is
impracticable for some of the amendments, in which case those amendments would be prospectively as of the earliest date practicable.
This  update  is  effective  for  annual  periods  beginning  after  December 15,  2017,  and  interim  periods  within  those  fiscal  years,  with 
early adoption permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Company does not expect the adoption to have any significant 
impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements. 

y

In  October  2016,  the  FASB  issued  Accounting  Standards  Update  No.  2016-16, Intra-Entity  Transfers  of  Assets  Other  Than
Inventory (“ASU 2016-16”), which aims to improve the accounting for the 
income tax consequences of intra-entity transfers of assets 
other  than  inventory.  This amendment  requires  an  entity  to  recognize  the  income  tax  consequences  of  an  intra-entity  transfer of an 
asset  other  than  inventory  when  the  transfer  occurs.  The  amendments  in  this  update  should  be  applied  on  a  modified  retrospective
basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. This update is
effective  for  annual  periods  beginning  after  December 15,  2017,  and  interim  periods  within  those
fiscal  years  with  early  adoption
aa
permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Company is considering early adoption of ASU 2016-16 in the first quarter 
2017, which would result in a modified retrospective adjustment increasing accumulated deficit and decreasing prepaid income taxes 
by approximately $11.6 million at the time of adoption.

aa

ff

f

In  November  2016,  the  FASB  issued  Accounting  Standards  Update  No.  2016-18,  Restricted  Cash,  which  requires  entities  to
show the changes in the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows.
As  a  result,  entities  will  no  longer  present  transfers  between  cash  and  cash  equivalents  and  restricted  cash  and  restricted  cash
equivalents in the statement of cash flows. The amendments in this update should be applied using a retrospective transition method to
each period presented. This update is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those
fiscal years with early adoption permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Company does not believe the effects of the
adoption  will  have  a  material  effect  on  its  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  and  is  assessing  whether  to  adopt  the  new  guidance 
early. 

In January 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2017-01, Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which 
clarifies  and  provides  a  more  robust  framework  to  use  in  determining  when  a  set  of  assets  and  activities  is  a  business.  The
amendments in this update should be applied prospectively on or after the effective date. This update is effective for annual periods 
beginning  after  December 15,  2017,  and  interim  periods  within  those  periods.  Early  adoption  is  permitted  for  acquisition  or 
deconsolidation  transactions  occurring  before  the  issuance  date  or  effective  date  and  only  when  the  transactions  have  not  been 
reported  in  issued  or  made  available  for  issuance  financial  statements.  The  Company  does  not  expect  the  adoption  to  have  any
significant impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements, and is in the process of determining whether to adopt the new guidance
early. 

 Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In April 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No

Accounting Standards Update N . 2015-03 amended requirements that require debt issuance 
costs, related to a recognized debt liability, to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that 
debt  liability,  effective  for  the  Company  beginning  January  1,  2016  applied  retroactively  for  all  Consolidated  Balance  Sheets 
presented.  The  Company  applied  the  amended  presentation  requirements  in  the  first  quarter  2016,  which  does  not  have  a  material
impact  on  its  financial  statements.  This  change  resulted  in  a  reclassification  of  debt  issuance  costs  from  other  assets  to  senior 
convertible notes on the Consolidated Balance Sheets presented. See Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this
Annual Report for revised presentation. 

79 

 (“ASU 2016-09”), 

In  March  2016,  the  FASB  issued  Accounting  Standards  Update  2016-09,

Improvements  to  Employee  Share-Based  Payment
t 
AAccounting
g
which simplifies the accounting for employee share-based payments. The new standard requires the 
immediate recognition of all excess tax benefits and deficiencies in the income statement, and requires classification of excess tax
benefits  as  an  operating  activity  as  opposed  to  a  financing  activity  in  the  statements  of  cash  flows.  The  provisions  of  the  new
standard  are  effective  for  the  Company  beginning  January  1,  2017,  with  early  adoption  permitted.  The  Company  elected  to  early
adopt ASU 2016-09 in the second quarter 2016, which requires any adjustments to be recorded as of the beginning of fiscal 2016. As 
a  result,  the  Company  recorded  a  modified  retrospective  adjustment  of  $16.6  million  to  deferred  tax  assets  and  accumulated
deficit as of January 1, 2016, and a retrospective adjustment to the previously reported first quarter 2016 provision for income taxes 
of approximately $5.5 million for the recognition of excess tax benefits in the provision for income taxes rather than additional paid-
in  capital.  This  resulted  in  a  decrease  in  net  loss  per  share of  $0.11 for  the  three  months  ended  March  31,  2016.  The  Company 
elected to apply the change in classification for excess tax benefits in the statement of cash flows on a prospective basis, and elected 
to continue estimating stock-based compensation award forfeitures in determining the amount of compensation cost to be recognized
each period. 

Revenue Recognition 

 In accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s guidance, the Company recognizes revenue when all four of the 
following  criteria  are  met:  (i) persuasive  evidence  that  an  arrangement  exists;  (ii) delivery  of  the  products  and/or  services  has 
occurred; (iii) the selling price is fixed or determinable; and (iv) collectability is reasonably assured. Specifically, revenue from the 
sale  of  implants,  biologics  and  disposables  is  generally  recognized  upon  acknowledgment  of  a  purchase  order  from  the  hospital 
indicating  product  use  or  implantation  or  upon  shipment  to  third-party  customers  who  immediately  accept  title.  Revenue  from 
monitoring services is recognized in the period the service is performed for the amount of payment expected to be received. Revenue 
from  the  sale  of  instrument  sets  is  recognized  upon  receipt  of  a  purchase  order  and  the  subsequent  shipment  to  customers  who
immediately accept title.

Accounts Receivable and Related Valuation Accounts

Accounts receivable in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets are presented net of allowances for doubtful accounts.
The  Company  performs  credit  evaluations  of  its  customers’  financial  condition  and,  generally,  requires  no  collateral  from  its
customers. The Company makes judgments as to its ability to collect outstanding receivables and provides an allowance for specific
receivables if and when collection becomes doubtful. Provisions are made based upon a specific review of all significant outstanding 
invoices as well as a review of the overall quality and age of those invoices not specifically reviewed. In determining the pro
vision for 
f
invoices not specifically reviewed, the Company analyzes historical collection experience and current economic trends. 

In addition, the Company establishes a reserve for estimated sales returns and price adjustments that is recorded as a reduction

to revenue. This reserve is maintained to account for the future return and price adjustments of products sold in

f

 the current period.  

Concentration of Credit Risk and Significant Customers

Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk, consist primarily of cash and cash 
equivalents, short-term and long-term marketable securities and accounts receivable. The Company limits its exposure to credit loss
by  placing  its  cash  and  investments  with  high  credit  quality  financial  institutions.  Additionally,  the  Company  has  established 
guidelines  regarding  diversification  of  its  investments  and  their maturities,  which  are  designed to  maintain  principal  and  maximize 
liquidity. Additionally, the Company has a diverse customer base and no single customer represented greater than ten percent of sales 
or accounts receivable for any of the periods presented.  

f

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The  Company’s  financial  instruments  consist  principally  of  cash  and  cash  equivalents,  marketable  securities,  restricted 
tible

investments, derivatives, contingent considerations, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued expenses, and Senior Conver
Notes.

a

The  Company  measures  certain  assets  and  liabilities  in  accordance  with  authoritative  guidance  which  requires  fair  value

measurements to be classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:  

d

Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for assets or liabilities. 

Level 2: Observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted on active markets, but corroborated by market data.  

Level 3: Unobservable inputs are used when little or no market data is available. 

e 
Assets  and  liabilities  are  classified  based  on  the  lowest  level  of  input  that  is  significant  to  the  fair  value  measurements.  Th
Company reviews the fair value hierarchy classification on a quarterly basis. Changes in the ability to observe valuation inputs may
result  in  a  reclassification  of  levels  for  certain  assets  or  liabilities  within  the  fair  value  hierarchy.  The  Company  did  not  h
ave  any 
n
transfers of assets and liabilities between the levels of the fair value measurem

ent hierarchy during the years presented.

f

r

80 

Cash and Cash Equivalents 

The  Company  considers  all  highly  liquid  investments  that  are  readily  convertible  into  cash  and  have  an  original  maturity  of 

three months or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents.

Inventory 

Inventory consists primarily of purchased finished goods, which includes specialized implants and disposables, and is stated at
the  lower  of  cost  or  market  determined  by  utilizing  a  standard  cost  method  which  approximates  the  weighted  average  cost.  The 
Company  reviews  the  components  of  its  inventory  on  a  periodic  basis  for  excess  and  obsolescence  and  adjusts  inventory  to  its  net 
realizable value as necessary.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

The  Company’s  goodwill  represents  the  excess  of  the  cost  over  the  fair  value  of  net  assets  acquired  from  its  business 
combinations.  The  determination  of  the  value  of  goodwill  and  intangible  assets  arising  from  business  combinations  and  asset 
acquisitions requires extensive use of accounting estimates and judgments to allocate the purchase price to the fair value of the net 
-process  research  and  development  (IPR&D).  Intangible  assets
tangible  and  intangible  assets  acquired,  including  capitalized  in
acquired  in  a  business  combination  that  are  used  for  in-process  research  and  development  activities  are  considered  indefinite  l
ived
d 
until  the  completion  or  abandonment  of  the  associated  research  and  development  efforts.  Upon  reaching  the  end  of  the  relevant 
research  and  development  project,  the  Company  will  amortize  the  acquired  IPR&D  over  its  estimated  useful  life  or  expense  the 
acquired in-process research and development should the research and development project be unsuccessful with no future alterna
tive
use. 

capitalized

 Goodwill and IPR&D are not amortized; however, they are assessed for impairment using fair value measurement techniques
 be

on an annual basis or more frequently if facts and circumstance warrant such a review. The goodwill or IPR&D are considered to 
impaired if the Company determines that the carrying value of the reporting unit 

or IPR&D exceeds its respective fair value. 

t

r

ial information. 

The Company performs its

The Company performs its goodwill impairment analysis at the reportin

g unit level, which aligns with the Company’s reporting 
annual impairment analysis by either comparing
structure and availability of discrete financ
a reporting unit’s estimated fair value to its carrying amount or doing a qualitative assessment of a reporting unit’s fair val
ue from the 
last  quantitative  assessment  to  determine  if  there  is  potential  impairment.  The  Company  may  do  a  qualitative  assessment  when  the 
results of the previous quantitative test indicated the reporting unit’s estimated fair value was significantly in excess of the carrying 
value  of  its  net  assets  and  it  does  not  believe  there  have  been  significant  changes  in  the  reporting  unit’s  operations  that  would 
significantly  decrease  its  estimated  fair  value  or  significantly  increase  its  net  assets. If  a  qualitative  assessment  is  performed  the
evaluation  includes  management  estimates  of  cash  flow  projections  based  on  internal  future  projections 
and/or  use  of  a  market 
 uret
approach by looking at market values of comparable companies. Key assumptions for these projections include revenue growth, fut
gross  and  operating  margin  growth,  and  its  weighted  cost  of  capital  and  terminal  growth  rates.  The  revenue  and  margin  growth  is
 nal
bbased on increased sales of new and existing products as the Company maintains investments in research and development. Additio
assumed  value  creators  may  include  increased  efficiencies  from capital  spending.  The  resulting  cash  flows  are  discounted  using
a
m
and  efficiency  assumptions  will 
weighted  average  cost  of  capital.  Operating  mechanisms  and  requirements  to  ensure  that  growth 
ultimately  be  realized  are  also  considered  in  the  evaluation,  including  timing  and  probability  of  regulatory  approvals  for  Comp
any
pproducts to be commercialized. The Company’s market capitalization is also considered as a part of its analysis.

mm

The Company’s annual evaluation for impairment of goodwill consists of two reporting units; the Progentix reporting unit and 
y’s  policy,  the  most  recent  annual
the  remainder  of  the  Company  (the  “primary  reporting  unit”).  In  accordance  with  the  Compan
evaluation  for  impairment 
methodology  based  on  discounted  cash  flows  as  of  October 1,
  as  of  October 1,
using  the  discounted  cash  flow  valuation 
2016  was  completed,  and  it  was  determined  that  no  impairment  existed  and  that  no  reporting  unit  of  the  Company  was  at  risk  of
f 
impairment when assessing the unit’s fair value compared to its carrying value. In addition, no indicators of impairments were
noted
through 

 and consequently, no impairment charge has been recorded during the year.
December 31, 2016 and consequently, no impairment charge has been recorded during the year. 

Intangible  assets  with  a  finite  life,  such  as  acquired  technology,  customer  relationships,  manufacturing  know-how,  licensed 
technology,  supply  agreements  and  certain  trade  names  and  trademarks,  are  amortized  on  a  straight-line  basis  over  their  estimated
useful life, ranging from 1 to 17 years. In determining the useful lives of intangible assets, the Company considers the expected use of 
the assets and the effects of obsolescence, demand, competition, anticipated technological advances, changes in surgical techniques, 
market influences and other economic factors. For technology based intangible assets, the Company considers the expected life cycles
of products  which  incorporate  the  corresponding  technology.  Trademarks  and  trade names  that  are  related  to products  are  assigned 
lives consistent with the period in which the products bearing each brand are expected to be sold. 

Intangible assets with a finite life are tested for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount u
may not be recoverable. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $10.7 million
related to the developed technology acquired from Cervitech in 2009. The primary factors contributing to this impairment charge were 
the reduction in the Company revenue estimate and related decrease to estimated cash flows for the technology. 

81 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
See  Note  2  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  included  in  this  Annual  Report  for  further  discussion  on  goodwill  and 

intangible assets. 

Property and Equipment 

Property  and  equipment  are  carried  at  cost  less  accumulated  depreciation.  Depreciation  is  computed  using  the  straight-line
method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, ranging from 2 to 20 years. The Company depreciates leasehold improvements 
over their estimated useful lives or the term of the applicable lease, whichever is shorter. Leased property meeting certain capital lease 
criteria is capitalized, and the net present value of the related lease payments is recorded as a liability. Amortization of assets under 
capital leases is recorded using the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful lives or the lease terms. Maintenance 
and repairs are expensed as incurred. 

m

aa

The Company reviews property, plant and equipment for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that 
the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. An impairment loss would be recognized when estimated future undiscounted
cash flows relating to the asset are less than its carrying amount. An impairment loss is measured as the amount by which the carrying 
amount of an asset exceeds its fair value. 

Income Taxes

The asset and liability approach is used to recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences 
of  temporary  differences  between  the  carrying  amounts  and  the  tax  bases  of  assets  and  liabilities.  Tax  law  and  rate  changes  are
reflected  in  income  in  the  period  such  changes  are  enacted.  The  Company  includes  interest  and  penalties  related  to  income  taxes,
including unrecognized tax benefits, within income tax expense. 

The Company’s income tax returns are based on calculations and assumptions that are subject to examination by the Internal
Revenue  Service  and  other  tax  authorities.  In  addition,  the  calculation  of  the  Company’s  tax  liabilities  involves  dealing  with
uncertainties in the application of complex tax regulations. The Company recognizes liabilities for uncertain tax positions based on a 
two-step  process.  The  first  step  is  to  evaluate  the  tax  position  for  recognition  by  determining  if  the  weight  of  available  evidence
indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation 
processes, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely of being realized 
upon  settlement.  While  the  Company  believes  it  has  appropriate  support  for  the  positions  taken  on  its  tax  returns,  the  Company 
regularly assesses the potential outcomes of examinations by tax authorities in determining the adequacy of its provision for income
taxes.  The  Company  continually  assesses  the  likelihood and  amount  of  potential  adjustments  and  adjusts  the  income  tax  provision,
income taxes payable and deferred taxes in the period in which the facts that give rise to a revision become known. 

uu

Significant judgment is required in determining the Company’s provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities and
the valuation allowance recorded against net deferred tax assets. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined using the enacted 
tax rates in effect for the years in which those tax assets are expected to be realized. A valuation allowance is established when it is 
more likely than not the future realization of all or some of the deferred tax assets will not be achieved. The evaluation of the need for 
a valuation allowance is performed on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis, and includes a review of all available positive and negative
evidence. Factors reviewed include projections of pre-tax book income for the foreseeable future, determination of cumulative pre-tax 
book income after permanent differences, earnings history, and reliability of forecasting. 

d

t

See Note 9 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for further discussion on income taxes. 

Loss Contingencies 

An estimated loss contingency is accrued and disclosed in the Company’s financial statements if it is probable or disclosed if it 
is  reasonably  possible  that  a  liability  has  been  incurred  and  the amount  of  the  loss  can  be  reasonably  estimated.  Based  on  the
Company’s assessment, it has adequately accrued an amount for contingent liabilities currently in existence. The Company does not 
accrue amounts for liabilities that it does not believe are probable and only discloses those matters it considers material to its overall
financial position. In most cases, significant judgment is required to estimate the amount and timing of a loss to be recorded.

The Company is involved in a number of legal actions arising in the normal course of business. The outcomes of these legal
actions  are not  within  the  Company’s  complete  control  and  may  not  be known  for  prolonged  periods  of  time.  In  some  actions,  the 
claimants seek damages as well as other relief, including injunctions barring the sale of products that are the subject of the lawsuit,
that could require significant expenditures or result in lost revenues. Litigation is inherently unpredictable, and unfavorable resolutions
could  occur.  As  a  result,  assessing  contingencies  is  highly  subjective  and  requires  judgment  about  future  events.  The  amount  of
ultimate  loss  may  exceed  the  Company’s  current  accruals,  and  it  is  possible  that  its  cash  flows  or  results  of  operations  could  be 
materially affected in any particular period by the unfavorable resolution of one or more of these contingencies.

See  Note  11  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  included  in  this  Annual  Report  for  further  discussion  on  legal 

proceedings.

82 

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive  income  (loss)  is  defined  as  the  change  in  equity  during  a  period  from  transactions  and  other  events  and 
circumstances  from  non-owner  sources.  Comprehensive  income  (loss)  includes  net  of  tax,  unrealized  gains  or  losses  on  the 
Company’s  marketable  securities  and  foreign  currency  translation adjustments.  The  cumulative  translation  adjustments  included  in
accumulated other comprehensive loss were $10.6 million, $11.6 million, and $9.5 million at December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, 
respectively.

Research and Development 

Research  and  development  costs  are  expensed  as  incurred.  To  the  extent  the  Company  purchases  research  and  development 

assets with a future alternative use the Company will capitalize and amortize the assets over its useful life.

Product Shipment Costs

Product shipment costs, included in sales, marketing and administrative expense in the accompanying Consolidated Statements
of  Operations,  were  $24.5  million,  $21.6  million,  and  $23.6  million  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2016,  2015,  and  2014,
ally sold 
respectively.   The majority of the Company’s shipping costs are related to the loaning of instrument sets, which are not typic
as  part  of  the  Company’s  core  sales  offering.    Amounts  billed  to  customers  for  shipping  and  handling  of  products  are  reflected  in
revenues and are not significant for any period presented.

f

Business Transition Costs 

 The Company incurs certain costs related to acquisition, integration and business transition activities which include severance, 
relocation,  consulting,  leasehold  exit  costs,  third  party  merger  and  acquisitions  costs  and  other  costs  directly  associated  with  such
activities. During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company incurred $18.1 million of such costs, which consisted primarily of 
acquisition and integration activities, and $7.3 million of fair value adjustments on contingent consideration liabilities associated with 
the  Company’s  2016  acquisitions.  During  the  year  ended  December  31, 2015,  the  Company  incurred  $13.7  million  of  business
transition  costs,  which  included  $3.0  million  in  restructuring  and  impairment  charges  associated  with  the  exit  of  its  New  Jersey
location and termination of the respective lease, and a $3.4 million charge associated with the resignation of the Company’s fo
rmer 
Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chairman  of  the  Board.  The  $3.4  million  charge  includes  certain  severance  and  compensation-related
 the year ended December 31, 2014, the 
charges, net of certain forfeitures of previously recognized equity-based compensation. During
Company incurred $13.4 million of business transition costs, which included $6.4 million related to the restructuring and impairment 
charges associated with the exit of its New Jersey location and termination of the respective lease, and approximately $4.2 million in 
accelerated depreciation associated with abandoned leasehold improvements related to the consolidation of the Company’s San Diego
headquarters.

d

d

As of December 31, 2016, the total recorded liability associated with the early lease termination for the Company’s New Jersey 
location was $2.4 million compared to $4.1 million at December 31, 2015. The liability consists of future rental payments through 
2017.  The  current  portion  of  the  liability  is  recorded  within  accounts  payable  and  accrued  liabilities  and  the  long-term  portion  is
recorded within other long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for the periods presented. 

Stock-based Compensation

Stock-based  compensation  expense  for  equity-classified  awards, principally  related  to  restricted  stock  units  (“RSUs”)  and 
performance  restricted  stock  units  (“PRSUs”),  is  measured  at  the  grant  date  based  on  the  estimated  fair  value  of  the  award  and  is
recognized over the employee’s requisite service period on an accelerated basis. The fair value of equity instruments that are expected 
to vest is recognized and amortized over the requisite service period. The Company has granted awards with up to five year graded or 
cliff  vesting  terms  (in  each  case,  with  service  through  the  date  of  vesting  being  required).  No  exercise  price  or  other  monetaryrr
payment  is  required for  receipt of  the  shares  issued  in  settlement  of  the respective  award;  instead,  consideration  is furnished  in  the 
form of the participant’s service to the Company.

The fair value of RSUs including PRSUs with pre-defined performance criteria is based on the stock price on the date of grant 
whereas  the  expense  for  PRSU  with  pre-defined  performance  criteria  is  adjusted  with  the  probability  of  achievement  of  such
performance criteria at each period end. The fair value of the PRSUs that are earned based on the achievement of pre-defined market 
conditions for total shareholder return is estimated on the date of grant using a Monte Carlo valuation model. The key assumptions in
applying this model are an expected volatility and a risk-free interest rate.  

Stock-based  compensation  expense  is  adjusted  from  the  grant  date  to  exclude  expense  for  awards  that  are  expected  to  be
forfeited. The forfeiture estimate is adjusted as necessary through the vesting date so that full compensation cost is recognized only for 
o be
awards that vest. The Company assesses the reasonableness of the estimated forfeiture rate at least annually, with any change t
made on a cumulative basis in the period the estimated forfeiture rates change. The Company considered its historical experience of 
pre-vesting forfeitures on awards by each homogenous group of shareowners as the basis to arrive at its estimated annual pre-vesting
forfeiture rates. 

d

83 

The Company estimates the fair value of stock options issued under its equity incentive plans and shares issued to shareowners
under its employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”) using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model on the date of grant. The Black-Scholes
option-pricing model incorporates various and highly sensitive assumptions including expected volatility, expected term and risk-free 
interest rates. The expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company’s common stock over the most recent period 
commensurate  with  the  estimated  expected  term  of  the  Company’s  stock  options  and  ESPP  which  is  derived  from  historical
experience. The risk-free interest rate for periods within the contractual life of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield in effect 
at the time of grant. The Company has never declared or paid dividends and has no plans to do so in the foreseeable future.  

See Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for further discussion on stockholder equity

and stock-based compensation.

Net Income (Loss) Per Share 

The Company computes basic net income (loss) per share using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 
during the period. Diluted net income (loss) assumes the conversion, exercise or issuance of all potential common stock equivalents,
unless  the  effect  of  inclusion  would  be  anti-dilutive.  For  purposes  of  this  calculation,  common  stock  equivalents  include  the 
Company’s  stock  options, unvested  RSUs,  including  those  with performance  and  market  conditions, warrants,  and  the  shares  to  be 
issued upon the conversion of the Senior Convertible Notes. The contingently issuable shares are included in basic net income (loss) 
per share as of the date that all necessary conditions have been satisfied and are included in the denominator for dilutive calculation
for the entire period if such shares would be issuable as of the end of the reporting period assuming the end of the reporting period was
the end of the contingency period.

ff

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share (in thousands, except share data):   

Numerator:

Net income (loss) available to NuVasive, Inc. 
Denominator for basic and diluted net income (loss) per 
  share: 

Weighted average common shares outstanding for 
   basic
Dilutive potential common stock outstanding:

Stock options and ESPP 
RSUs 
Warrants
Senior Convertible Notes 

Weighted average common shares outstanding for 
   diluted 

Basic net income (loss) per share attributable to 
  NuVasive, Inc.
Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to
  NuVasive, Inc.

Year Ended December 31, 
2015 

2014 

2016 

$

37,147

$

66,291    $ 

(16,720)

50,077

48,687     

46,715

314
1,273
1,297
1,141

1,089     
1,157     
177     
1,314     

——
——
——
——

54,102

52,424     

46,715

$

$

0.74

0.69

$

$

1.36    $ 

(0.36)

1.26    $ 

(0.36)

The  following  weighted  outstanding  common  stock  equivalents  were  not  included  in  the  calculation  of  net  income  (loss)  per 

diluted share because their effects were anti-dilutive (in thousands): 

Stock options, ESPP, and RSUs
Warrants
Senior Convertible Notes 
Total

Year Ended December 31, 
2015 

2014 

2016 

912
13,253
7,550
21,715

40     
4,777      
— —     
4,817      

8,902
9,553
9,553
28,008

84 

     
    
    
    
  
  
     
2.    Balance Sheet Details

Property and Equipment, net 

Property and equipment, net, consisted of the following (in thousands, except years): 

Instrument sets 
Machinery and equipment 
Computer equipment and software 
Leasehold improvements
Furniture and fixtures 
Building and improvements 
Land 

Less: accumulated depreciation and 
amortization 

Useful Life
4 
5 to 7
3 to 7
2 to 15
3 to 7
10 to 20
—

December 31,

2016 

2015 

$ 

249,592
37,837
71,258
21,278
7,625
16,558
541
404,689

214,893 
26,871 
55,480 
17,331 
5,884 
10,875 
1,288 
332,622 

(223,165)
181,524

$ 

(191,181)
141,441 

$

$

Property and equipment mainly consisted of instrument sets, which are loaned to surgeons and hospitals that purchase implants,

biologics and disposables for use in individual surgical procedures. 

Depreciation  expense  was $57.1  million,  $49.8  million,  and $52.3  million for  the  years  ended December 31, 2016, 2015  and 
2014,  respectively.  At  December  31,  2016  and  2015,  gross  assets  recorded  under  capital  leases  of  $1.5  million  are  included  in 
machinery  and  equipment.  Depreciation  of  the  assets  under  capital  leases  is  included  in  depreciation  expense.  The  Company
depreciates leasehold improvements over their estimated useful lives or the term of the applicable lease, whichever is shorter.

f

Included in business transition costs, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, during the year ended December 31, 2014
was  $4.2  million  of  accelerated  depreciation  resulting  from  the  Company’s  consolidation  of  its  offices  located  in  San  Diego, 
California into one corporate headquarters. This project commenced during the year ended December 31, 2014 and completed in 2015.
As  a  result,  certain  long-lived  assets,  primarily  leasehold  improvements,  were  abandoned  and 
replaced  during  the  respective 
construction  period.  In  accordance  with  the  authoritative  guidance,  the  Company  shortened  the  depreciable  lives  of  the  impacted
year 
assets,  which  resulted  in  $4.2  million  of  accelerated  depreciation,  which  was  included  in  total  operating  expenses,  during  the
ended  December 31,  2014,  that  would  have  otherwise  been  recorded  in  future  periods.  There  is  no  impact  to  the  Company’s
Consolidated Statements of Operations over the life of the respective assets. The net 
effect of this change in estimate on net income 
r
and earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2014 was $1.8 million and $0.04, respectively. No accelerated depreciation
was recorded in 2016 or 2015. 

mm

d

Capitalized internal-use software costs include only those direct costs associated with the actual development or acquisition of 
computer  software  for  internal  use,  including  costs  associated  with  the  design,  coding,  installation,  and  testing  of  the  system.  At 
December  31,  2016  and  2015,  the  Company  had  $24.2  million  and  $17.6  million  in  unamortized  capitalized  internal-use  software 
costs,  respectively.  Amortization  expense  related  to  capitalized  internal-use  software  costs  was  $7.4  million,  $7.3  million  and  $7.7
million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.  

85 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill and intangible assets as of December 31, 2016 consisted of the following (in thousands, except years):

Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization: 

Developed technology 
Manufacturing know-how and trade secrets 
Trade name and trademarks
Customer relationships 
Total intangible assets subject to amortization 

Intangible Assets Not Subject to Amortization:

Goodwill 

Total goodwill and intangible assets, net 

Weighted-
Average 
Amortization
Period
(in years)

Gross
Amount

   Accumulated
   Amortization

Intangible
Assets, net

8 
13
9 
9 
9 

$

$

247,148      $ 
20,572        
25,200        
117,018        
409,938      $ 

(66,833) $
(13,604)
(7,478)
(30,880)
(118,795) $

180,315
6,968
17,722
86,138
291,143

485,685
776,828

$

Goodwill and intangible assets as of December 31, 2015 consisted of the following (in thousands, except years): 

Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization: 

Developed technology 
Manufacturing know-how and trade secrets 
Trade name and trademarks
Customer relationships 

Total intangible assets subject to amortization 
Intangible Assets Not Subject to Amortization:

Goodwill

Total goodwill and intangible assets, net 

   Weighted-
Average 

   Amortization

Period
(in years)

Gross
Amount

   Accumulated   
   Amortization   

Intangible
Assets, net

9 
12 
11 
8 
10 

$

$

92,648   $ 
21,787    
9,500    
44,752    
$ 

168,687

(37,382)   $
(13,296)  
(5,068)  
(27,865)  
(83,611) $

55,266
8,491
4,432
16,887
85,076

154,281
239,357

    $

Total  expense  related  to  the  amortization  of  intangible  assets which  is  recorded  in  both  cost  of  goods  sold  and  operating 
expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations depending on the functional nature of the intangible, was $45.6 million, $16.1 
million and $13.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2016,  in  connection  with  acquisitions  and  other  investments,  the  Company  recorded
additions  to  definite-lived  intangible  assets  and  goodwill  of  $241.3  million  and  $330.5  million,  respectively.  Goodwill  recorded  in 
business  combinations  is  primarily  attributable  to  synergies  expected  to  arise  after  the  acquisiti
dated 
Financial  Statements  included  in  this  Annual  Report  for  further  discussion  on  assets  acquired  in  business  combinations  and  asset 
acquisitions. 

See  Note  5  to  the  Consoli

on. 

86 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
        
 
 
        
 
 
 
        
 
 
        
  
    
  
  
  
 
  
  
    
  
  
  
 
   
  
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
     
   
  
  
  
     
   
  
  
  
     
   
  
  
     
The changes to goodwill are comprised of the following (in thousands):

 (in thousands)
December 31, 2015
Gross goodwill 
Accumulated impairment loss 

Changes to gross goodwill 

Increases recorded in business combinations 
Changes resulting from foreign currency fluctuations 

December 31, 2016
Gross goodwill 
Accumulated impairment loss 

$ 

$ 

162,581
(8,300)
154,281

330,488
916
331,404

493,985
(8,300)
485,685

Total future amortization expense related to intangible assets subject to amortization at December 

u

31, 2016 is set forth in the

table below (in thousands):  

2017 
2018 
2019 
2020 
2021 
Thereafter through 2026 
Total future amortization expense 

  $ 

  $ 

48,751
46,658
44,973
44,517
42,598
63,646
291,143

Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities consisted of the following (in thousands): 

Accrued expenses 
Accounts payable 
Distributor commissions payable 
Other taxes payable 
Royalties payable 
Others
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 

December 31,

2016 

2015 

42,355   $ 
9,121    
8,836    
7,789    
4,877    
4,607    
77,585   $ 

31,187 
6,792 
8,502 
6,386 
4,454 
3,665 
60,986 

$

$

87 

  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3.    Marketable Securities

The composition of marketable securities is as follows (in thousands, except years):

Contractual 
Maturity
(in Years)

Amortized
Cost 

Gross
Unrealized
Gains

Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Fair Value

December 31, 2016: 
Classified as current assets 
Certificates of deposit 
Corporate notes 
Commercial paper 
Securities of government-sponsored entities 
Short-term marketable securities

Classified as non-current assets
Certificates of deposit 
Corporate notes 
Securities of government-sponsored entities 
Long-term marketable securities

Total marketable securities at December 
31, 2016 

December 31, 2015: 
Classified as current assets 
Certificates of deposit 
Corporate notes 
Commercial paper 
Securities of government-sponsored entities 
Short-term marketable securities

Classified as non-current assets
Certificates of deposit 
Corporate notes 
Securities of government-sponsored entities 
Long-term marketable securities

$

$

$

Less than 1 
Less than 1 
Less than 1 
Less than 1 

1 to 2 
1 to 2 
1 to 2 

Less than 1 
Less than 1 
Less than 1 
Less than 1 

1 to 2 
1 to 2 
1 to 2 

—— $
——
——
——
——

——
——
——
——

——     $ 
——      
——      
——      
——      

——      
——      
——      
——      

—— $
——
——
——
——

——
——
——
——

—— $

——     $ 

—— $

——
——
——
——
——

——
——
——
——

——

$

6,615
108,739
21,991
28,284
165,629

12,392
43,857
56,412
112,661

——     $ 
5      
——      
——      
5      

——      
——      
——      
——      

—— $

(173)
——
(38)
(211)

——
(109)
(220)
(329)

6,615
108,571
21,991
28,246
165,423

12,392
43,748
56,192
112,332

Total marketable securities at December 
31, 2015 

$ 278,290

$

5     $ 

(540) $ 277,755

As  of  December  31,  2016,  the  Company  had  liquidated  its  short-term  and  long-term  marketable  securities,  and  only  held 
investments in securities classified as cash equivalents. During the periods presented, the Company did not hold any investments that 
were in a significant unrealized loss position and no impairment charges were recorded. Realized gains and losses and interest income 
related to marketable securities were immaterial during all periods presented.   

rr

Foreign Currency and Derivative Financial Instruments

The  Company  translates  the  financial  statements  of  its  foreign subsidiaries  using  end-of-period  exchange  rates  for  assets  and 

liabilities and average exchange rates during each reporting period for results of operations.  

Some  of  the  Company’s  reporting  entities  conduct  a  portion  of  their  business  in  currencies  other  than  the  entity’s  functional 
currency. These transactions give rise to receivables and payables that are denominated in currencies other than the entity’s functional
currency. The value of these receivables and payables is subject to changes in currency exchange rates from the point at which the
transactions are originated until the settlement in cash. Both realized and unrealized gains and losses in the value of these receivables
and payables are included in the determination of net income. Net currency exchange gains (losses), which includes gains and losses
from derivative instruments, were $(0.3) million, $0.3 million and $(2.6) million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 anda
2014, respectively, and are included in other income (expense) in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. 

ff

A
 As  of  December  31,  2016,  2

015,  and  2014  a  notional  principal  amount  of $15.1 million,  $8.5  million,  and  $26.0  million 
respectively, was outstanding to hedge currency risk relative to foreign receivables and payables. Derivative instrument net gains on
the Company’s forward exchange contracts were $0.7 million, $1.7 million, and $0.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2016,
2015 and 2014, respectively, and are included in other income (expense) in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. 

d

88 

 
     
 
 
 
        
  
 
 
 
        
  
 
 
 
 
        
  
 
 
 
 
 
     
  
 
 
 
 
        
  
 
 
 
        
  
 
 
 
 
        
  
 
 
The following table summarizes the fair values of derivative instruments at December 31, 2016 and 2015:  

(in thousands)
Derivatives instruments not designated as cash flow 
hedges

Forward exchange contracts 

Total derivatives 

Asset Derivatives 

Liability Derivatives 

Fair Value

Fair Value

Balance Sheet December 31, December 31, Balance Sheet December 31, December 31,

Location

2016 

2015 

Location

2016 

2015

Other current
t
assets 

$
$

—— $
—— $

Other current
t 
liabilities

46
46   

$ 
$ 

166 $
166 $

——
——

The Company’s currency exposures vary, but are primarily concentrated in the pound sterling, the euro, the Australian dollar,
the Singapore dollar, and the yen. The Company will continuously monitor the costs and the impact of foreign currency risks upon the 
financial results as part of the Company’s risk management program. The Company does not use derivative financial instruments f r orff
speculation or trading  purposes or for  activities  other  than  risk management.  The  Company does not  require  and  is not  required
 to
k
ppledge collateral for these financial instruments and does not carry any master netting arrangements to mitigate the credit risk. 

4.    Fair Value Measurements   

The fair values of the Company’s assets and liabilities, including cash equivalents, marketable securities, restricted investments,
derivatives,  and  contingent  considerations  are  measured  at  fair  value  on  a  recurring  basis,  and  are  determined  under  the  fair  value
categories as follows (in thousands): 

December 31, 2016: 
Cash Equivalents: 

Money market funds
Corporate notes 
Commercial paper 
Securities of government-sponsored entities 

Total cash equivalents 

December 31, 2015: 

Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities: 
Money market funds
Certificates of deposit 
Corporate notes 
Commercial paper 
Securities of government-sponsored entities 
Total cash equivalents and marketable securities 

Quoted Price in      Significant Other
Active Market      Observable Inputs

Total

(Level 1) 

(Level 2) 

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)

$

$

$

$

72,866
4,551
21,471
5,995
104,883

68,425
19,007
152,319
21,991
115,929
377,671

$

$

$

$

72,866     $ 
— —      
— —      
— —      
72,866     $ 

—— $

4,551
21,471
5,995
32,017

$

68,425     $ 
19,007      
— —      
— —      
— —      
87,432     $ 

—— $
——
152,319
21,991
115,929
290,239

$

——
——
——
——
——

——
——
——
——
——
——

The carrying amounts of certain financial instruments such as cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses,
, 2015 

other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses, and other current liabilities as of December 31, 2016 and December 31
t
approximate their related fair values due to the short-term maturities of these instruments. 

The fair value of certain financial instruments was measured and 

classified within Level 1of the fair value hierarchy based on
quoted prices.
ents that 
trade in markets that are not considered to be active, but are valued based on quoted market prices, broker or dealer quotations, or 
alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency.  

 Certain financial instruments classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy include the types of instrum

To  manage  foreign  currency  exposure  risks,  the  Company  uses  derivatives  for  activities  in  entities  that  have  short-term
m
intercompany receivables and payables denominated in a currency other than the
based 
on a quoted market price (Level 1). See Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for further 
on the hedge transactions.
discussion on the hedge transactions. 

entity’s functional currency. 

The fair value is 

a

89 

  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
       
 
  
  
       
 
  
     
     
     
 
t
The fair value, based on a quoted market price (Level 1), of the Company’s outsta

nding Senior Convertible Notes due 2017 at 
December  31,  2016  and  December  31,  2015  was  approximately  $102.7  million  and  $551.4  million,  respectively.  During  the  year 
ended  December  31,  2016,  the  Company  repurchased  approximately  $339.1  million  in  principal  amount  outstanding  of  the  2017
Notes.  See  Note  6  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  included  in  this  Annual  Report  for  further  discussion.  The  fair  value,
based on a quoted market price (Level 1), of the Company’s outstanding Senior Convertible Notes due 2021 at December 31, 2016 
was  approximately  $827.6  million.  The  carrying  value  of  the  Company’s  Senior  Convertible  Notes  is  discussed  in  Note 6  to  the
Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report. 

Contingent Consideration Liabilities

The fair value of contingent consideration liabilities assumed in business combinations is recorded as part of the purchase price 
consideration  of  the  acquisition,  and  is  determined  using  a  discounted  cash  flow  model  or  probability  simulation  model.  The
significant  inputs  of  such  models  are  not  observable  in  the  market,  such  as  certain  financial  metric  growth  rates,  volatility  rates,
projections  associated  with  the  applicable  milestone,  the  interest  rate,  and  the  related  probabilities  and  payment  structure  in  the
contingent  consideration  arrangement.  Fair  value  adjustments  to  contingent  consideration  liabilities  are  recorded  through  operating 
expenses in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Contingent consideration arrangements assumed by an asset purchase will be 
measured and accrued when such contingency is resolved.  

During  the  year  ended  December  31,  2016,  the  Company  initially  recorded  additional  contingent  consideration  liabilities  of 
$61.2  million  in  connection  with  certain  acquisitions,  including  $33.8  million  in  connection  with  the  acquisition  of  the  LessRay
software technology suite and $18.8 million in connection with the acquisition of Ellipse Technologies. At December 31, 2016, t
t
he 
contingent consideration liabilities were $67.5 million, and were recorded in the Consolidated Balance Sheet commensurate with the 
respective payable terms. See Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for further discussion
on contingent consideration liabilities assumed in business combinations.

f

The  Company’s  acquisition  of  Ellipse  Technologies  included  a  purchase  price  of  $380.0  million  and  a  potential  milestone
payment of $30.0 million payable in 2017 related to the achievement of a specific revenue target. During the quarter ended December 
31,  2016,  the  Company  received  a  purchase  order  from  an  organization  established  by  certain  former  stockholders  of  Ellipse 
Technologies  for  the  purchase  of  $4.8  million  of  products  with  their  stated  purpose  to  be  donated  for  use  in  spinal  deformity 
procedures for children in underprivileged communities. As the order complied with the Company’s standards and procedures, and the
purchaser fully paid for the order in advance of shipment, the Company processed and delivered the order and recognized the revenue 
associated  with  the  order  during  the  quarter  ended  December  31,  2016  in  accordance  with  ASC  605,  Revenue  Recognition.  The 
milestone payment under the merger agreement, which was contingent on meeting a specific revenue target for 2016, would not have 
been  achieved  without  this  order. The  milestone  payment,  in  the  amount  of  $30.0  million,  will  be  paid  pro-rata  to  the  former 
stockholders of Ellipse Technologies in accordance with the merger agreement. A number of Company employees, including the CEO 
of  NuVasive  Specialized  Orthopedics,  were  employees  and  stockholders  of  Ellipse  Technologies  prior  to  the  acquisition  and  will 
receive their pro-rata share of the milestone payment. In assessing the order, the Company considered that (i) the customer is an entity 
established  by  certain  former  stockholders  of  Ellipse  Technologies  and  (ii)  the  CEO  of  NuVasive  Specialized  Orthopedics,  an 
f
executive officer of the Company, will receive approximately 3% of the milestone payment. The Company determined that the order
did not constitute a related party transaction under ASC 850, Related Parties because none of the
Company’s officers or related parties 
aa
have the ability to control or significantly influence the customer.

d

The following table sets forth the changes in the estimated fair value of the Company’s liabilities measured on a recurring basis

using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) (in thousands): 

Fair value measurement at January 1 
Contingent consideration liability recorded upon acquisition 
Change in fair value measurement 
Changes resulting from foreign currency fluctuations 
Contingent consideration paid or settled 
Fair value measurement at December 31 

$

$

2016 

2015 

——    $ 
61,242     
7,265     
126     
(1,132)   
67,501    $ 

644 
431 
—— 
(36)
(1,039)
—— 

90 

 
  
 
     
Non-financial assets and liabilities measured on a nonrecurring basis

Certain non-financial assets and liabilities are measured at fair value, usually with Level 3 inputs including the discounted cash 
flow  method  or  cost  method,  on  a  nonrecurring  basis  in  accordance  with  authoritative  guidance. These  include  items  such  as
nonfinancial  assets  and  liabilities  initially  measured  at  fair  value  in  a  business  combination  and  non-financial  long-lived  assets
measured  at  fair  value  for  an  impairment  assessment. In  general,  non-financial  assets,  including  goodwill,  intangible  assets  and 
property and equipment, are measured at fair value when there is an indication of impairment and are reco
rded at fair value only when
any impairment is recognized. The carrying values of the Company’s capital lease obligations approximated their estimated fair value
as of December 31, 2016 and 2015. The Company has obligations under certain consultancy arrangements based on achievement of 
specified milestones. There was no accrual as of December 31, 2016 or 2015, rela

ted to these obligations. 

m

f

During  the  years  ended  December  31,  2015  and  2014,  the  Company  recognized  impairment  charges  related  to  leasehold 
improvement  write-offs  associated  with  the  lease  termination  for  its  New  Jersey  facility,  of  approximately  $0.9  million  and  $2.2 
million,  respectively.  The  impairments  are  recorded  in  business  transition  costs  within  the  total  operating  expenses  on  the 
Consolidated Statements of Operations. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company recorded an impairment charge of 
$10.7  million  related  to  the  developed  technology  acquired  from  Cervitech  in  2009.  See  Note  1  to  the  Consolidated  Financial
Statements included in this Annual Report for further discussion on impairment analysis and charges related to intangible assets and 
leasehold improvements. 

5.    Business Combinations 

The  Company  recognizes  the  assets  acquired,  liabilities  assumed,  and  any  non-controlling  interest  at  fair  value  at  the  date  of 
acquisition. Certain acquisitions contained contingent consideration arrangements that required the Company to assess the acquisition
date fair value of the contingent consideration liabilities, which was recorded as part of the purchase price allocation of the acquisition, 
with  subsequent  fair  value  adjustments  to  the  contingent  consideration  recorded  in  the  Consolidated  Statements  of  Operations.  See 
Note  4  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  included  in  this  Annual  Report  for  further  discussion on  contingent  consideration
liabilities.

Acquisition of Ellipse Technologies, Inc. 

On February 11, 2016, the Company acquired all of the stock interest in Ellipse Technologies, Inc., which now operates as a
wholly  owned  subsidiary  of  the  Company  under  the  renamed  legal entity  NuVasive  Specialized  Orthopedics,  Inc.  (“NSO”),  for  a 
purchase  price  of  $380.0  million  (including  holdbacks  for  retained  employment  of  Ellipse  Technologies  leadership  that  is  to  be 
expensed and is not considered part of the final purchase price) and a potential milestone payment of $30.0 million payable in cash in 
2017 related to the achievement of a specific revenue target. A cash payment of $382.2 million, which included additional amounts for 
cash  on  hand  and  traditional  working  capital  adjustments,  was  transferred  at  the  closing.  Subsequent  to  the  closing  payment,  the
Company received $0.6 million from the escrow for traditional working capital adjustments finalized after the closing. 

NSO designs and sells expandable growing rod implant systems that can be non-invasively lengthened following implantation 
with precise, incremental adjustments via an external remote controller using magnetic technology called MAGnetic External Control,
or MAGEC.  The technology platform provides the basis of NSO’s core product offerings, including MAGEC-EOS, which allows for 
the  minimally  invasive  treatment  of  early-onset  and  adolescent  scoliosis,  as  well  as  the  PRECICE  limb  lengthening  system,  which
allows for the correction of long bone limb length discrepancy, as well as enhanced bone healing in patients that have experienced 
traumatic injury. 

tt

91 

The Company applied certain assumptions and findings in the valuation outcome for the assets acquired and liabilities assumed,

for which the allocation of the purchase price is based on the fair values, as follows: 

 (in thousands)
Cash paid for purchase 

Accounts receivable
Inventory 
Other current assets 
Property, plant and equipment, net 
Definite-lived intangible assets:
Developed technology 
Customer relationships 
Trade names

Goodwill 
Deferred tax assets 
Other assets 
Contingent consideration liability
Deferred tax liabilities 
Other liabilities assumed 

$ 

381,579

7,148
22,451
1,855
6,725

133,900
33,200
16,200
241,905
18,471
1,868
18,800
75,160
8,184

381,579

   $ 

Goodwill recognized in this transaction is not deductible for income tax purposes. Goodwill largely consists of expected revenue 
synergies resulting from the combination of product portfolios, cost synergies related to elimination of redundant facilities, functions
and  staffing;  use  of  the  Company’s  existing  commercial  infrastructure  to  expand  sales  of  NSO’
and  the  assembled
workforce.  The  intangible  assets  acquired  will  be  amortized  on  a  straight-line  basis  over  weighted-average  useful  lives
ated intangible assets, and trade name 
of seven years, nine years and seven years for technology-based intangible assets, customer-rel
intangible assets, respectively. The estimated fair values of the intangible assets acquired were primarily determined using the income
approach based on significant inputs that were not observable market data.

s  products; 

d

In connection with the acquisition, a contingent liability of $18.8 million was recorded as of the acquisition date for the potential 
revenue-based  milestone  payment.  The  liability  was  fair  valued  using  the  Monte  Carlo  simulation  based  on  specific  revenue
achievement scenarios and discount factors. Changes in fair value of the liability over the measurement period were recorded in the 
results of operations in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The revenue-based  milestone was achieved as of December 31,
2016,  and  the Company  adjusted  the fair value  of  the  contingent  consideration  liability  to  $30.0  million  in  current  liabilities  in  the 
Consolidated Balance Sheet which represents the full amount of the milestone obligation under the merger agreement. The Company
expects to pay this milestone by April 2017. 

Acquisition costs of $4.0 million were recognized in business transition costs as incurred. The Company’s results of operations
included the operating results of NSO, since the date of acquisition, of $57.5 million of revenue for the year ended December 31, 2016
and net income of $3.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. 

d

The following table presents the unaudited pro forma results for the years ended December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015.
The unaudited pro forma financial information combines the results of operations of NuVasive and Ellipse Technologies as though the 
companies had been combined as of January 1, 2015, and the unaudited pro forma information is presented for informational purposes
only and is not indicative of the results of operations that would have been achieved if the acquisition had taken place at such times.
The unaudited pro forma results presented include non-recurring adjustments directly attributable to the business combination, some
of which are presented in the comparable period results instead of the current period by nature of such adjustments. The adjustments 
for amortization charges for acquired intangible assets were $26.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2015. The adjustments to
31, 2016 
cost of sales for increased fair value of acquired inventory of $(14.7) million and $14.7 million for the years ended December 
and  December  31,  2015,  respectively,  were  amortized  over  the  period  in  which  underlying  products  were  sold.  The  year  ended 
December 2015 also includes an adjustment of $4.0 million for acquisition related expenses. Additionally, the years ended December m
31, 2016 and 2015 include immaterial adjustments to revenue for deferred revenue adjustments, and related tax effects to the pre-tax 
income. The pre-acquisition accounting policies of Ellipse Technologies were materially similar to the Company, with the differences
adjusted to reflect the accounting policies of the Company in the unaudited pro forma results presented. 

f

tt

92 

 
   
  
 
   
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
   
 
(in thousands, except per share amounts) 
Revenues 
Net income attributable to NuVasive, Inc. 
Net income per share attributable to NuVasive, Inc.: 

Basic 
Diluted 

Other Acquisitions

Years Ended December 31, 

2016 

(unaudited)

2015 

(unaudited)

968,179      $

38,045 

854,673
11,675

0.76      $
0.70      $

0.24
0.22

   $

   $
   $

On July 1, 2016, the Company acquired all of the stock interest in BNN Holdings Corp., for a purchase price of $98.0 million.
BNN Holdings Corp., through its subsidiaries and affiliates, owns and operates Biotronic NeuroNetwork, a patient-centric healthcare
organization that provides intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring services to surgeons and healthcare facilities across the U.S.
A cash payment of $94.0 million was transferred at the closing, which represented the total purchase consideration, net of amounts
retained for certain acquired provisional obligations, additional amounts for cash on hand and traditional working capital adjustments. 
Subsequent  to  the  closing  payment,  the  Company  paid  an  additional  $0.4  million  from  the  escrow  for  traditional  working  capital
adjustments finalized after the closing. The acquisition was not considered material to the overall Consolidated Financial Statements.

tt

The Company combined the service offerings of Biotronic NeuroNetwork with its Impulse Monitoring, Inc. business under the

newly created division NuVasive Clinical Services (“NCS”).

The  Company  has  completed  other  acquisitions  that  were  not  considered  material  to  the  overall  Consolidated  Financial
Statements during the year ended December 31, 2016. These acquisitions have been included in the Consolidated Financial Statements 
from  the  respective  dates  of  acquisition.  The  Company  does  not  believe  that  collectively  the  acquisitions  made  during  the  year,
excluding NSO, are material to the overall financial statements. 

For certain acquisitions completed during the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company is still in the process of finalizing
the purchase price allocation given the timing of the acquisition and the size and scope of the assets and liabilities subject to valuation.
While the Company does not expect material changes in the valuation outcome, certain assumptions and findings that were in place at 
the date of acquisition could result in changes in the purchase price allocation.

Variable Interest Entities 

Progentix Orthobiology, B.V. 

In 2009, the Company completed the purchase of forty percent (40%) of the capital stock of Progentix, a company organized
under the laws of the Netherlands, from existing shareholders pursuant to a Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement for $10.0 million in
cash (the “Initial Investment”). As of December 31, 2016, the Company has loaned Progentix cumulatively $5.3 million at an interest 
at a rate of 6% per year. The Company is not obligated to provide additional funding. Concurrently, with the Initial Investment, the 
Company  and  Progentix  entered  into  a  Distribution  Agreement  (as  amended,  the  “Distribution  Agreement”),  whereby  Progentix 
appointed the Company as its exclusive distributor for certain Progentix products. The Distribution Agreement is in effect for a term
of ten years unless terminated earlier in accordance with its terms.

In accordance with authoritative guidance, the Company has determined that Progentix is a variable interest entity (“VIE”), as it
does  not  have  the  ability  to  finance  its  activities  without  additional  subordinated  financial  support  and  its  equity  investors  will  not 
absorb their proportionate share of expected losses and will be limited in the receipt of the potential residual returns of Progentix.  

Total  assets  and  liabilities  of  Progentix  included  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated  Balance  Sheets  are  as  follows (in

thousands):

Total current assets
Identifiable intangible assets, net 
Goodwill
Accounts payable & accrued expenses
Deferred tax liabilities, net 
Non-controlling interests 

$

December 31,

2016 

2015 

334    $ 
10,900     
12,654     
551     
880     
5,588     

353 
13,048 
12,654 
574 
1,496 
7,309 

93 

  
  
  
    
  
 
 
    
tt
The following is a reconciliation of equity attributable to the non-controlling interests (

in thousands): 

Non-controlling interests at beginning of period 
Less: Net (loss) attributable to the non-controlling interests 
Non-controlling interests at end of period 

$

$

7,309
$ 
(1,721)   
5,588    $ 

8,310 
(1,001)
7,309 

Year Ended December 31, 

2016 

2015 

NuVasive Clinical Services and Physician Practices 

The  Company  maintains  contractual  relationships  with  several  physician  practices  (“PCs”)  which  were  inherited  through  the 
2011  acquisition  of  Impulse  Monitoring,  Inc.  and  the  2016  acquisition  of  BNN  Holdings  Corp.  In  accordance  with  authoritative
guidance, the Company has determined that the PCs are VIEs and the therefore, the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements 
include the accounts of the PCs from the date of acquisition. During the periods presented, the results of the PCs were immaterial to 
the Company’s financials. The creditors of the PCs have claims only on the assets of the PCs, which are not material, and the assets of 
the PCs are not available to the Company.

6.     Indebtedness

The carrying values of the Company’s Senior Convertible Notes are as follows (in thousands): 

 (in thousands)
2.75% Senior Convertible Notes due 2017: 

Principal amount 
Unamortized debt discount 
Unamortized debt issuance costs

2.25% Senior Convertible Notes due 2021: 

Principal amount 
Unamortized debt discount 
Unamortized debt issuance costs

Total Senior Convertible Notes 

Less Current Portion: 
Long-term Senior Convertible Notes 

2.25% Senior Convertible Notes due 2021

December 31, 2016

December 31, 2015

$

$

$

63,317      $ 
(1,417)     
(199)     
61,701       

650,000       
(72,713)     
(12,875)     
564,412       
626,113      $ 

(61,701)     
564,412      $ 

402,500
(25,958)
(3,622)
372,920

——
——
——
——
372,920

——
372,920

In  March  2016,  the  Company  issued $650.0  million principal  amount  of  unsecured  Senior  Convertible  Notes  with  a  stated 
interest rate of 2.25% and a maturity date of March 15, 2021 (the "2021 Notes"). The net proceeds from the offering, after deducting 
initial  purchasers'  discounts  and  costs  directly  related  to  the  offering,  were  approximately $634.1  million.  The  2021  Notes  may
  be 
settled in cash, stock, or a combination thereof, solely at the Company's discretion. It is the Company's current intent and policy to 
settle all conversions through combination settlement, which involves satisfying the principal amount outstanding with cash and any
note conversion value over the principal amount in shares of the Company's common stock. The initial conversion rate of the 2021 
Notes  is 16.7158 shares  per $1,000  principal  amount,  which  is  equivalent  to  a  conversion  price  of  approximately $59.82 per  share, 
subject  to  adjustments.  The  Company  uses  the  treasury  share  method  for  assumed  conversion  of  the  2021  Notes  to  compute  the
weighted average shares of common stock outstanding for diluted earnings per share. The Company also entered into transactions
for 
convertible note hedge (the "2021 Hedge") and warrants (the "2021 Warrants") concurrently with the issuance of the 2021 Notes. 

d

a

ff

The cash conversion feature of the 2021 Notes required bifurcation from the Notes and was initially accounted for as an equity 

instrument classified to stockholders’ equity, which resulted in recognizing $84.8 million in additional paid-in-capital during 2016.  

The  interest  expense  recognized  on  the 2021  Notes  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2016  includes $11.5  million,  $12.1 
million  and $1.9  million for  the  contractual  coupon  interest,  the  accretion  of  the  debt  discount  and  the  amortization  of  the  debt 
issuance  costs,  respectively.  The  effective  interest  rate  on  the  2021  Notes  is  5.8%,  which  includes  the  interest  on  the  notes,
amortization  of  the debt discount and  debt issuance  costs.  Interest 
on  the  2021 Notes began  accruing upon  issuance  and  is  payable
semi-annually. 

t

94 

 
     
     
  
     
  
  
  
  
         
  
  
  
         
Prior to September 15, 2020, holders may convert their 2021 Notes only under the following conditions: (a) during any calendar 
quarter beginning June 30, 2016, if the reported sale price of the Company's common stock for at least 20 days out of 30 consecutive 
trading days ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter is greater than 130% of the conversion price
on each applicable trading day; (b) during the five business day period in which the trading price of the 2021 Notes falls below 98% of 
the product of (i) the last reported sale price of the Company's common stock and (ii) the conversion rate on that date; and (c) upon the 
occurrence of specified corporate events, as defined in the 2021 Notes. From September 15, 2020 and until the close of business on
the  second  scheduled  trading  day  immediately  preceding  March 15,  2021,  holders  may  convert  their  2021  Notes  at  any  time 
(regardless of the foregoing circumstances). The Company may not redeem the 2021 Notes prior to March 20, 2019. The Company
may redeem the 2021 Notes, at its option, in whole or in part on or after March 20, 2019 until the close of business on the bus
iness day
immediately preceding September 15, 2020 if the last reported sale price of the Company’s common stock has been at least 130% off 
the conversion price then in effect for at least 20 trading days during any 30 consecutive trading day period ending on, and including, 
the trading day immediately preceding the date on which the Company delivers written notice of a redemption. The redemption pri
 ce
will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of such 2021 Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding,
the  redemption  date
s  prior  to  maturity. Other  than  restrictions  relating  to  certain 
fundamental  changes  and  consolidations,  mergers  or  asset  sales  and  customary  anti-dilution  adjustments,  the  2021  Notes  do  not 
contain  any  financial  covenants  and do not  restrict  the  Company  from  paying dividends or  issuing or repurchasing  any of  its other 
securities. The Company is unaware of any current events or market conditions that would allow holders to convert the 2021 Notes. 

. No  principal  payments  are  due  on  the  2021  Note

a

The Company used a portion of the net proceeds from the 2021 Notes offering to repurchase a portion of the 2017 Notes. The
Company  intends  to  use  the  remainder  of  the  net  proceeds  from the  2021  Notes  offering  for  general  corporate  purposes.  For  more 
details, refer to “Repurchase of Senior Convertible Notes due 2017”.

2021 Hedge 

In connection with the offering of the 2021 Notes, the Company entered into the hedge transaction with the initial purchasers 
and/or  their  affiliates  (the  "2021  Counterparties")  entitling  the  Company  to  purchase  up  to 10,865,270 shares  of  the  Company's 
common  stock  at  an  initial  stock  price  of $59.82 per  share,  each  of  which  is  subject  to  adjustment.  The  cost  of  the  2021  Hedge 
was $111.2 million and accounted for as an equity instrument by recognizing $111.2 million in additional paid-in-capital during 2016.
The 2021 Hedge will expire on March 15, 2021. The 2021 Hedge is expected to reduce the potential equity dilution upon conversion 
of the 2021 Notes if the daily volume-weighted average price per share of the Company's common stock exceeds the strike price of the 
2021  Hedge. An  assumed  exercise  of  the  2021  Hedge  by  the  Company  is  considered  anti-dilutive  since  the  effect  of  the  inclusion
would always be anti-dilutive with respect to the calculation of diluted earnings per share. 

2021 Warrants

The Company sold warrants to the 2021 Counterparties to acquire up to 10,865,270 shares of the Company’s common stock.
The 2021 Warrants will expire on various dates from June 2021 through December 2021 and may be settled in cash or net shares. It is
the  Company's  current  intent  and  policy  to  settle  all  conversions  in  shares  of  the  Company’s  common  stock.  The  Company
received $44.9  million in  cash  proceeds  from  the  sale  of  the 2021  Warrants,  which  was  recorded  in additional  paid-in-capital.  The 
2021 Warrants could have a dilutive effect on the Company's earnings per share to the extent that the price of the Company's common 
stock during a given measurement period exceeds the strike price of the 2021 Warrants, which is $8
0.00 per share. The Company uses
f
the treasury share method for assumed conversion of its 2021 Warrants to compute the weighted average common shares outstanding
for diluted earnings per share. 

Repurchases of Senior Convertible Notes due 2017 

In March 2016, the Company used approximately $345.2 million of the net proceeds from the 2021 Notes offering to repurchase 
approximately  $276.8  million  principal  amount  outstanding  of  the  Senior  Convertible  Notes  due  2017,  the  associated  conversion 
feature of the repurchased notes (which is recorded in additional paid-in capital), and the accrued interest on the repurchased notes. 
Subsequently,  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2016,  the  Company  used  approximately  $96.3  million  of  cash  on  hand  to  repurchase  an 
additional  $62.3  million  in  principal  amount  outstanding,  the  associated  conversion  feature  of  the  repurchased  notes  (which  is 
recorded in additional paid-in capital), and the accrued interest on the repurchased notes. The repurchases of 2017 Notes during the 
year ended December 31, 2016 resulted in a loss of approximately $19.1 million, which the Company recorded in other expense on the
accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2016. The loss for the repurchases includes 
the  related  debt  issuance  costs  that  were  previously  capitalized  in  connection  with  the  issuance  of  the  2017  Notes.  The  remaining
balances resulting from the aggregate repurchase of a portion of the 2017 Notes were $63.3 million, $1.4 million, and $0.2 million of 
principal outstanding, debt discount, and debt issuance costs, respectively.  

d

95 

 
2.75% Senior Convertible Notes due 2017 

In June 2011, the Company issued $402.5 million principal amount of Senior Convertible Notes with a stated interest rate of 
2.75% and a maturity date of July 1, 2017 (the “2017 Notes”). The net proceeds from the offering, after deducting initial purchasers’
discounts and costs directly related to the offering, were approximately $359.2 million. The 2017 Notes may be settled in cash, stock, 
or a combination thereof, solely at the Company’s discretion. It is the Company’s current intent and policy to settle all conve
rsions 
t
through combination settlement, which involves satisfying the principal amount outstanding with cash and any note conversion value 
over the principal amount in shares of the Company’s common stock. The initial conversion rate of the 2017 Notes is 23.7344 shares
per $1,000 principal amount, which is equivalent to a conversion price of approximately $42.13 per share, subject to adjustments. The
Company  uses  the  treasury  share  method  for  assumed  conversion  of the  2017  Notes  to  compute  the
weighted  average  shares  of 
common stock outstanding for diluted earnings per share. The Company also entered into transactions for convertible note hedge (the 
“2017 Hedge”) and warrants (the “2017 Warrants”) concurrently with the issuance of the 2017 Notes.

f

The  cash  conversion  feature  of  the  2017  Notes  required  bifurcation  from  the  Notes  and  was  initially  accounted  for  as  a 
derivative liability and debt discount of $88.9 million upon issuance of the Notes without authorization of issuing additional common 
stocks for the conversion. Upon obtaining stockholder approval for the additional authorized shares of the Company’s common stock, 
the  derivative  liability  was  reclassified  to  stockholders’  equity,  which  resulted  in  recognizing  cumulatively  $39.5  million  in other 
income for change in fair value measurement and $49.4 million in additional paid-in-capital during 2011. 

d
The  interest  expense  recognized  on  the  2017  Notes  during  th

e  year  ended  December  31,  2016  includes $4.9  million, $7.5 
million and $1.0 million for the contractual coupon interest, the accretion of the debt discount and the amortization of debt issuance
costs,  respectively.  The  interest  expense recognized  on  the  2017  Notes  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2015  includes  $11.1 
million, $15.8 million and $2.1 million for the contractual coupon interest, the accretion of the debt discount and the amortization of 
the debt issuance costs, respectively. The effective interest rate on the 2017 Notes is 8.0%, which includes the interest on the notes,
amortization  of  the debt discount and  debt issuance  costs.  Interest 
on  the  2017 Notes began  accruing upon  issuance  and  is  payable
semi-annually. 

t

Prior  to  January 1,  2017,  holders  may  convert  their  2017  Notes  only  under  the  following  conditions:  (a)  during  any  calendar 
quarter  beginning  October 1,  2011,  if  the  reported  sale  price  of  the  Company’s  common  stock  for  at  least  20  days  out  of  30 
consecutive  trading  days  ending  on  the  last  trading  day  of  the immediately  preceding  calendar  quarter  is  greater  than  130%  of  the 
conversion price on each applicable trading day; (b) during the five business day period in which the trading price of the 2017 Notes 
falls below 98% of the product of (i) the last reported sale price of the Company’s common stock and (ii) the conversion rate on that 
date; and (c) upon the occurrence of specified corporate events, as defined in the 2017 Notes. From January 1, 2017 and until the close
of business  on  the  second  scheduled  trading day  immediately  preceding  July 1,  2017,  holders  may  convert  their 2017  Notes  at  any
time  (regardless  of  the  foregoing  circumstances).  The  Company  may  not  redeem  the  2017  Notes  prior  to  maturity.  Other  than
restrictions relating to certain fundamental changes and consolidations, mergers or asset sales and customary anti-dilution adjustments,
the  2017  Notes  do  not  contain  any  financial  covenants  and  do  not  restrict  the  Company  from  paying  dividends  or  issuing  or 
repurchasing  any  of  its  other  securities.  At  December  31,  2016,  holders  of  the  2017  Notes  were  in  a  convertible position,  as  the 
ing days ending with December 31,
t
reported sale price of the Company’s common stock for 20 days out of the last 30 consecutive trad
2016  exceeded  130%  of  the  $42.13  per  share  conversion  price  on  each  applicable  trading  day.  At  D
ecember  31,  2016,  a  minimal 
amount  of  holders  of  the  2017  Notes  had  elected  to  convert  their  notes.  The  Company  settled  such  conversions  through  the 
combination settlement described above. The 2017 Notes are recorded as current liabilities on the December 31, 2016 Consolidated 
Balance Sheet. 

a

2017 Hedge 

In connection with the offering of the 2017 Notes, the Company entered into the 2017 Hedge with the initial purchasers and/or 
their affiliates (the “2017 Counterparties”) entitling the Company to purchase up to 9,553,096 shares of the Company’s common stock 
at an initial stock price of $42.13 per share, each of which is subject to adjustment. The cost of the 2017 Hedge was $80.1 million and 
accounted for as derivative assets upon issuance of the 2017 Notes. Upon obtaining stockholder approval for the additional authorized 
shares of the Company’s common stock, the derivative asset was reclassified to stockholders’ equity, which resulted in recognizing 
cumulatively $37.1 million in other expense for the change in fair value measurement and $43.0 million in additional paid-in-capital 
during 2011. The 2017 Hedge will expire on July 1, 2017. The 2017 Hedge is expected to reduce the potential equity dilution upon 
conversion of the 2017 Notes if the daily volume-weighted average price per share of the Company’s common stock exceeds the strike
price  of  the  2017  Hedge. An  assumed  exercise  of  the  2017  Hedge by  the  Company  is  considered  anti-dilutive  since  the  effect  of 
inclusion would always be anti-dilutive with respect to the calculation of diluted earnings per share. 

aa

96 

2017 Warrants

The Company sold warrants to the 2017 Counterparties to acquire up to 477,654 shares of the Company’s Series A Participating
Preferred Stock at an initial strike price of $988.51 per share, subject to adjustment. Each share of Series A Participating Preferred
Stock is convertible into 20 shares of the Company’s common stock, or up to 9,553,080 common shares in total. The 2017 Warrants
will expire on various dates from September 2017 through January 2018 and may be settled in cash or net shares. It is the Company’s
current intent and policy to settle all conversions in shares of the Company’s common stock. The Company received $47.9 million
 in
cash proceeds from the sale of the 2017 Warrants, which was recorded in additional paid-in-capital. The 2017 Warrants could have a 
dilutive  effect  on  the  Company’s  earnings  per  share  to  the  extent  that  the  price  of  the  Company’s  common  stock  during  a  given
measurement  period  exceeds  the  strike  price  of  the  2017  Warrants.  The  Company  uses  the  treas
ury  share  method  for  assumed 
a
conversion of its 2017 Warrants to compute the weighted average common shares outstanding for diluted earnings per share.

f

Revolving Senior Credit Facility

In February 2016, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) for a revolving senior credit facility
(the “Facility”) that provides for secured revolving loans, multicurrency loan options and letters of credit in an aggregate amount of up 
to  $150.0  million.  The  Credit  Agreement  also  contains  an  expansion  feature,  which  allows  the  Company  to  increase  the  aggregate 
financial covenants. The Facility 
principal amount of the Facility provided the Company remains in compliance with the underlying 
n
matures February 8, 2021, and includes a sub-limit of $15.0 million for letters of credit and a sub-limit of $5.0 million for s
wing line
loans.  All  assets  of  the  Company  and  its  material  domestic  and  certain  material  international  subsidiaries  are  pledged  as  collateral 
under the Facility (subject to customary exceptions) pursuant to the term set forth in the Security and Pledge Agreement (the “Security 
Agreement”) executed in favor of the administrative agent by the Company. Each of the Company’s material domestic subsidiaries 
guarantees the Facility. 

not carry any outstanding revolving loans under the Facility. 

At December 31, 2016 the Company does

Borrowings  under  the  Facility  are  used  by  us  to  provide  financing  for  working  capital  and  other  general  corporate  purposes, 
including potential mergers and acquisitions. Loans under the Facility bear interest, at the option of the Company, at either LIBOR 
(determined in accordance with the Credit Agreement) plus an applicable margin ranging from 1.00 % - 2.00 % per annum subject to 
Company’s  applicable  consolidated  leverage  ratio or  the Base  Rate (determined  in  accordance with  the  Credit  Agreement), plus  an
applicable margin ranging from 0.0% - 1.25% per annum subject to Company’s applicable consolidated leverage ratio. The Facility
has a commitment fee, which accrues at a rate of 0.2% - 0.4% per annum (determined in accordance with the Credit Agreement) based 
on the Company’s current leverage ratio. 

The Credit Agreement contains affirmative, negative and financial covenants, and events of default customary for financings of 
this type. The financial covenants require the Company to maintain ratios of consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation
and amortization (EBITDA) in relation to consolidated interest expense and consolidated debt, respectively, as defined in the Credit 
Agreement, at varying scales throughout the life of the Credit Agreement. The Facility grants the lenders preferred first priority liens 
and security interests in capital stock, intercompany debt and all of the present and future property and assets of the Company and 
each guarantor. The Company is currently in compliance with the Credit Agreement covenants. 

7.    Commitments

Leases

The Company leases office facilities and equipment under various operating and capital lease agreements. The initial terms of 
these leases range from 2 year to 15 years and generally provide for periodic rent increases and renewal options. Certain lease
s require 
e
the Company to pay taxes, insurance and maintenance. In connection with certain operating leases, the Company has security deposits 
recorded and maintained as restricted cash totaling $7.2 million as of December 31, 2016.

Rent expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. Accordingly, rent expense recognized in excess of 
rent paid is reflected as a liability in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. Rent expense, including costs directly associated 
with  the  facility  leases,  was  approximately  $10.6  million,  $9.3  million,  and  $11.5  million  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2016, 
2015, and 2014, respectively. 

97 

 
The  Company’s  future  minimum  annual  lease  payments  under  capital  and  operating  leases,  including  payments  for  costs

directly associated with the facility leases, for years ending after December 31, 2016 are as follows (in thousands):  

2017 
2018 
2019 
2020 
2021 
Thereafter 
Total minimum lease payments
Less amount representing interest 
Present value of obligations under capital leases 
Less current portion 
Long-term capital lease obligations

Capital
Leases

Operating 
Leases

12,273 
9,398 
9,048 
8,662 
7,131 
11,362 
57,874 

$

$

$

$ 

630
580
429
10
——  
——  
$ 
1,649
(200)    
1,449
(512)    
937

LLicensing and Purchasing Agreements

as provided in certain consulting, purchase

if  specified  future  events  occur  or
The  Company  is  contingently  obligated  to  make  payments  of  up  to  $11.8  million  in  cash  if  specified  future  events  occur  or 
and/or product develop agreements. Not all of the respective agreements 
conditions are met 
specify milestone payment timelines
into certain consulting arrangements to pay up to approximately 
$18.7 million in the aggregate in the event that specified revenue-based milestones are achieved prior to 2024.  Any such payment will 
be made in a combination of cash and the Company’s common shares as provided in the agreements.  Any payments in satisfaction of 
theses  contingent  obligations  are  considered  a  cost  of  goods  sold  and  are  recognized  as  and  if  milestones  are  achieved. These 
agreements expire on various dates through 2024.

. The Company has also entered 

Executive Severance Plans

The  Company  has  employment  contracts  with  key  executives  and  maintains  severance  plans  that  provide for  the  payment  of 
severance and other benefits if terminated for reasons other than cause, as defined in those ag
reements and plans. Certain agreements
call for payments that are based on historical compensation, accordingly, the amount of the contractual commitment will change over 
time  commensurate  with the  executive’s  applicable earnings.  At  December  31,  2016,  future commitments  for  such  key  executives
were approximately $30.2 million. In certain circumstances, the agreements call for the acceleration of equity vesting. Those figures 
are not reflected in the above information. 

n

ff

8.    Stockholders’ Equity

Common Stock 

There were 120,000,000 shares of common stock authorized at December 31, 2016 and 2015. 

Preferred Stock 

There are 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock authorized and none issued or outstanding at December 31, 2016 and 2015.

On  June 28,  2011,  in  connection  with  the  issuance  of  the  2017  Warrants,  the  Company  amended  its  Restated  Certificate  of 
Incorporation  to  designate  477,654  shares  of  the  Company’s  authorized  preferred  stock,  par  value  $0.001  per  share,  as  Series  A 
Participating Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”). The Series A Preferred Stock will automatically convert into shares of 
the Company’s common stock.  The holders of Series A Preferred Stock (collectively, the Preferred Holders) are entitled to receive
dividends when and if declared by the Board of Directors. The preferred dividends are payable in preference and in priority to any 
dividends  on  the  Company’s  common  stock.  Shares  of  Series  A  Preferred  Stock  are  convertible  into  20  shares  of  common  stock, 
subject  to  certain  anti-dilution  adjustments.  Preferred  Holders  vote  on  an  equivalent  basis  with  common  stockholders  on  an  as-
converted basis.    The  Preferred  Holders  are  entitled  to  receive  liquidation  preferences at  the  rate  of $648.20 per  share.  Liquidation
payments to the Preferred Holders have priority and are made in preference to any payments to the holders of common stock. 

aa

98 

  
  
 
 
 
   
   
Stock-based Compensation 

In  March  2014,  the  Compensation  Committee  (the  "Compensation  Committee")  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Company
adopted  the  2014  Equity  Incentive  Plan  of  NuVasive,  Inc.  (the  "2014  EIP"),  replacing  the  2004  Amended  and  Restated  Equity
Incentive Plan (the “2004 EIP”). No further awards may be granted under the 2004 EIP; however, that plan continues to govern all 
awards  previously  issued  under  it  (of  which  awards  remain  outstanding).    The  2014  EIP  provides  the  Company  with  the  ability  to 
grant various types of equity awards to its workforce (including, without limitation, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), restricted stock 
awards,  performance  awards,  and  deferred  stock  awards).  The  2014  EIP  also  provides  for  the  issuance  of  performance  RSUs
(“PRSUs”) to be granted subject to time- and/or performance-based vesting requirements. In addition, the award agreements under the 
2014 EIP generally provide for the acceleration of 50% of the unvested equity awards of all shareowners upon a change in control and 
the  vesting  of  the  remaining  unvested  equity  awards  for  those  shareowners  that  are  involuntarily  terminated  within  a  year  of  the
change in control. 

r

f

Each of the 2004 EIP and the 2014 EIP allow for “net share settlement” of certain equity awards whereby, in lieu of (i) making 
cash payments in satisfaction of the exercise price owed respective to non-qualified stock option awards, or (ii) open market selling
award  shares  to  generate  cash  proceeds  for  use  in  satisfaction  of  statutory  tax  obligations  respective  to  an  award’s  settlement or 
exercise, the company offsets the award shares being settled in a respective transaction by the number of shares of company stock with
a value equal to the respective obligation, and, in the case of taxes, making a cash payment to the respective taxing authority on behalf 
of the shareowner using Company cash. The net share settlement is accounted for with the cost of any award shares that are net settled 
being included in treasury stock and reported as a reduction in total equity at the time of settlement.

t

In  connection  with  the  acquisition  of  Ellipse  Technologies  in  February  2016  (see  Note  5  to  the  Consolidated  Financial
Statements  included  in  this  Annual  Report  for  further  discussion),  the  Company  assumed  the  Ellipse  Technologies,  Inc.  2015
Incentive Award Plan and the shares thereunder, subject to an equity exchange adjustment, for future awards by the Company.

tt

The compensation cost that has been included in the statement of operations for the Company’s stock-based compensation plans

was as follows (in thousands):

Sales, marketing and administrative expense
Research and development expense 
Cost of goods sold 

Stock-based compensation expense before taxes 

Related income tax benefits

Stock-based compensation expense, net of taxes 

Year Ended December 31, 

2016 

2015 

2014 

$

$

25,466 $
1,231
227
26,924
(10,770)
16,154 $

24,817     $ 
1,157      
229      
26,203      
(10,481 )   
15,722     $ 

31,514
1,841
332
33,687
(13,475)
20,212

As  of  December  31,  2016,  there  was  $18.5  million  and  $29.5  million  of  unrecognized  compensation  expense  for  RSUs  and 
PRSUs, respectively, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.0 years and 2.6 years, 
respectively. In addition, as of December 31, 2016, there was $0
.8 million of unrecognized compensation expense for shares expected 
to be  issued under  the  ESPP  which  is  expected  to  be  recognized  through April  2017. There was no unamortized expense  for  stock 
options as of December 31, 2016.

f

The  Company  adopted  ASU  2016-09,  Improvements  to  Employee  Share-Based  Payment  Accounting,  which  provided  for  the 
change in classification for excess tax benefits in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows on a prospective basis. The exces
s tax
benefits reported as a financing cash inflow for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 were $15.2 million and $11.9 million, 
respectively, and accordingly, the Company did not report such financing cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2016. See Note
1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for further discussion.

n

Restricted Stock Units 

The total fair value of RSUs that vested during the year ended December 31, 2016,

d

2015, and 2014 was $31.2 million, $39.0 

million and $27.5 million, respectively. 

99 

  
  
    
Following is a summary of RSU activity for the year ended December 31, 2016 (in thousands, except per share amounts): 

Outstanding at December 31, 2015 
Granted 
Vested 
Forfeited 
Outstanding at December 31, 2016 

Weighted
Average 
Grant Date
   Fair Value

Number of 
Shares

1,349   $ 
529    
(627)   
(155)   
1,096   $ 

31.82 
46.06 
25.54 
36.52 
41.16 

For  the  majority  of  RSUs,  shares  are  issued  on  the  vesting  dates  net  of  the  amount  of  shares  needed  to  satisfy  statutory  tax 
withholding requirements to be paid by the Company on behalf of the employees. The total shares withheld related to vested RSUs
were approximately 227,000, 330,000, and 29,000 in 2016, 2015, and 2014, respectively, and were based on the value of the awards 
on their vesting dates as determined by the Company’s closing stock price. Total payments for the employees’ tax obligations to the
taxing authorities related to vesting RSUs were $11.4 million, $15.4 million and $1.1 million in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. 

Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units

The  Company  has  granted  PRSUs  since  2012  for  which  the  ultimate  issuance  amount  is  determined  by  the  Company’s
Compensation Committee upon its certification of Company performance against a pre-determined matrix, including revenue targets,
total  shareholder  return,  or  earnings  per  share  over  pre-determined  periods  of  time.  Share  payout  levels  range  from  0  to  250%
depending on the respective terms of an award. Based upon the company’s actual performance against the performance conditions, 
approximately  117,000  shares  of  common  stock  vested  on  each  of  March 1,  2013,  March  1,  2014,  and  March  1,  2015  for  PRSUs
granted in 2012, and approximately 470,000 shares of common stock vested on each of February 1, 2014 and February 1, 2015 for 
PRSUs granted in 2013, in each case in the aggregate for all award recipients. On February 1, 2016, based upon the company’s actual 
performance against the performance conditions, approximately 102,000 shares of common stock vested for PRSUs granted in 2014. 

rr

t

In 2015 and 2016, the Company granted PRSU awards with five year cliff vesting terms to its Chief Executive Officer and Vice
Chairman, respectively, for which the performance criteria was not based on Company specific performance metrics, and as such, the
Company  recorded  the  award  as  a  long-term  liability  as  expensed  over  the  service  period.  No  amounts  have  been  paid  out  on  this
award, or are expected to become due until 2020 and 2021.

The  total  fair  value  of  performance  awards  vested  during  2016,  2015,  and  2014  was  $12.6  million,  $27.1  million  and  $21.6

million, respectively.  

Following is a summary of PRSU activity for the year ended December 31, 2016 (in thousands, except per share amounts): 

Outstanding at December 31, 2015 
Awarded at target 
Vested 
Forfeited 
Outstanding at December 31, 2016 

Shares

803
392
(145)
(179)
871

Maximum Number      
of Shares Eligible 
to be Issued

Average Grant
Date Fair Value
46.42
45.11
39.78
44.22
46.76

1,357    $ 
651      
(179)    
(276) 
1,553    $ 

For the majority of PRSUs, shares are issued on the vesting dates net of the amount of shares needed to satisfy statutory tax 
withholding requirements to be paid by the Company on behalf of the employees. The total shares withheld related to vesting PRSUs
were approximately 58,000 and 292,000 in 2016 and 2015, respectively, and were based on the value of the awards on their vesting 
dates as determined by the Company’s closing stock price. Total payments for the employees’ tax obligations to the taxing authorities 
related to vesting PRSUs were $2.7 million and $13.5 million in 2016 and 2015, respectively. No shares were withheld from vesting 
PRSUs in 2014.

Stock Options

The Company has not granted any stock options since 2011. The stock options previously granted are exercisable for a period of 

up to ten years after the date of grant.

100 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
The aggregate intrinsic value of outstanding stock options at December 31, 2016 is based on the Company’s closing stock price 
on December 31, 2016 of $67.36. The Company received $3.0 million, $6.2 million and $17.5 million in proceeds from the exercise of 
stock  options  during  the  years  ended  December  31,  2016,  2015  and  2014,  respectively.  The  total  intrinsic  value  of  stock  options
exercised  was  $29.0  million,  $63.4  million,  and  $17.6  million  during  the  years ended  December  31,  2016,  2015  and  2014, 
respectively. There were no stock options that vested during the year ended December 31, 2016. The total fair value of stock options 
that vested during the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $0.3 mil

lion and $3.5 million, respectively.

m

Following  is  a  summary  of  stock  option  activity  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2016  under  all  stock  plans  (in  thousands, 

except years and per share amounts):

Outstanding at December 31, 2015 

Exercised 
Cancelled 

Outstanding at December 31, 2016 
Exercisable at December 31, 2016 
Vested or expected to vest at December 31, 2016

Weighted
Avg. Exercise
Price 

Shares

1,970
(1,556)
(4)
410
410
410

$

$
$

34.91
34.95
18.92
34.93
34.93
34.93

Weighted-
Average 
   Remaining      
   Contractual 
Term
(Years)

   Aggregate 

Intrinsic
Value 

2.99     $

37,820

2.47     $
2.47     $
2.47     $

13,292
13,292
13,292

  For the majority of stock options, shares are issued on the exercise dates net of the amount of shares needed to satisfy each of 
the exercise price (in lieu of cash) and statutory tax withholding requirements, the latter to be paid by the Company on behalf of the
employee. The total shares withheld related to exercised stock options were approximately 1,157,000, 2,461,000, and 205,000 in 2016, 
2015, and  2014,  respectively,  and  were  based  on  the  value  of  the  stock  options  on  their  exercise  dates  as  determined  by  the
Company’s closing stock price. Total cash payments for the employees’ tax obligations to the taxing authorities related to exercised 
stock options were $10.7 million, $28.0 million, and $2.7 million, in 2016, 2015, and 2014, respectively.  

f

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The  NuVasive,  Inc.  2004  Amended  and  Restated  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan  (the  “ESPP”),  provides  eligible  employees
with  a  means  of  acquiring  equity  in  the  Company  at  a  discounted  purchase  price  using  their  own  accumulated  payroll  deductions. 
Under the terms of the ESPP, employees can elect to have up to 15% of their annual compensation, up to a maximum of $21,250 per
year, withheld to purchase shares of Company common stock for a purchase price equal to 85% of the lower of the fair market value
per  share  (at  closing)  of  Company  common  stock  on  (i)  the  commencement  date  of  the  two-year  or  six-month  offering  period 
(depending  on  the  purchase  period  enrolled)  or  (ii)  the  respective  purchase  date.  In  the  years  ended  December  31,  2016,  2015  an
d 
2014, 152,000, 209,000, and 268,000 shares, respectively, were purchased under the ESPP. 

n

The weighted average assumptions used to estimate the fair value of stock options granted and stock purchase rights under the 

ESPP are as follows:  

ESPP 

Volatility 
Expected term (years)
Risk free interest rate
Expected dividend yield 

Year Ended December 31, 
2015 

2014 

2016 

29%
0.5 
0.4%
——%

40 %     
1.2  
0.2 %     
—— %     

46%
1.3 
0.2%
——%

101 

  
  
  
     
  
 
  
  
   
 
  
 
  
  
     
 
  
  
     
 
 
    
    
   
    
    
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
  
  
  
   
  
 
 
 
     
 
    
Common Stock Reserved for Future Issuance

The  following  table  summarizes  common  shares  reserved  for  issuance  on  exercise  or  conversion  at December  31,  2016 (in

thousands):

Issued and outstanding stock options
Issued and outstanding RSUs and PRSUs
Available for issuance under the ESPP 
Available for future grant 
2017 Notes
2017 Warrants
2021 Notes
2021 Warrants
Total shares reserved for future issuance 

410
2,150
1,398
4,383
1,954
19,106
14,396
32,596
76,393

Pursuant to the terms of the 2014 EIP, shares subject to awards granted under the 2004 EIP may be utilized for future grants of
thheld to
awards under the 2014 EIP, to the extent such awards are terminated, cancelled or they expire, or shares subject thereto are wi
cover taxes. During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company filed a registration statement 
with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission  with  respect  to  2.2  million  of  such  shares  for  future  issuance  under  the  2014  EIP.  These  shares  are  reflected  in  the
number of shares available for future grants. 

y

n

9.    Income Taxes

Total income (loss) before income taxes summarized by region for the years ended December 31 is as follows (in thousands): 

United States 
Foreign 
Total income (loss) before income taxes 

Year Ended December 31, 

2016 

77,538
(12,830)
64,708

$

$

2015 
128,489     $ 
(16,470 )    
112,019     $ 

2014 

11,462
(22,672)
(11,210)

$

$

The income tax provision (benefit) for the years ended December 31 consists of the following (in thousands):  

Current:

Federal 
State 
Foreign 

Total current provision 

Deferred:

Federal 
State 
Foreign 

Total deferred provision 

Changes in tax rate 
Changes in valuation allowance 

Total provision

Year Ended December 31, 

2016 

2015 

2014 

$

$

(14,837) $
1,283
2,350
(11,204)

40,338
1,453
(2,583)
39,208
(216)
1,494
29,282

$

1,480     $ 
178      
2,090      
3,748      

32,387
3,359
2,259
38,005

42,719      
4,433      
(698)    
46,454      
266      
(3,739)    
46,729     $ 

(28,604)
(2,296)
(1,528)
(32,428)
(84)
793
6,286

102 

 
 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
 
    
 
 
    
 
 
         
 
 
         
The differences between the income tax provision at the United States federal statutory tax rate and the Company’s effective tax

rate for the years ended December 31 are the following (in thousands):  

Tax provision at federal statutory rate 
Globalization initiative 
Acquisition related charges
State income tax 
Valuation allowance 
Income tax reserves 
Compensation expense 
Income tax credits and incentives
Non-deductible meals and entertainment 
Foreign earnings taxed as non-United States rates 
Other 

Total provision

Year Ended December 31, 

2016 

2015 

2014 

$

$

22,648
6,290
5,167
3,243
1,494
759
(8,013)
(3,426)
1,013
605
(498)
29,282

$

$

39,207     $ 
9,039      
——     
4,264      
(3,739)    
2,301      
(2,115)    
(1,754)    
638      
(494)    
(618)    
46,729     $ 

(3,923)
9,244
——
827
793
657
1,428
(2,198)
521
(199)
(864)
6,286

Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities at December 31 are composed of the following (in 

thousands):  

Deferred tax assets:

Litigation and related accrual
Share-based compensation
Inventory 
Net operating loss carryforwards
General business and other credit carryforwards 
Deferred rent 
Original issue discount 
Other 
Gross deferred tax assets
Less valuation allowance 
Net deferred tax assets

Deferred tax liabilities:

Depreciation 
Original issue discount 
Acquired intangibles 
Other 

December 31,

2016 

2015

   $

— —     $

18,227     
16,324     
9,976     
21,215     
4,347     
8,817     
20,589     
99,495     
(10,544)   
88,951     

(29,888)   

— —

(69,428)   
(1,687)   
(101,003)   
(12,052)    $
528     
(11,524)    $

34,054
23,641
13,344
3,484
5,425
5,154
——
14,739
99,841
(7,290)
92,551

(24,361)
(1,090)
(295)
(1,278)
(27,024)
65,527
897
66,424

Total deferred tax liabilities 
Consolidated net deferred tax (liabilities) assets 

Add deferred tax liability, net, attributable to non-controlling interests 

Net deferred tax (liabilities) assets 

   $

   $

The following table summarizes the activity related to the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits (in thousands):  

Gross unrecognized tax benefits at January 1
Increases in tax positions for prior years
Decreases in tax positions for prior years
Increases in tax positions for current year relating to ongoing
operations
Increases in tax positions for current year relating to 
acquisitions 
Gross unrecognized tax benefits at December 31

$

$

Year Ended December 31, 

2016

2015 

2014 

$

12,448
1,716
(270)

12,372   $ 
2,614       
(3,156)     

4,504
5,294
——

6,205

618       

2,574

3,223
23,322

$

——       
12,448      $ 

——
12,372

103 

 
    
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
    
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
     
Included in the gross uncertain tax benefits balance at December 31, 2016 are $0.4 million of tax deductions for which there is
uncertainty only regarding the timing of the tax benefit. In the event these deductions are deferred to a later period, it would accelerate 
the payment of cash to the taxing authority.  Other than potential interest and penalties, such deferral would have no impact on tax 
expense. At December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, $12.5 million, $7.2 million, and $7.2 million, respectively, of the Company’s total 
unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized, would affect the effective income tax rate.  

In  accordance  with  the  disclosure  requirements  as  described  in ASC  Topic 740,  Income  Taxes,  the  Company  has  classified 
uncertain tax positions as non-current income tax liabilities unless expected to be paid in one year. The Company’s continuing practice 
is to recognize interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. For the years ended December 31, 2016 
and December 31, 2015, the Company recognized approximately $0.3 million and $0.1 million, respectively, in interest and penalties
as income tax expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company did not recognize any interest and penalties in
2014. The Company had approximately $0.5 million and $0.1 million for the payment of interest and penalties accrued at December
31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively, in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. 

f

The Company does not anticipate there will be a significant change in unrecognized tax benefits within the next 12 months. 

The  Company  is  subject  to  routine  compliance  reviews  on  various  tax  matters  around  the  world  in  the  ordinary  course  of 
business. Currently, income tax audits are being conducted in the state of New York and the state of Louisiana. U.S. and most foreign
jurisdictions remain subject to examination in all years due to prior year net operating losses and R&D credits.

ff

The  undistributed  earnings  of  the  Company’s  foreign  subsidiaries  as  of  December  31,  2016  are  immaterial.  In  the  event  the 
Company  is  required  to  repatriate  funds  from  outside  of  the  United  States,  such  repatriation  would  not  generate  additional  United 
States  tax  liabilities,  but  could  be  subject  to  local  laws  and  customs  generating  immaterial  tax  consequences  in  the  subsidiaries’
jurisdictions.    

At  December 31,  2016,  the  Company  had  $42.7 million,  $106.0  million  and  $8.6 million  of  federal,  state  and  foreign  net 
operating loss carryforwards, respectively, which will begin to expire in 2018, 2017, and 2018, respectively. Reserves of $52.7 million 
are recorded against California net operating losses of $52.7 million due to uncertainty surrounding their realization.

There were also federal and California income tax credit carryforwards of $18.2 million and $16.2 million, respectively. The 
federal credits will begin to expire in 2020. The California credits can be carried forward indefinitely. Reserves of $16.2 million are 
recorded against the California credits due to uncertainty surrounding their realization.

Due to the “change of ownership” provision of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, utilization of the Company’s net operating loss and 
credit  carryforwards  may  be  subject  to  an  annual  limitation  against  taxable  income  in  future  periods.  As  a  result  of  any  future
ownership  changes,  the  annual  limitation  of  loss  and  credit  carryforwards  may  cause  them  to  expire  before  ultimately  becoming 
available to reduce future income tax liabilities.  

10.    Business Segment, Product and Geographic Information

The Company operates in one segment based upon the Company’s organizational structure, the way in which the operations and 
investments are managed and evaluated by the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) as well as the lack of availability of discrete 
financial information at a lower level. The Company’s CODM reviews revenue at the product line offering level, and manufacturing, 
operating income and expenses, and net income at the Company wi
de level to allocate resources and assess the Company’s overall
performance.  The  Company  shares  common,  centralized  support  functions,  including  finance,  human  resources,  legal,  information 
performance.  The  Company  shares  common,  centralized  support  functions,  including  finance,  human  resources,  legal,  information
technology,  and  corporate  marketing,  all  of  which  report  directly  to  the  CODM.  Accordingly,  decision-making  regarding  the
Company’s  overall  operating  performance  and  allocation  of  Compan
y  resources  is  assessed  on  a  consolidated  basis.  As  such,  the
ff
Company operates as one reporting segment. The Company has disclosed the revenues for each of its product line offerings to provide
the reader of the financial statements transparency into the operations of the Company.

The Company reports under two distinct product lines; spinal hardware and surgical support. The Company’s spinal hardware
product line offerings include implants and fixation products, and following the acquisition of Ellipse Technologies, also include the
MAGEC- EOS spinal bracing and lengthening system and the PRECICE limb lengthening system. The Company’s surgical support 
product offerings include IOM services, disposables and biologics, all of which are used to aid spinal surgery. 

 Revenue by product line was as follows (in thousands): 

Spinal Hardware 
Surgical Support 
Total Revenue 

Year Ended December 31, 

2016
674,057
288,015
962,072

$

$

2015 
559,388     $ 
251,725      
811,113     $ 

2014 
522,683
239,732
762,415

$

$

104 

 
 
     
Revenue and property and equipment, net, by geographic area were as follows (in thousands):  

Revenue 
Year Ended December 31, 

      Property and Equipment, Net

December 31,

United States 
International (excludes Puerto Rico) 
Total 

11.    Contingencies 

2016 
831,718
130,354
962,072

$

$

2015 
714,768
96,345
811,113

$

$

$

$

2016 

2014 
667,850      $  148,227
33,297
762,415      $  181,524

94,565        

2015 
113,037
28,404
141,441

$

$

The  Company  is  subject  to  potential  liabilities  under  government  regulations  and  various  claims  and  legal  actions  that  are 
pending or may be asserted from time-to-time. These matters arise in the ordinary course and conduct of the Company’s business and 
include, for example, commercial, intellectual property, environmental, securities and employment matters. The Company intends to 
continue  to  defend  itself  vigorously  in  such  matters.  Furthermore,  the  Company  regularly  assesses  contingencies  to  determine  the 
degree of probability and range of possible loss for potential accrual in its financial statements. During the year December 31, 2016,
the Company settled its ongoing litigation with Medtronic. As a result of the settlement, the Company paid $45.0 million to Medtronic 
and accordingly recorded a gain of $43.3 million related to the settlement by redu
cing its previous accrual of $88.3 million related to
the matter.

f

During  the  year  ended  December  31  2015,  the  Company  had  a  gain  of  $56.4  million  related  to  a  litigation  accrual  change 
resulting  from  the  legal  proceedings  in  the  first  phase  of  the  Medtronic  litigation  whereby  the  damages  awarded  by  the  jury  was
overturned, and a gain of $2.8 million in litigation accrual change related to settlement of the NeuroVision trademark litigation. These
amounts were offset by a litigation charge of $13.8 million related to the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Departme
nt of 
Health  and  Human  Services  investigation  and  a  $3.3  million  litigation  charge  in  a  general  litigation  matter.  Refer  to  both  the 
subsequent sections herein titled “Legal Proceedings” and to Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.

rr

r

An estimated loss contingency is accrued in the Company’s financial statements if it is probable that a liability has been incurred 
and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Based on the Company’s assessment, it has adequately accrued an amount for 
contingent liabilities currently in existence. The Company does not accrue amounts for liabilities that it does not believe are probable 
or that it considers immaterial to its overall financial position. Litigation is inherently unpredictable, and unfavorable resolutions could 
occur. As a result, assessing contingencies is highly subjective and requires judgment about future events. The amount of ultimate loss 
may exceed the Company’s current accruals, and it is possible that its cash flows or results of operations could be materially affected 
in any particular period by the unfavorable resolution of one or more of these contingencies.

uu

Legal Proceedings

Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc. Litigation 

In  August  2008,  Warsaw  Orthopedic,  Inc.,  Medtronic  Sofamor  Danek  USA,  Inc.  and  other  Medtronic  related  entities 
(collectively, “Medtronic”) filed a patent infringement lawsuit against the Company (the “Medtronic Litigation”), alleging that certain 
of  the  Company’s  products  or  methods,  including  the  XLIF  procedure,  infringe,  or  contribute  to  the  infringement  of,  various  U.S. 
patents assigned or licensed to Medtronic. The Company brought counterclaims against Medtronic alleging infringement of certain of 
the Company’s patents. On July 13, 2016, the Company entered into a settlement and patent license agreement (the “2016 Settlement 
Agreement”) with Medtronic to settle the Medtronic Litigation. The Company no longer has any remaining liability or restricted cash 
related to this matter.  

n

t

The Medtronic Litigation was administratively broken into three phases. The initial trial on the first phase of the case concluded 
in  September  2011  in  the  U.S.  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  California  (the  “District  Court”),  and  a  jury  delivered  an 
unfavorable  verdict  against  the  Company  with  respect  to  certain  Medtronic  patents  and  a  favorable  verdict  with  respect  to  one 
Company patent, including a monetary damages award of approximately $101.2 million to Medtronic.

Both parties appealed the verdict, and the Company entered into an escrow arrangement and transferred $113.3 million of cash 
into a restricted escrow account in March 2012 to secure the amount of judgment, plus prejudgment interest, during pendency of the
appeal. In March 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a decision upholding the jury’s findings of liability as
to all patents, but overturning the damage award against the Company as improper (the “Court of Appeals Decision”). The case was 
remanded back to the District Court for further proceedings and a retrial to determine a proper damages award. As a result of the Court
of Appeals Decision, the parties agreed to release all of the escrow funds related to this matter back to the Company. During the year 
ended December 31, 2015, the Company transferred all of the funds in escrow related to this matter, approximately $114.1 million,
from  long-term  restricted  cash  and  investments  into  its  unrestricted  investment  accounts.  In  March  2015,  the  Company  sought 
reexamination of certain claims of one of the Medtronic patents at issue and for which the Company was found to have infringed. On 
June 15, 2016, the District Court stayed remand proceedings and retrial of this first phase of the case pending the reexamination. 

a

tt

105 

  
 
  
The second phase of the case involved one Medtronic cervical plate patent. In April 2013, the Company and Medtronic entered 
into a settlement agreement fully resolving the second phase of the case. As part of the settlement, the Company received a license to 
practice various patent families that collectively represent a majority of Medtronic’s patent rights related to cervical plate technology. 
In exchange for these license rights, the Company made a one-time payment to Medtronic of $7.5 million in May 2013. In addition, 
Medtronic will receive a royalty on certain cervical plate products sold by the Company, including the Helix and Gradient lines of 
products. 

The third phase of the case involved Medtronic filing additional patent claims in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District 
of Indiana in August 2012 alleging that certain Company spinal implants (including its CoRoent XL family of spinal implants), t
t
he 
mm
Company’s Osteocel Plus bone graft product, and the Company’s XLIF procedure and use of MaXcess IV retractor during the XLIF 
procedure infringe several Medtronic patents.

Under the terms of the 2016 Settlement Agreement, the Company paid Medtronic $45.0 million, and the parties released each 
other from, inter alia, any and all past patent infringement arising from the Medtronic Litigation. As a result, the Company adjusted its 
litigation accrual from $88.3 million to $45.0 million and recorded a $43.3 million gain in the Consolidated Statement of Operations 
for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2016.  Pursuant  to  the  2016  Settlement  Agreement,  the  parties granted  each  other  irrevocable, 
spective patents as to certain of their respective 
ff
worldwide, nonexclusive, paid-up, royalty-free licenses to practice certain of their re
existing product lines, subject to specified exceptions and limitations. The 2016 Settlement Agreement also provides that, subject to
certain limitations and exceptions, and for a period of seven years, neither party will assert against the other certain claims for patent 
infringement (generally claims related to spinal implants and related instruments, biologics and neuromonitoring) other than through a 
specified dispute resolution process, with the right to thereafter pursue claims outside that process subject to certain limitations and 
not assert
exceptions. Further, Medtronic has agreed that, for a period of five years, and subject to limitations and exceptions, it will
f
against the Company certain other claims for patent infringement other than through a specified dispute resolution process, with the 
t
right to thereafter pursue claims outside that process subject to certain limitations and exceptions. 

d

Trademark Infringement Litigation 

On September 25, 2009, Neurovision Medical Products, Inc. (“NMP”) filed a lawsuit against the Company in the U.S. District 
Court  for  the  Central  District  of  California  (the  “Central  District  Court”)  alleging  trademark  infringement  and  unfair  competition. 
NMP  sought  cancellation  of  NuVasive’s  “NeuroVision”  trademark  registrations,  injunctive  relief  and  damages  based  on  NMP’s
common  law use  of  the  “NeuroVision”  mark.  The  matter  was  tried  in October 2010 and  an  unfavorable  jury verdict  was  delivered 
against  the  Company.  The  verdict  awarded  damages  to  NMP  of  $60.0  million, and  the  Company  appealed  the  judgment. The 
ril  2014,  a  jury
judgment  was  reversed  and  vacated  on  appeal,  and  a  new  trial  was  conducted  in  the  Central  District  Court.  In  Ap
returned a verdict in favor of NMP on its claims against the Company in the amount of $30.0 million. The Central District Court
t
also 
entered  an  order  canceling  the  Company’s  NeuroVision  trademark  registrations.  In  July  2015,  the  Company  agreed  to  settle  all 
outstanding matters with NMP for $27.2 million. The Company adjusted its litigation accrual from $30.0 million to $27.2 million at 
June 30, 2015, which resulted in a $2.8 million gain which was recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Operations during the three 
months ended June 30, 2015. The Company previously escrowed funds totaling $32.5 million to secure the amount of judgment, and 
cover potential attorney’s fees and costs. Those funds accrued interest and were included in short-term restricted cash and investments 
in the Consolidated Balance Sheets until funding of the settlement which occurred during the three months ended September 30, 2015. 
The Company no longer has any remaining liability or restricted cash related to this matter. 

f

t

Securities Litigation 

f

On August 28, 2013, a purported securities class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of 
California  naming  the  Company  and  certain  of its  current  and  former  executive  officers
  for  allegedly  making  false  and  materially
misleading  statements  regarding  the  Company’s  business  and  financial  results,  specifically  relating  to  the  purported  improper 
submission of false claims to Medicare and Medicaid. The operative complaint asserts a putative class period stemming from October 
22, 2008 to July 30, 2013. The complaint alleges violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as 
amended, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder and seeks unspecified monetary relief, interest, and attorneys’ fees. On Februaryrr
13,  2014,  Brad  Mauss,  the  lead  plaintiff  in  the  case  (“Plaintiff”),  filed  an  Amended  Class  Action  Complaint  for  Violations  of  the 
Federal  Securities  Laws.  The  Company  answered  the  complaint  on August  25,  2016,  and  discovery  is  proceeding. Plaintiffs  filed 
motions  for  class  certification  on  October  28,  2016  and  the  Company’s  opposition  papers  were  filed  on  January  9,  2017. Trial  has 
been set for December 18, 2017. At December 31, 2016, the probable outcome of this litigation cannot be determined, nor can the
Company  estimate  a  range  of  potential  loss.  In  accordance  with  authoritative  guidance  on  the  evaluation  of  loss  contingencies, the 
Company has not recorded an accrual related to this litigation. 

106 

Shareholder Derivative Litigation 

On September 28, 2016, a shareholder derivative complaint was filed by James Borta in the Superior Court of California for the
County of  San  Diego naming  certain  of  the Company’s current  and  former  executive officers  and directors for  allegedly breaching
their  fiduciary  duties  by,  among  other  things,  making  allegedly  false  and  misleading  statements  about  the  Company’s  business, 
operations, and prospects.  The derivative complaint is based upon the same factual allegations as the securities class action litigation
and names the Company as a nominal defendant.  The Company demurred to the complaint on December 16, 2016 and the plaintiff 
filed an opposition on January 6, 2017. At December 31, 2016, the probable outcome of this litigation cannot be determined, nor can
the Company estimate a range of potential loss. In accordance with authoritative guidance on the evaluation of loss contingencies, the
Company has not recorded an accrual related to this litigation. 

r

Madsen Medical, Inc. Litigation 

On February 22, 2016, an unfavorable jury verdict was delivered against the Company in its litigation in the U.S. District Court t
for  the  Southern District  of California  against  Madsen  Medical, Inc.  (“MMI”),  a  former  sales  agent.  Specifically,  the  jury  awar d ded
MMI $7.5 million in lost profits for tortious interference, $14.0 million for unjust enrichment, $20.0 million in punitive dama
ges, and 
d
, 2016, tthe trial court entered judgment in favor of MMI in 
approximately $0.3 million in damages for br
 al
the amount of $27.8 million, which amount excluded the $14.0 million disgorgement awarded by the jury. On July 5, 2016, the tri
court also awarded MMI attorney’s fees and costs of approximately $1.1 million. The Company’s post-trial motions for judgment a
s a
matter  of  law and/or  for  a  new  trial were denied,  and  the  Company has  filed  a notice  of  appeal of both  the verdict  and  the  court’s 
rr
subsequent award of attorney’s fees and costs. During pendency of any appeals, the Company has secured a bond to cover the amou t nt
of the judgment and attorn

eys’ fees and costs.

each of contract. 

On March 18

aa

December 

Historically the Company had believed the likelihood of a loss in this case was remote given the underlying facts of the case,
however, during the quarter ended March 31, 2016, the judgment entered caused the Company to reassess its position.  The Company,nn
bbased on its own assessment as well as that of outside counsel, believes that the judgment will be vacated on appeal, and accordingly,
31,  2016,  the  Company  believes  that  the  outcome  of  the  case  does  not  constitute  a  probable  nor  an  estimable  loss
at 
herefore,
associated with the litigation but rather a reasonably possible loss rather than a remote loss as historically contemplated.  T
 to
the Company has not recorded a loss contingency but has assessed a reasonable range of potential loss, which would be from zero
the current amount entered as a judgment, as well as attorney’s fees and interest, in accordance with the accounting guidance r
equired 
d
bby ASC 450, Contingencies.

12.    Regulatory Matters 

In  2013,  the  Company  received  a  federal administrative  subpoena  from  the  Office  of  the  Inspector  General  of  the  U.S. 
ims 
Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) in connection with an investigation into possible false or otherwise improper cla
submitted to Medicare and Medicaid. In April 2015, the Company announced that it had reached an agreement in principle with the
U.S.  Department  of  Justice  (“DOJ”)  to  settle  this  matter,  and  in  July  2015,  the  Company  entered  into  a  definitive  settlement 
agreement.  Under  the  terms  of  the  agreement,  the  Company  agreed  to  pay  $13.5  million  plus  fees  and  accrued  interest  of 
approximately $0.3 million to resolve this matter. The settlement was not an admission of liability or wrongdoing by the Company,
and the Company was not required to enter into a corporate integrity agreement with the OIG as part of the settlement. In accordance 
with the authoritative guidance on the evaluation of loss contingencies, the Company recorded a $13.8 million litigation charge related 
to this matter, which is included in the Consolidated Statements
 of Operations during the year ended December 31, 2015, and funded 
d
the $13.8 million settlement during the year ended December 31, 2015. 

h

On  August  31,  2015,  the  Company  received  a  civil  investigative  demand  (“CID”)  issued  by  the  DOJ  pursuant  to  the  federal 
False Claims Act. The CID requires the delivery of a wide range of documents and information related to an investigation by the DOJ 
concerning allegations that the Company assisted a physician group customer in submitting improper claims for reimbursement and
made improper payments to the physician group in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The Company is cooperating with the DOJ. 
No  assurance  can  be  given  as  to  the  timing  or  outcome  of  this  investigation.  At  December  31,  2016,  the  probable  outcome  of  this
matter cannot be determined, nor can the Company estimate a range of potential loss. In accordance with authoritative guidance on the 
evaluation of loss contingencies, the Company has not recorded an accrual related to this matter. 

107 

 
 
 
 
13.    Quarterly Data (unaudited) 

The following quarterly financial data, in the opinion of management, reflects all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring

adjustments necessary, for a fair presentation of results for the periods presented (in thousands, except per share amounts):

Revenue 
Gross profit 
Consolidated net (loss) income
Net (loss) income attributable to NuVasive, Inc.
Basic net (loss) income per common share attributable to 
NuVasive, Inc. 
Diluted net (loss) income per common share attributable to
NuVasive, Inc. 

Revenue 
Gross profit 
Consolidated net income 
Net income attributable to NuVasive, Inc. 
Basic net income per common share attributable to NuVasive, Inc.
Diluted net income per common share attributable to NuVasive, 
Inc.

First
Quarter (2)(3)
215,104
$
160,878
(3,825)
(3,368)

Year Ended December 31, 2016 (1)

Second 
Quarter (4)

Third 
Quarter

$

236,210   $ 
176,465  
29,790  
30,213  

239,649
180,453
3,495
3,926

Fourth 
Quarter (3)(5)
271,109
$
204,183
5,966
6,376

(0.07)

(0.07)

0.60  

0.57  

0.08

0.07

0.13

0.11

Year Ended December 31, 2015 

First
Quarter (6)

Second 
Quarter

Third 
Quarter

Fourth 
Quarter

$

$

192,383
146,719
31,397
31,560
0.66

202,910   $ 
154,495  
10,040  
10,268  
0.21  

200,538
151,371
12,750
12,960
0.26

$

215,282
164,049
11,103
11,503
0.23

0.61

0.20  

0.24

0.22

(1)  The  unaudited  quarterly  financial  data  set  forth  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2016  includes  the  operations  and  results  of 
Ellipse Technologies, BNN Holdings and the Company’s other acquisitions from their respective dates of acquisition. See Note 
5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for further discussion.

(2)  The  Company  elected  to  early  adopt  ASU  2016-09  in  the  second  quarter  of  2016.  As  a  result,  the  Company  recorded  a 
retrospective adjustment to the previously reported first quarter 2016 provision for income taxes of approximately $5.5 million
for the recognition of excess tax benefits in the provision for income taxes rather than additional paid-in capital and a decrease 
in net loss per share of $0.11 for the three months ended March 31, 2016. See Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements 
included in this Annual Report for further discussion. 

(3)  Consolidated financial results include losses from repurchases of Senior Convertible Notes due 2017 of $17.4 million and $1.7

million in the first and fourth quarters of fiscal year 2016, respectively.

(4)  Consolidated  financial  results  include  a  litigation  liability  gain  of  $43.3  million  in  connection  with  the  settlement  of  all 

outstanding litigation matters with Medtronic. 

(5)  Consolidated  financial  results  include  a  purchase  order  for  $4.8  million  from  an  organization  established  by  certain  former
stockholders of Ellipse Technologies. See Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report for 
further discussion on the purchase order. 

(6)  Consolidated financial results include a litigation liability gain of $56.4 million stemming from a favorable appeal in the first 
phase of the Medtronic litigation, and a litigation liability loss of $13.8 million in connection with the OIG investigation.

f

108 

 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
Exhibit 
Number 

2.1†

2.2

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

3.5

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

10.1# 

10.2# 

10.3# 

10.4# 

10.5# 

10.6# 

10.7# 

Description

Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated January 4, 2016, by and among the Company, Magneto Acquisition Corporation, 
a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, Ellipse Technologies, Inc., and Fortis Advisors
LLC,  a  Delaware  limited  liability  corporation,  in  its  capacity  as  the  equityholders’  repr
esentative  (incorporated  by
reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on Februaryrr  11, 2016)

y

a

Agreement  and  Plan of  Merger,  dated  June  6,  2016, by  and  among  the  Company,  Bionic Acquisition  Corporation,  a
Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, BNN Holdings Corp., and GPP I-BNN, LLC, a 
Delaware  limited  liability  corporation,  in  its  capacity as  the  security  holders’  agent  to  BNN  Holdings  Corp.
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on July 5, 2016)

y

Restated Certificate of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the
Commission on August 13, 2004)

t
Certificate of Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to our Current Repor
on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on September 28, 2011)

d

Restated  Bylaws  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Current  Report  on  Form 8-K  filed  with  the  Commission  on
January 6, 2012) 

Amendment No. 1 to the Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the 
Commission on May 19, 2014)

Amendment No. 2 to the Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the 
SEC on August 1, 2016) 

Specimen  Common  Stock  Certificate  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Annual  Report  on  Form 10-K  filed  with  the 
Commission on March 16, 2006) 

Certificate of Designations of Series A Participating Preferred Stock filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on June 28,
2011 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on For

mrr 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

y

aa

Indenture dated June 28, 2011 between the Company and U.S. National Association (incorporated by reference to our
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Form of 2.75% Convertible Senior Note due 2017 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed
with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Indenture,  dated  March  16,  2016,  between  the  Company  and  Wilmington  Trust,  National  Association,  as  Trustee
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16, 2016)

Form of 2.25% Convertible Senior Note due 2021 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed
with the Commission on March 16, 2016)

2004 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q 
filed with the Commission on July 26, 2012)

Amendment No. 1 to the 2004 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Annual
Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on March 3, 2014)

Form  of  Stock  Option  Award  Notice  under  the  2004  Amended  and  Restated  Equity  Incentive  Plan  (incorporated  by
reference to Amendment No. 1 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Commission on April 8, 2004)

Form of Option Exercise and Stock Purchase Agreement under the 2004 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan
(incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Commission 
on April 8, 2004) 

Form  of  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Award  Agreement  under  the  2004  Amended  and  Restated  Equity  Incentive  Plan
(incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Formr

10-K filed with the Commission on Februaryr 26, 2010)

Form of Restricted Stock Grant Notice and Restricted Stock Agreement under the 2004 Amended and Restated Equity
Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Amendment No.1 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the 
Commission on April 8, 2004)

NuVasive,  Inc.  2004  Amended  and  Restated  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on October 30, 2014)

109 

 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Exhibit  
Number 

10.8#

10.9#

10.10#

10.11#

10.12#

10.13#

10.14#

10.15#

10.16#

10.17#

10.18#

10.19#

10.20#

10.21#

10.22#

10.23#

10.24#

10.25#

10.26#

10.27#

Description

2014  Equity  Incentive  Plan (incorporated by  reference  to  Exhibit A  to  our  Definitive  Proxy  Statement  filed with the 
Commission on March 27, 2014) 

Form  of  Performance  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Form  Notice  of Grant)  under  the  2014
Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on
May 4, 2015) 

f

Form of Executive Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (with accompanying Form Notice of Grant) under the 2014 Equity
Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on May 4, 
2015)

Form  of  Performance  Cash  Award  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Form  Notice  of  Grant)  under  the  2014  Equity
Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on May 4, 
2015)

Form  of  Performance  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Notice  of  Grant)  for  grants  after
February 11, 2016 under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-
K filed with the Commission on Februaryr  11, 2016)

Form  of  Executive  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Form  Notice  of  Grant)  for  grants  after
February 11, 2016 under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-
K filed with the Commission on Februaryr  11, 2016)

Form of Performance Cash Award Agreement (with accompanying Form Notice of Grant) for grants after February 11,
2016 under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with 
the Commission on Februaryr  11, 2016)

Form  of  Performance  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Notice  of  Grant)  for  grants  after
February 8, 2017 under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan

Form  of  Executive  Restricted  Stock  Unit  Agreement  (with  accompanying  Form  Notice  of  Grant)  for  grants  after
Februaryr  8, 2017 under the 2014 Equityt  Incentive Plan 

Form of Performance Cash Award Agreement (with accompanying Form Notice of Grant) for grants after February 8,
2017 under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan 

NuVasive, Inc. 2014 Executive Incentive Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit B to our Definitive
Proxy Statement filed with the Commission on March 27, 2014)

2015  Ellipse  Technologies,  Inc.  Incentive  Award  Plan  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Registration  Statement  on
Form S-8 filed with the Commission on February 11, 2016)

Form  of  Indemnification  Agreement  between  the  Company  and  its  directors  and  certain  executives  thereof
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 19, 2014)

NuVasive, Inc. Amended and Restated Executive Severance Plan (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed with the Commission on August 6, 2015)

Form of Change in Control Agreement between the Company and certain executives thereof (incorporated by reference
to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on Mayaa  19, 2014)

NuVasive, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with
the Commission on August 6, 2015)

Letter Agreement dated May 22, 2015 between the Company and Gregory T. Lucier (incorporated by reference to ouruu
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 26, 2015)

Letter Agreement dated September 11, 2016 between the Company and Patrick S. Miles (incorporated by reference to
our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on October 26, 2016)

Notice  of  Grant  of  Share  Purchase  Matching  Performance  Restricted  Stock  Units  and  Award  Agreement  granted  to 
Gregory  T.  Lucier  on  May  22,  2015  (incorporated  by  reference  to  our  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K  filed  with  the 
Commission on May 26, 2015)

Notice  of  Grant  of  “Inducement”  Performance  Restricted  Stock  Units  and  Award  Agreement  granted  to  Gregory  T.
Lucier on May 22, 2015 (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on
May 26, 2015)

ff

110 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Exhibit 
Number 

10.28# 

10.29# 

10.30 

10.31 

10.32 

10.33 

10.34 

10.35 

10.36 

10.37 

10.38 

10.39 

10.40 

10.41 

10.42 

10.43 

10.44 

10.45 

10.46 

Description

Notice  of  Grant  of  Share  Purchase  Matching  Performance  Restricted  Stock  Units  and  Awara d  Agreement  granted  to 
Patrick S. Miles on September 11, 2016 (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the
Commission on October 26, 2016)

Non-Employee Director Cash Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed
with the Commission on March 3, 2014)

Lease  Agreement  for  Sorrento  Summit  dated  November 6,  2007  between  the  Company  and  HCPI/Sorrento,  LLC 
(incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Formrr

10-Q filed with the Commission on November 8, 2007)

Confirmation for base call option transaction dated June 22, 2011 between the Company and Bank of America, N.A.
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation for additional call option transaction dated June 24, 2011, between the Company and Bank of America,
N.A. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation for base call option transaction dated June 22, 2011 between the Company and Goldman, Sachs & Co.
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Formr

8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation for additional call option transaction dated June 24, 2011 between the Company and Goldman, Sachs &
uu
Co. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Formrr

8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation  for  base  warrant  transaction  dated  June 22,  2011  between  the  Company  and  Bank  of  America,  N.A.
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation for additional warrant transaction dated June 24, 2011 between the Company and Bank of America, N.A.
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Formr

8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation  for  base  warrant  transaction  dated  June 22,  2011  between  the  Company  and  Goldman,  Sachs  &  Co. 
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Confirmation for additional warrant transaction dated June 24, 2011 between the Company and Goldman, Sachs & Co. 
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 29, 2011)

Credit Agreement, dated February 8, 2016, by and among the Company, as the Borrower, Certain Subsidiaries of the
Company, Bank of America, N.A. and each of those additional Lenders that are a party to such agreement (incorporated
by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on Februaryrr  11, 2016)

Security  and  Pledge  Agreement,  dated  February  8,  2016,  by  and  among  the  Company,  as  the  Borrower,  and  Certain
Subsidiaries of the Company in favor of Bank of America, N.A. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed with the Commission on Februaryrr  11, 2016)

Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement, dated March 9, 2016, by and among the Company, as the Borrower, the Other
Loan  Parties,  Bank  of  America,  N.A.  and  each  of  those  additional  Lenders  that  are  a  party  to  such  agreement
(incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 9, 2016)

Confirmation  for  base  call  option  transaction,  dated  March  10,  2016,  by  and  between  the  Company  and  Bank  of
America, N.A. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16, 
2016) 

Confirmation for additional call option transaction, dated March 11, 2016, by and between the Company and Bank of
America, N.A. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16, 
2016) 

Confirmation  for  base  call  option  transaction,  dated  March  10,  2016,  by  and  between  the  Company  and  Goldman,
Sachs & Co. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16,
2016) 

Confirmation for additional call option transaction, dated March 11, 2016, by and between the Company and Goldman,
Sachs & Co. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16,
2016) 

Confirmation for base warrant transaction, dated March 10, 2016, by and between the Company and Bank of America,
N.A. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16, 2016)

111 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Exhibit 
Number 

10.47 

10.48 

10.49 

10.50 

10.51† 

10.52† 

10.53† 

10.54† 

21.1 

23.1 

31.1 

31.2 

32.1* 

Description

Confirmation  for  additional  warrant  transaction,  dated  March  11,  2016,  by  and  between  the  Company  and  Bank  of
America, N.A. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16, 
2016) 

Confirmation for base warrant transaction, dated March 10, 2016, by and between the Company and Goldman, Sachs &
Co. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16, 2016)

Confirmation  for  additional warrant  transaction,  dated  March 11, 2016,  by  and between  the  Company  and Goldman,
Sachs & Co. (incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 16,
2016) 

Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement dated January 13, 2009 among the Company, Progentix Orthobiology, B.V. and 
the sellers listed on Schedule A thereto (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the 
Commission on February 26, 2010)

Option Purchase Agreement dated January 13, 2009 among the Company, Progentix Orthobiology, B.V. and the sellers
listed on Schedule A thereto (incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission
on February 26, 2010)

Exclusive  Distribution  Agreement  dated  January 13,  2009  between  the  Company  and  Progentix  Orthobiology,  B.V.
(incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Formrr

10-Q filed with the Commission on May 8, 2009)

Settlement and License Agreement dated April 25, 2013 among the Company, Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc., 
Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc., Medtronic Puerto Rico Operations Co. and Medtronic Sofamor Danek Deggendorf, GmbH
(incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on July 30, 2013)

Settlement and Patent License Agreement dated July 13, 2016 between the Company and Medtronic plc together with
its wholly owned subsidiaries Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc., Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc., Medtronic Puerto Rico
Operations Co., and Medtronic Sofamor Danek Deggendorf GmbH (incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Repor
trr
on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on October 26, 2016)

m

  List of subsidiaries of the Company

  Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended

Certification  of  Chief  Financial  Officer  pursuant  to  Rule 13a-14(a)  and  15d-14(a)  of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of
1934, as amended

Certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(b) of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and 18 U.S.C. section 1350

101

101

101

101

101

101

† 

# 
* 

  XBRL Instance Document

  XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document

  XBRL Taxonomy Calculation Linkbase Document

  XBRL Taxonomy Label Linkbase Document

  XBRL Taxonomy Presentation Linkbase Document

  XBRL Taxonomy Definition Linkbase Document

Certain confidential information contained in this exhibit was omitted by means of redacting a portion of the text and replacing 
it with an asterisk. We have filed separately with the Commission an unredacted copy of the exhibit. 
Indicates management contract or compensatory plan. 
These certifications are being furnished solely to accompany this annual report pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, and are not 
being filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are not to be incorporated by reference into
any filing of NuVasive, Inc., whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in
such filing.

112 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
NuVasive, Inc. Corporate Information

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS:

Gregory T. Lucier
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Jason M. Hannon
President and Chief Operating Officer

Patrick S. Miles
Vice Chairman

Quentin S. Blackford
Executive Vice President and Chief 
Financial Officer, Head of Strategy and 
Corporate Integrity

Peter M. Leddy, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President, Global Human 
Resources, Integrations, Real Estate and 
Internal Communications

Edmund Roschak
CEO of NuVasive Specalized 
OrthopedicsTM, Inc.

Carol A. Cox
Executive Vice President, External Affairs 
and Corporate Marketing

Matthew W. Link
President, U.S. Commercial

Joan B. Stafslien, Esq.
Executive Vice President, General Counsel 
and Corporate Secretary

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Gregory T. Lucier
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Vickie L. Capps
Former Chief Financial Officer, DJO 
Global, Inc.

Peter C. Farrell, Ph.D., AM
Founding Chairman and former Chief 
Executive Officer, ResMed Inc.

Robert F. Friel
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and 
President, PerkinElmer, Inc.

Lesley H. Howe
Former Audit Partner, KPMG Peat
Marwick LLP

Leslie V. Norwalk, Esq.
Strategic Counsel, Epstein Becker & 
Green, P.C.

Michael D. O’Halleran
Executive Chairman of Aon Benfield and 
Senior Executive Vice President of Aon plc

Patrick S. Miles
Vice Chairman, NuVasive, Inc.

Donald J. Rosenberg, Esq.
Executive Vice President, General
Counsel and Corporate Secretary, 
QUALCOMM Incorporated

Daniel  J. Wolterman
Former President and Chief Executive 
Officer, Memorial Hermann Health System

ANNUAL MEETING:

STOCK INFORMATION:

TRANSFER AGENT:

May 18, 2017 at 8:00 AM
NuVasive, Inc. Corporate Headquarters
7475 Lusk Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92121

NuVasive, Inc. common stock is listed 
on the NASDAQ – Global Select market 
(NASDAQ: NUVA)

Computershare
P.O. Box 30170
College Station, TX 77842
Shareholder Services: 1-800-962-4284

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: 

ANNUAL MEETING:

The letter to shareholders and this annual report contain forward-looking 
statements that involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors 
which, if they do not materialize or prove correct, could cause our results 
to differ from historical results or those expressed or implied by such 
forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify these forward-
looking statements by words like “may”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “expect”, 
“plan”, “anticipate”, “believes”,“estimates”, “predicts”, “potential”, “intends”, or 
“continues” (or the negative of those words and other comparable words). 
Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements 
about: our intentions, beliefs and expectations regarding our expenses, 
sales, operations and future financial performance; our operating results; 
our plans for future products and enhancements of existing products; 
and anticipated growth and trends in our business. These statements are 
not guarantees of future performance or events, and actual results may 
differ materially from those discussed herein. These and other risks and 
uncertainties are further described in our news releases and periodic filings 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in Item 1(a) of 
our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. 
NuVasive’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are 
available at www.sec.gov. NuVasive assumes no obligation to update any 
forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances arising after 
the date on which it was made.

 The letter to shareholders and this annual report include financial 
information that is not calculated in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP 
operating profit margin and non-GAAP earnings per share are non-
GAAP financial measures that exclude amortization of intangible assets, 
leasehold related charges, integration related expenses associated with 
acquired businesses, one-time restructuring and acquisition related items, 
CEO transition related costs, certain litigation charges and non-cash 
interest expense and or losses on convertible notes. Management also 
uses certain non-GAAP financial measures that are intended to exclude the 
impact of foreign exchange currency fluctuations. The measure constant 
currency is the use of an exchange rate that eliminates fluctuations when 
calculating financial performance numbers. Management calculates these 
non-GAAP financial measures excluding these costs and uses these non-
GAAP financial measures to enable it to further and more consistently 
analyze the period-to-period financial performance of its core business 
operations. Management believes that providing investors with these 
non-GAAP financial measures gives them additional information to enable 
them to assess, in the same way management assesses, the Company’s 
current and future continuing operations. These non-GAAP measures are 
not in accordance with, or an alternative for, GAAP, and may be different 
from nonGAAP measures used by other companies. Reconciliations of 
these non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP financial 
measure can be found on the Investors Relations tab of the Company’s 
website, www.nuvasive.com.

NuVasive, Inc.
Corporate Headquarters
7475 Lusk Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92121

nuvasive.com