The company's financial structure is heavily weighted toward intangible assets, with goodwill increasing to $18.5 billion by 2026Q1, while maintaining a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42.
| Metric | TTM | Dec'25 | Dec'24 | Dec'23 | Dec'22 | Dec'21 | Dec'20 | Dec'19 | Dec'18 | Dec'17 | Dec'16 | Dec'15 | Dec'14 | Dec'13 | Dec'12 | Dec'11 | Dec'10 | Dec'09 | Dec'08 | Dec'07 | Dec'06 | Dec'05 | Dec'04 | Dec'03 | Dec'02 | Dec'01 | Dec'00 | Dec'99 | Dec'98 | Dec'97 | Dec'96 |
|---|
| Total Current Assets | 8.68B | 8.79B | 6.92B | 6.51B | 5.76B | 6.32B | 6.69B | 4.7B | 4B | 3.82B | 3.24B | 3.47B | 3.39B | 3.17B | 3.02B | 3.1B | 3.62B | 4.06B | 5.45B | 5.92B | 4.9B | 2.63B | 3.29B | 1.88B | 1.21B | 1.11B | 992M | 1.05B | 1.27B | 1.06B | 748.9M |
| Cash & Short-Term Investments | 1.52B | 2.04B | 414M | 865M | 928M | 1.93B | 1.73B | 217M | 146M | 188M | 196M | 319M | 587M | 217M | 207M | 267M | 213M | 864M | 1.64B | 1.45B | 1.67B | 848M | 1.64B | 671M | 277M | 185M | 60M | 78M | 70.3M | 58M | 58.5M |
| Cash Only | 1.52B | 2.04B | 414M | 865M | 928M | 1.93B | 1.73B | 217M | 146M | 188M | 196M | 319M | 587M | 217M | 207M | 267M | 213M | 864M | 1.64B | 1.45B | 1.67B | 848M | 1.3B | 671M | 277M | 180M | 54M | 64M | 70.3M | 58M | 58.5M |
| Short-Term Investments | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 344M | 0 | 0 | 5M | 6M | 14M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Accounts Receivable | 3.03B | 2.93B | 2.56B | 2.23B | 1.97B | 1.78B | 1.53B | 1.83B | 1.61B | 1.55B | 1.47B | 1.27B | 1.18B | 1.31B | 1.22B | 1.25B | 1.32B | 1.38B | 1.4B | 1.5B | 1.42B | 932M | 900M | 542M | 435M | 370M | 361M | 445M | 537.8M | 366M | 298.9M |
| Days Sales Outstanding | 51.33 | 53.2 | 55.75 | 57.11 | 56.7 | 54.59 | 56.37 | 62.15 | 59.75 | 62.45 | 64.07 | 62.24 | 58.51 | 66.79 | 61.28 | 59.67 | 61.72 | 61.29 | 63.57 | 65.6 | 66.46 | 54.14 | 58.41 | 56.91 | 54.39 | 50.52 | 49.46 | 57.15 | 87.88 | 71.35 | 74.62 |
| Inventory | 3.12B | 2.94B | 2.81B | 2.48B | 1.87B | 1.61B | 1.35B | 1.58B | 1.17B | 1.08B | 955M | 1.02B | 946M | 897M | 884M | 931M | 894M | 920M | 853M | 725M | 749M | 418M | 360M | 281M | 243M | 303M | 354M | 376M | 462M | 386.7M | 226.2M |
| Days Inventory Outstanding | 177.22 | 172.73 | 158.28 | 167.62 | 137.17 | 132.74 | 113.7 | 149.46 | 127.19 | 123.85 | 114.55 | 130.81 | 126.94 | 125.54 | 119.99 | 115.58 | 108.09 | 111.49 | 105.18 | 89.46 | 99.88 | 99.2 | 97.55 | 106.73 | 101.95 | 120.34 | 174.14 | 152.49 | 255.93 | 304.39 | 243.12 |
| Other Current Assets | 658M | 580M | 831M | 622M | 731M | 799M | 1.88B | 880M | 922M | 942M | 541M | 861M | 890M | 590M | 714M | 661M | 1B | 902M | 911M | 1.8B | 916M | 433M | 241M | 245M | 168M | 174M | 217M | 156M | 196.5M | 205.5M | 165.3M |
| Total Non-Current Assets | 35.67B | 34.88B | 32.48B | 28.62B | 26.71B | 25.91B | 24.08B | 25.87B | 17B | 15.22B | 14.86B | 14.66B | 13.44B | 13.56B | 14.13B | 18.18B | 18.51B | 21.12B | 21.63B | 25.28B | 26.2B | 5.57B | 4.88B | 3.82B | 3.24B | 2.87B | 2.44B | 2.52B | 2.63B | 903.8M | 763.2M |
| Property, Plant & Equipment | 4.61B | 4.5B | 3.74B | 3.3B | 2.83B | 2.69B | 2.54B | 2.42B | 1.78B | 1.7B | 1.63B | 1.49B | 1.51B | 1.55B | 1.56B | 1.67B | 1.7B | 1.73B | 1.73B | 1.74B | 1.73B | 1.01B | 870M | 744M | 636M | 592M | 567M | 604M | 679.9M | 499M | 347.2M |
| Fixed Asset Turnover | 4.75x | 4.46x | 4.47x | 4.32x | 4.48x | 4.43x | 3.90x | 4.45x | 5.51x | 5.33x | 5.14x | 5.02x | 4.90x | 4.62x | 4.63x | 4.56x | 4.60x | 4.74x | 4.66x | 4.82x | 4.53x | 6.21x | 6.46x | 4.67x | 4.59x | 4.52x | 4.70x | 4.71x | 3.29x | 3.75x | 4.21x |
| Goodwill | 18.54B | 18.28B | 17.09B | 14.39B | 12.92B | 11.99B | 9.95B | 10.18B | 7.91B | 7B | 6.68B | 6.47B | 5.9B | 5.69B | 5.97B | 9.76B | 10.19B | 12.4B | 12.42B | 15.1B | 14.63B | 1.94B | 0 | 0 | 1.17B | 916M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Intangible Assets | 7.06B | 7.02B | 6.68B | 6B | 5.9B | 6.12B | 5.92B | 7.89B | 6.37B | 5.84B | 5.88B | 6.19B | 5.61B | 5.95B | 6.29B | 6.47B | 6.34B | 6.73B | 7.24B | 7.96B | 9.01B | 1.8B | 3.34B | 2.46B | 1.2B | 1.15B | 1.67B | 1.73B | 1.81B | 313.3M | 308.4M |
| Long-Term Investments | 3.19B | 842M | 555M | 413M | 407M | 412M | 918M | 458M | -328M | -191M | -75M | -496M | -447M | -288M | -433M | -458M | -429M | -572M | 113M | 317M | 596M | 594M | -259M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Current Assets | 573M | 559M | 749M | 680M | 707M | 563M | 545M | 735M | 932M | 688M | 666M | 505M | 425M | 372M | 306M | 281M | 287M | 253M | -2.08B | -2.13B | -346M | 73M | 671M | 614M | 239M | 212M | 197M | 187M | 132.7M | 91.5M | 107.6M |
| Total Assets | 44.35B | 43.67B | 39.4B | 35.14B | 32.47B | 32.23B | 30.78B | 30.57B | 21B | 19.04B | 18.1B | 18.13B | 16.83B | 16.73B | 17.15B | 21.29B | 22.13B | 25.18B | 27.08B | 31.2B | 31.1B | 8.2B | 8.17B | 5.7B | 4.45B | 3.97B | 3.43B | 3.57B | 3.89B | 1.97B | 1.51B |
| Asset Turnover | 0.48x | 0.46x | 0.43x | 0.41x | 0.39x | 0.37x | 0.32x | 0.35x | 0.47x | 0.48x | 0.46x | 0.41x | 0.44x | 0.43x | 0.42x | 0.36x | 0.35x | 0.33x | 0.30x | 0.27x | 0.25x | 0.77x | 0.69x | 0.61x | 0.66x | 0.67x | 0.78x | 0.80x | 0.57x | 0.95x | 0.97x |
| Asset Growth % | 45.5% | 10.86% | 12.12% | 8.21% | 0.74% | 4.72% | 0.7% | 45.56% | 10.28% | 5.22% | -0.2% | 7.74% | 0.57% | -2.45% | -19.43% | -3.79% | -12.11% | -7.03% | -13.2% | 0.32% | 279.4% | 0.32% | 43.36% | 28.07% | 11.98% | 15.96% | -4.06% | -8.24% | 97.82% | 30.14% | 40.66% |
| Total Current Liabilities | 4.57B | 5.44B | 6.4B | 4.93B | 3.8B | 4.27B | 3.68B | 4.87B | 5.26B | 5.65B | 3.59B | 2.43B | 2.25B | 1.82B | 1.77B | 1.81B | 2.61B | 3.02B | 3.21B | 3.25B | 2.63B | 1.48B | 2.6B | 1.39B | 923M | 831M | 819M | 1.05B | 1.62B | 808M | 463.8M |
| Accounts Payable | 1.14B | 1.14B | 960M | 942M | 862M | 794M | 513M | 542M | 349M | 530M | 447M | 209M | 262M | 246M | 232M | 203M | 184M | 212M | 239M | 139M | 222M | 105M | 108M | 78M | 66M | 54M | 67M | 92M | 354M | 99M | 66.9M |
| Days Payables Outstanding | 63.58 | 67.12 | 54.07 | 63.57 | 63.33 | 65.46 | 43.17 | 51.3 | 38.07 | 60.89 | 53.62 | 26.91 | 35.16 | 34.43 | 31.49 | 25.2 | 22.25 | 25.69 | 29.47 | 17.15 | 29.61 | 24.92 | 29.27 | 29.63 | 27.69 | 21.45 | 32.96 | 37.31 | 196.1 | 77.93 | 71.9 |
| Short-Term Debt | 41M | 389M | 1.78B | 531M | 20M | 261M | 13M | 1.42B | 2.25B | 1.8B | 64M | 3M | 403M | 3M | 4M | 4M | 504M | 3M | 2M | 256M | 7M | 156M | 1.23B | 553M | 88M | 231M | 260M | 600M | 1.03B | 447.2M | 240.6M |
| Deferred Revenue (Current) | 935M | 313M | 306M | 266M | 220M | 208M | 138M | 144M | 328M | 191M | 75M | 496M | 447M | 288M | 433M | 458M | 429M | 572M | 911M | 679M | 583M | 152M | 902M | 597M | 639M | 421M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Current Liabilities | 3.39B | 2.17B | 491M | 1.92B | 1.64B | 629M | 1.17B | 861M | 2.03B | 2.73B | 2.5B | 1.71B | 1.67B | 1.08B | 1.07B | 1.13B | 1.48B | 2.33B | 2.39B | 2.23B | 1.52B | 907M | 759M | 165M | 130M | 125M | 492M | 363M | 238.2M | 261.8M | 156.3M |
| Current Ratio | 1.90x | 1.62x | 1.08x | 1.32x | 1.51x | 1.48x | 1.82x | 0.97x | 0.76x | 0.68x | 0.90x | 1.43x | 1.51x | 1.74x | 1.71x | 1.72x | 1.39x | 1.34x | 1.70x | 1.82x | 1.86x | 1.78x | 1.26x | 1.35x | 1.31x | 1.33x | 1.21x | 1.00x | 0.78x | 1.32x | 1.61x |
| Quick Ratio | 1.22x | 1.08x | 0.64x | 0.82x | 1.02x | 1.10x | 1.45x | 0.64x | 0.54x | 0.49x | 0.64x | 1.01x | 1.09x | 1.25x | 1.21x | 1.20x | 1.04x | 1.04x | 1.43x | 1.60x | 1.58x | 1.50x | 1.12x | 1.15x | 1.05x | 0.97x | 0.78x | 0.64x | 0.50x | 0.84x | 1.13x |
| Cash Conversion Cycle | 164.96 | 158.81 | 159.96 | 161.16 | 130.54 | 121.87 | 126.9 | 160.31 | 148.87 | 125.41 | 125 | 166.14 | 150.3 | 157.9 | 149.78 | 150.05 | 147.56 | 147.09 | 139.28 | 137.91 | 136.74 | 128.42 | 126.7 | 134.02 | 128.65 | 149.42 | 190.64 | 172.33 | 147.71 | 297.81 | 245.84 |
| Total Non-Current Liabilities | 13.68B | 13.76B | 10.99B | 10.67B | 11.09B | 11.33B | 11.77B | 11.82B | 7.01B | 6.38B | 7.78B | 9.38B | 7.74B | 8.37B | 8.51B | 8.13B | 8.22B | 9.85B | 10.73B | 12.85B | 13.17B | 2.44B | 1.54B | 1.44B | 1.06B | 1.13B | 673M | 793M | 1.45B | 173.6M | 132M |
| Long-Term Debt | 10.86B | 11.46B | 8.84B | 8.57B | 8.91B | 8.8B | 9.12B | 8.59B | 4.8B | 3.81B | 5.42B | 5.67B | 3.84B | 4.24B | 4.25B | 4.26B | 4.93B | 5.92B | 6.74B | 7.93B | 8.89B | 1.86B | 1.14B | 1.17B | 847M | 973M | 574M | 678M | 1.36B | 46.3M | 47.2M |
| Capital Lease Obligations | 1.83B | 571M | 527M | 395M | 352M | 395M | 408M | 282M | 0 | 1M | 1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Tax Liabilities | 907M | 220M | 155M | 134M | 144M | 310M | 330M | 595M | 328M | 191M | 18M | 735M | 1.22B | 1.56B | 1.73B | 1.86B | 1.64B | 1.88B | 2.26B | 2.28B | 2.78B | 262M | 259M | 151M | 100M | 43M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58M | 60M |
| Other Non-Current Liabilities | 2.47B | 1.14B | 1.14B | 1.27B | 1.4B | 1.55B | 1.66B | 2.36B | 1.88B | 2.37B | 2.34B | 2.97B | 2.67B | 2.57B | 2.55B | 2.01B | 1.65B | 2.06B | 1.73B | 2.63B | 1.53B | 309M | 142M | 121M | 113M | 112M | 99M | 115M | 88.1M | 69.3M | 24.8M |
| Total Liabilities | 18.25B | 19.2B | 17.39B | 15.61B | 14.9B | 15.61B | 15.45B | 16.69B | 12.27B | 12.03B | 11.36B | 11.81B | 9.99B | 10.2B | 10.28B | 9.94B | 10.83B | 12.88B | 13.94B | 16.1B | 15.8B | 3.91B | 4.14B | 2.84B | 1.98B | 1.96B | 1.49B | 1.85B | 3.07B | 981.6M | 595.8M |
| Total Debt | 11.03B | 12.42B | 11.15B | 9.49B | 9.28B | 9.45B | 9.54B | 10.28B | 7.03B | 5.58B | 5.48B | 5.68B | 4.26B | 4.24B | 4.26B | 4.26B | 5.44B | 5.92B | 6.75B | 8.19B | 8.9B | 2.02B | 2.37B | 1.73B | 935M | 1.2B | 834M | 1.28B | 2.39B | 493.5M | 287.8M |
| Net Debt | 9.51B | 10.37B | 10.73B | 8.63B | 8.35B | 7.53B | 7.8B | 10.06B | 6.88B | 5.39B | 5.29B | 5.36B | 3.67B | 4.02B | 4.05B | 3.99B | 5.22B | 5.05B | 5.1B | 6.74B | 7.23B | 1.17B | 1.07B | 1.05B | 658M | 1.02B | 780M | 1.21B | 2.32B | 435.5M | 229.3M |
| Debt / Equity | 0.42x | 0.51x | 0.51x | 0.49x | 0.53x | 0.57x | 0.62x | 0.74x | 0.81x | 0.80x | 0.81x | 0.90x | 0.62x | 0.65x | 0.62x | 0.38x | 0.48x | 0.48x | 0.51x | 0.54x | 0.58x | 0.47x | 0.59x | 0.60x | 0.38x | 0.60x | 0.43x | 0.74x | 2.91x | 0.50x | 0.31x |
| Debt / EBITDA | 1.99x | 2.33x | 2.86x | 2.81x | 3.14x | 3.13x | 5.54x | 3.78x | 2.67x | 2.35x | 2.67x | 3.64x | 2.71x | 2.72x | 2.54x | 2.32x | 2.88x | 2.77x | 3.12x | 3.86x | 4.42x | 0.86x | 1.16x | 1.93x | 1.21x | 3.63x | 0.97x | 1.42x | - | 0.98x | 0.71x |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.72x | 1.94x | 2.75x | 2.55x | 2.82x | 2.50x | 4.53x | 3.70x | 2.62x | 2.28x | 2.58x | 3.44x | 2.34x | 2.58x | 2.41x | 2.17x | 2.77x | 2.36x | 2.36x | 3.18x | 3.59x | 0.50x | 0.52x | 1.18x | 0.85x | 3.08x | 0.91x | 1.34x | - | 0.87x | 0.57x |
| Interest Coverage | 11.95x | 10.70x | 6.90x | 8.30x | 3.46x | 4.08x | 0.83x | 2.34x | 6.29x | 5.06x | 1.76x | -1.70x | -1.35x | 0.13x | -14.62x | 3.33x | -1.68x | -2.57x | -3.34x | 0.00x | -7.13x | 10.90x | 24.34x | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total Equity | 26.1B | 24.47B | 22B | 19.53B | 17.57B | 16.62B | 15.33B | 13.88B | 8.72B | 7.01B | 6.73B | 6.32B | 6.84B | 6.54B | 6.87B | 11.35B | 11.3B | 12.3B | 13.14B | 15.1B | 15.3B | 4.28B | 4.03B | 2.86B | 2.47B | 2.02B | 1.94B | 1.72B | 821.1M | 986.2M | 916.3M |
| Equity Growth % | 50.2% | 11.22% | 12.66% | 11.13% | 5.72% | 8.46% | 10.45% | 59.05% | 24.45% | 4.13% | 6.53% | -7.64% | 4.65% | -4.82% | -39.49% | 0.5% | -8.17% | -6.37% | -12.98% | -1.31% | 257.26% | 6.39% | 40.64% | 16.01% | 22.43% | 4.13% | 12.24% | 109.96% | -16.74% | 7.63% | 21.69% |
| Book Value per Share | 17.46 | 16.37 | 14.81 | 13.34 | 12.21 | 11.59 | 10.82 | 9.84 | 6.23 | 5.03 | 4.89 | 4.71 | 5.08 | 4.88 | 4.88 | 7.47 | 7.44 | 8.16 | 8.77 | 10.15 | 12.01 | 5.11 | 4.70 | 3.40 | 2.98 | 2.43 | 2.36 | 2.09 | 1.06 | 1.23 | 1.15 |
| Total Shareholders' Equity | 25.86B | 24.23B | 21.77B | 19.28B | 17.57B | 16.62B | 15.33B | 13.88B | 8.72B | 7.01B | 6.73B | 6.32B | 6.84B | 6.54B | 6.87B | 11.35B | 11.3B | 12.3B | 13.14B | 15.1B | 15.3B | 4.28B | 4.03B | 2.86B | 2.47B | 2.02B | 1.94B | 1.72B | 821.1M | 986.2M | 916.3M |
| Common Stock | 17M | 17M | 17M | 17M | 17M | 17M | 17M | 16M | 16M | 16M | 19M | 16M | 16M | 16M | 15M | 15M | 15M | 15M | 15M | 15M | 15M | 8M | 8M | 8M | 4M | 4M | 4M | 4M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Retained Earnings | 6.91B | 5.57B | 2.67B | 819M | -750M | -1.39B | -2.38B | -2.25B | -6.95B | -8.39B | -8.58B | -8.93B | -8.3B | -8.57B | -8.48B | -4.38B | -4.82B | -3.76B | -2.73B | -693M | -174M | 3.41B | 2.79B | 1.79B | 1.39B | 1.03B | 1.12B | 752M | 381.2M | 706.5M | 585.1M |
| Treasury Stock | -2.25B | -2.25B | -2.25B | -2.25B | -2.25B | -2.25B | -2.25B | -1.72B | -1.72B | -1.72B | -1.72B | -1.72B | -1.72B | -1.59B | -1.09B | -492M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -334M | -717M | -320M | -111M | -54M | -173M | -282M | -126M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Accumulated OCI | -398M | -610M | 275M | 49M | 269M | 263M | 207M | 270M | 33M | -59M | 1M | 88M | 144M | 106M | -33M | -138M | -129M | -43M | -53M | -13M | -1M | -77M | -86M | -49M | -127M | -72M | -113M | -116M | -265.5M | -207.5M | -158.2M |
| Minority Interest | 240M | 239M | 233M | 248M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Acquisition-related intangible asset risk
According to the provided quarterly balance sheets, Boston Scientific has grown its total asset base from $35.1 billion in 2023Q4 to $44.4 billion by 2026Q1, a trajectory largely driven by the aggressive accumulation of intangible assets and goodwill from ongoing inorganic growth initiatives.
The consistent expansion of the asset base suggests a business model that relies heavily on external innovation to maintain its competitive edge. Investors should monitor whether this rapid asset growth translates into commensurate returns on invested capital, or if it merely reflects the high cost of acquiring market-leading medical technologies.
As reported in financial statements, goodwill has surged from $14.4 billion in 2023Q4 to $18.5 billion in 2026Q1, representing a significant portion of the company's $44.4 billion total asset base and highlighting the firm's reliance on acquired intellectual property for future revenue streams.
The high concentration of goodwill and intangible assets suggests that the company's valuation is sensitive to the long-term success of its acquired product pipelines. Any failure to integrate these assets or achieve projected clinical outcomes could lead to significant impairment charges, potentially impacting the reported equity base.
Based on the company's reported figures, retained earnings have grown from $819 million in 2023Q4 to $6.9 billion in 2026Q1, indicating that the firm is successfully converting its operational success into a more robust and self-sustaining equity foundation over the observed period.
This accumulation of retained earnings suggests that the company is increasingly funding its growth through internal cash generation rather than relying solely on external financing. This trend appears to strengthen the balance sheet, providing a larger buffer against potential volatility in the medical device market.
According to recent SEC filings, the company's current ratio has exhibited notable volatility, ranging from a low of 1.08 in 2024Q4 to 1.90 in 2026Q1, reflecting the impact of periodic large-scale cash outflows for acquisitions on the firm's immediate short-term liquidity position.
The fluctuation in the current ratio appears to be a byproduct of the company's 'tuck-in' M&A strategy, where cash reserves are periodically depleted to fund growth. While the current ratio has improved recently, investors should monitor whether this liquidity buffer remains sufficient to support both ongoing operations and future acquisition opportunities.
As evidenced by the company's financial disclosures, the reliance on acquisition-based growth introduces significant contingent consideration liabilities that are not always immediately apparent in headline debt figures, potentially masking the true extent of the company's long-term financial obligations to acquired entities.
These earn-out arrangements create a layer of financial complexity that may distort the perceived risk profile of the balance sheet. If clinical trials or commercial milestones for acquired technologies underperform, the company may face unexpected cash outflows or the need to renegotiate terms, which warrants further investigation.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying BSX stock.
As of 2025, Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) had total assets of $43.67B including $8.79B in current assets.
Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) carries total debt of $12.42B, offset by $2.04B in cash and short-term investments. Comparing total debt to cash helps evaluate the company's debt burden and net leverage.
Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) has total shareholders' equity (book value) of $24.23B ($16.37 book value per share). Book value represents the net worth of the company belonging to common stock holders.
Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) reported a current ratio of 1.62x. A current ratio above 1.0x indicates that the company has more current assets than current liabilities, suggesting sufficient short-term liquidity.