UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D. C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

April 27, 2018

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

 

ABBOTT LABORATORIES

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

 

 

100 Abbott Park Road

Abbott Park, Illinois 60064-6400

(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  (224) 667-6100

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

o                      Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o                      Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o                      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o                      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company   o

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.   o

 

 

 

Item 5.07 — Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

Abbott held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders on April 27, 2018.  The following is a summary of the matters voted on at that meeting.

 

(1)         The shareholders elected Abbott’s entire Board of Directors.  The persons elected to Abbott’s Board of Directors and the number of shares cast for, the number of shares withheld, and the number of broker non-votes, with respect to each of these persons, were as follows:

 

Name		Votes For		Votes Withheld		Broker Non-Votes
Robert J. Alpern, M.D.		1,310,927,186		19,098,268		226,634,924
Roxanne S. Austin		1,268,068,024		61,957,430		226,634,924
Sally E. Blount, Ph.D.		1,318,171,199		11,854,255		226,634,924
Edward M. Liddy		1,295,334,980		34,690,474		226,634,924
Nancy McKinstry		1,317,659,954		12,365,500		226,634,924
Phebe N. Novakovic		1,305,047,201		24,978,253		226,634,924
William A. Osborn		1,288,267,458		41,757,996		226,634,924
Samuel C. Scott III		1,288,857,580		41,167,873		226,634,924
Daniel J. Starks		1,317,385,198		12,640,256		226,634,924
John G. Stratton		1,320,912,106		9,113,348		226,634,924
Glenn F. Tilton		1,266,616,454		63,409,000		226,634,924
Miles D. White		1,262,425,572		67,599,882		226,634,924

 

(2)         The shareholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as Abbott’s auditors.  The number of shares cast in favor of the ratification of Ernst & Young LLP, the number against, the number abstaining, and the number of broker non-votes were as follows:

 

For		Against		Abstain		Broker Non-Votes
1,540,591,644		13,002,291		3,066,443		0

 

(3)         The shareholders voted to approve the compensation of Abbott’s named executive officers listed in the proxy statement for the 2018 annual meeting, with 78.28 percent of the votes cast voting “For” the proposal.  The shareholder vote is advisory and non-binding. The number of shares cast in favor of approval, the number against, the number abstaining, and the number of broker non-votes were as follows:

 

For		Against		Abstain		Broker Non-Votes
1,041,167,404		279,530,367		9,327,683		226,634,924

 

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(4)         The shareholders rejected a shareholder proposal requesting that Abbott’s Board of Directors adopt a policy that the Board Chairman be an independent director, with 30.76 percent of the votes cast voting “For” the proposal.  The number of shares cast in favor of the shareholder proposal, the number against, the number abstaining, and the number of broker non-votes were as follows:

 

For		Against		Abstain		Broker Non-Votes
409,080,027		912,026,962		8,918,465		226,634,924

 

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SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

	ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Date: April 30, 2018	By:	/s/ Brian B. Yoor
		Brian B. Yoor
		Executive Vice President, Finance
		and Chief Financial Officer

 

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