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

July 11, 2007
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

ABBOTT LABORATORIES

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


 

Illinois

 

1-2189

 

36-0698440

(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 


 

100 Abbott Park Road

Abbott Park, Illinois 60064-6400

(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (847) 937-6100

Check the appropriate box 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))

 

 




Item 1.02 — Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.

On July 11, 2007, Abbott Laboratories announced that Abbott and General Electric Company have mutually agreed to terminate their contract for the sale of Abbott’s core laboratory and point-of-care diagnostics businesses to GE.  The contract was entered on January 18, 2007 and reported on a Form 8-K filed on January 24, 2007.  The two companies were unable to agree on final terms and conditions of the proposed sale.

A copy of the press release announcing the termination of the contract is attached as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01 — Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d)   Exhibits

Exhibit No.

 

Exhibit

99.1

 

Press Release, July 11, 2007

 

Signatures

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: July 12, 2007

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Thomas C. Freyman

 

 

Thomas C. Freyman

 

 

Executive Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer

 

2




Exhibit Index

Exhibit No.

 

Exhibit

99.1

 

Press Release, July 11, 2007

 

3



Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media:

Financial:

Melissa Brotz

John Thomas

(847) 935-3456

(847) 938-2655

Abbott Announces Termination of Contract with GE

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., July 11, 2007 — Abbott and GE have mutually agreed to terminate their contract for the sale of Abbott’s core laboratory and point-of-care diagnostics businesses to GE.  The two companies were unable to agree on final terms and conditions of the proposed sale.

This has no impact on Abbott’s previously issued earnings-per-share guidance, excluding specified items, for the full-year 2007 or the second quarter.  Abbott’s earnings outlook for 2008 also remains unchanged.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics.  The company employs 65,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

— Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 —

A Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this news release may be forward-looking statements for the purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect Abbott’s operations are discussed in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” to our Annual Report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2006, and are incorporated by reference. We undertake no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments.

 

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