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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 28, 2023

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

  

ABBOTT LABORATORIES

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

 

Illinois   1-2189   36-0698440
(State or other Jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer
of Incorporation)       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:  (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:

 

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

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

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

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

 

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of Each Class Trading
Symbol(s)

Name of Each Exchange
on Which Registered

Common Shares, Without Par Value ABT New York Stock Exchange
 Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc.

 

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  ¨

 

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.  ¨

 

 

 

 

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

 

Abbott held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders on April 28, 2023. 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 against, the number abstaining, and the number of broker non-votes, with respect to each of these persons, were as follows:

 

Name  Votes For   Votes Against   Abstain   Broker Non-Votes 
Robert J. Alpern, M.D.   1,300,233,845    40,999,800    2,550,022    179,678,846 
Claire Babineaux-Fontenot   1,332,221,117    9,143,433    2,419,117    179,678,846 
Sally E. Blount, Ph.D.   1,313,562,636    27,670,360    2,550,671    179,678,846 
Robert B. Ford   1,237,921,513    98,282,136    7,580,018    179,678,846 
Paola Gonzalez   1,328,031,021    13,237,327    2,515,319    179,678,846 
Michelle A. Kumbier   1,317,451,283    23,688,351    2,644,033    179,678,846 
Darren W. McDew   1,325,003,048    16,239,864    2,540,755    179,678,846 
Nancy McKinstry   1,011,927,390    329,238,357    2,617,920    179,678,846 
Michael G. O’Grady   1,334,239,902    7,000,568    2,543,197    179,678,846 
Michael F. Roman   1,315,610,421    252,575,883    2,597,363    179,678,846 
Daniel J. Starks   1,301,202,274    40,033,804    2,547,589    179,678,846 
John G. Stratton   967,449,428    373,674,636    2,659,603    179,678,846 

 

(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 
 1,505,489,277    13,849,792    4,123,444    0 

 

(3)The shareholders approved the compensation of Abbott’s named executive officers listed in the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting, with 90.01 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 
 1,209,481,630    126,986,023    7,316,014    179,678,846 
                  
(4)The shareholders voted to approve Abbott’s Board of Directors’ recommendation that Abbott present shareholders with the opportunity to vote on the compensation awarded to its named executive officers annually, with 97.86 percent of the votes cast voting “1 Year” for the proposal. The shareholder vote is advisory and non-binding. The number of shares cast in favor of holding the vote annually, every two years or every three years, the number abstaining, and the number of broker non-votes were as follows::

 

Annual   Every Two Years   Every Three Years   Abstain   Broker Non-Votes 
 1,315,122,068    2,786,024    20,535,518    5,340,057    179,678,846 

 

 

 

 

(5)The shareholders rejected a shareholder proposal to lower the ownership threshold for calling special meetings of shareholders, with 4.26 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 
 57,301,192    1,263,777,321    22,705,154    179,678,846 

 

(6)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 30.46 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 
 409,310,217    929,751,192    4,722,258    179,678,846 

 

(7)The shareholders rejected a shareholder proposal that Abbott’s Board of Directors prepare a report, to be updated annually, disclosing Abbott’s lobbying policies, procedures, and expenditures, with 22.97 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 
 308,723,008    1,021,514,862    13,545,797    179,678,846 

 

(8)The shareholders rejected a shareholder proposal that Abbott’s Board of Directors adopt a policy that no financial performance metric shall be adjusted to exclude legal or compliance costs when evaluating performance for the purpose of senior executive compensation, with 14.44 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 
 194,062,534    1,143,000,240    6,720,893    179,678,846 

 

 

 

 

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: May 2, 2023 By: /s/ Robert E. Funck, Jr.
    Robert E. Funck, Jr.
    Executive Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer