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

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  April 24, 2015

 

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)

 

(IRS 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: (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))

 

 

 



 

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

 

Abbott Laboratories held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders on April 24, 2015.  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.

 

1,083,505,783

 

8,926,702

 

197,785,599

 

Roxanne S. Austin

 

968,353,593

 

124,078,892

 

197,785,599

 

Sally E. Blount, Ph.D.

 

1,083,937,201

 

8,495,284

 

197,785,599

 

W. James Farrell

 

1,079,588,172

 

12,844,314

 

197,785,599

 

Edward M. Liddy

 

1,071,589,609

 

20,842,876

 

197,785,599

 

Nancy McKinstry

 

1,082,764,792

 

9,667,694

 

197,785,599

 

Phebe N. Novakovic

 

1,084,079,984

 

8,352,502

 

197,785,599

 

William A. Osborn

 

1,074,625,623

 

17,806,863

 

197,785,599

 

Samuel C. Scott III

 

1,080,492,009

 

11,940,476

 

197,785,599

 

Glenn F. Tilton

 

1,050,785,008

 

41,647,478

 

197,785,599

 

Miles D. White

 

1,062,102,504

 

30,329,982

 

197,785,599

 

 

(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

1,270,312,895

 

15,750,570

 

4,154,620

 

0

 

(3)         The shareholders voted to approve the compensation of Abbott’s named executive officers listed in the proxy statement for the 2015 annual meeting, with 95.69 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

1,045,303,329

 

38,276,132

 

8,853,025

 

197,785,599

 

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(4)         The shareholders rejected a shareholder proposal requesting that Abbott’s Board of Directors publish a report on genetically engineered ingredients contained in nutritional products sold by Abbott, with 5.09 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

55,682,335

 

868,220,221

 

168,529,930

 

197,785,599

 

(5)         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 29.98 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

327,465,172

 

757,941,822

 

7,025,492

 

197,785,599

 

3



 

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 27, 2015

By:

/s/ Thomas C. Freyman

 

 

Thomas C. Freyman

 

 

Executive Vice President, Finance

 

 

and Chief Financial Officer

 

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