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):  May 1, 2017

AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


 
New York
 
1-7657
 
13-4922250
 
 
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation
or organization)
 
(Commission File Number)
 
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
 


 
200 Vesey Street
 
 
 
 
New York, New York
 
10285
 
 
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)
 


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (212) 640-2000
 
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):
 
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))
 
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
 
 
(a)
 
The annual meeting of the shareholders of American Express Company (the "Company") was held on May 1, 2017. A quorum was present at the meeting as required by the Company’s By-laws. The matters that were voted upon at the meeting, and the number of votes cast for or against, as well as the number of abstentions and broker non-votes, as to each such matter, where applicable, are set forth below.

Abstentions and broker non-votes were counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum was present but were not counted as votes cast on any matter. For matters 2, 3, 5 and 6, the percentages for and against each matter reflect all of the votes cast.
 
 
(b)
 
1.            Election of Directors.
 
   
VOTES FOR
   
VOTES AGAINST
   
ABSTENTIONS
   
BROKER NON-VOTES
 
Charlene Barshefsky
 
 
712,761,298
     
10,276,072
     
1,460,258
     
81,492,976
 
John Brennan     715,839,629       8,034,869       623,130      
81,492,976
 
Ursula Burns
   
701,758,663
     
21,938,459
     
 800,506
     
81,492,976
 
Kenneth Chenault
   
680,723,959
     
39,432,794
     
4,340,875
     
81,492,976
 
Peter Chernin
   
694,697,934
     
28,950,400
     
 849,294
     
81,492,976
 
Ralph de la Vega
   
715,757,076
     
8,132,787
     
 607,765
     
81,492,976
 
Anne Lauvergeon
   
710,957,980
     
12,967,437
     
 572,211
     
81,492,976
 
Michael Leavitt
   
713,145,185
     
10,773,651
     
578,792
     
81,492,976
 
Theodore Leonsis
   
714,649,076
     
 8,994,126
     
854,426
     
81,492,976
 
Richard Levin
   
714,495,475
     
 9,392,958
     
609,195
     
81,492,976
 
Samuel Palmisano
   
702,600,649
     
21,353,002
     
543,977
     
81,492,976
 
Daniel Vasella
   
713,972,360
     
9,920,974
     
604,294
     
81,492,976
 
Robert Walter
   
690,520,415
     
31,456,356
     
2,520,857
     
81,492,976
 
Ronald Williams
 
 
698,455,192
     
25,180,000
     
862,436
     
81,492,976
 

 
All 14 of the Company’s nominees for director received over a majority of votes cast.
 
 
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2.            Votes regarding ratification of appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2017 were as follows:
 
VOTES FOR
   
VOTES AGAINST
   
ABSTENTIONS
   
% FOR
   
% AGAINST
   
BROKER NON-VOTES
 
788,043,017
     
17,416,648
     
530,939
     
97.84%
 
   
2.16%
 
   
-0-
 

3.            Votes on an advisory resolution to approve executive compensation were as follows:
 
VOTES FOR
   
VOTES AGAINST
   
ABSTENTIONS
   
% FOR
   
% AGAINST
   
BROKER NON-VOTES
 
524,854,221
     
193,550,074
     
6,093,333
     
73.06%
 
   
26.94%
 
   
81,492,976
 

4.            Votes on an advisory resolution to approve the frequency of future advisory votes on executive compensation were as follows:
 
1 YEAR
   
2 YEARS
   
3 YEARS
   
ABSTENTIONS
   
BROKER NON-VOTES
   
 
 
678,632,915
     
1,057,391
     
44,021,719
     
785,603
 
   
81,492,976
 
   
 
 

5.            Votes on a shareholder proposal seeking shareholder action by written consent were as follows:
 
VOTES FOR
   
VOTES AGAINST
   
ABSTENTIONS
   
% FOR
   
% AGAINST
   
BROKER NON-VOTES
 
278,804,500
     
444,199,668
     
1,493,460
     
38.56%
 
   
61.44%
 
   
81,492,976
 
 
6.            Votes on a shareholder proposal to require gender pay equity disclosure were as follows:
 
VOTES FOR
   
VOTES AGAINST
   
ABSTENTIONS
   
% FOR
   
% AGAINST
   
BROKER NON-VOTES
 
82,247,190
     
623,072,947
      19,177,491      
11.66%
 
   
88.34%
 
   
81,492,976
 

 
(d)
 
Disclosure Regarding Frequency of Shareholder Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation:
 
A majority of the votes cast by shareholders voted, on an advisory basis, to hold an advisory vote to approve executive compensation every year. In line with this recommendation by our shareholders, the Board of Directors has decided that it will include an advisory shareholder vote on executive compensation in its proxy materials every year until the next advisory vote on the frequency of shareholder votes on executive compensation, which will occur no later than our Annual Meeting of Shareholders in 2023.
-3-

 
 
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.

 
AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
 
(REGISTRANT)
 
 
 
 
 
By:
  /s/ Carol V. Schwartz
 
 
 
Name:  Carol V. Schwartz
 
 
Title: Secretary

Date:  May 2,  2017

 



















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