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): August 31, 2017

TENET HEALTHCARE CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1400

Dallas, Texas 75202

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

(469) 893-2200

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code)

n/a

(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):

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 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On August 31, 2017, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Tenet Healthcare Corporation (the “Company”) declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”), payable on September 10, 2017, for each share of common stock, par value $0.05 per share (the “Common Shares”), of the Company outstanding on September 10, 2017 (the “Record Date”) to the stockholders of record on that date. In connection with the distribution of the Rights, the Company entered into a Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”), dated as of August 31, 2017, between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series R Preferred Stock, par value $0.15 per share (the “Preferred Shares”), of the Company at a price of $70 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share represented by a Right (the “Purchase Price”), subject to adjustment.

The Rights are in all respects subject to and governed by the provisions of the Rights Agreement. The following description of the Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Rights Agreement, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Distribution Date; Exercisability; Expiration

Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Share certificates and no separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be issued. Until the Distribution Date (as defined below), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. As long as the Rights are attached to the Common Shares, the Company will issue one Right with each new Common Share so that all such shares will have Rights attached.

The Rights will separate and begin trading separately from the Common Shares on the earlier to occur of (i) the Close of Business (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) on the tenth calendar day following a public announcement, or the public disclosure, of facts indicating that a Person (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) or group of Persons has acquired Beneficial Ownership (as defined below) of 4.9% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (an “Acquiring Person”) (or, in the event an exchange is effected in accordance with the Rights Agreement and the Board determines that a later date is advisable, then such later date) or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the Beneficial Ownership by a Person or group of 4.9% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates, the “Distribution Date”). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, unless the Rights are recorded in book-entry or other uncertificated form, the Company will prepare and cause the Right Certificates to be sent to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date.

An “Acquiring Person” will not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit plan or (v) any Person who or which, at the time of the first public announcement of the Rights Agreement, is a Beneficial Owner of 4.9% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding (a “Grandfathered Stockholder”). However, if a Grandfathered Stockholder becomes, after such time, the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares then such Grandfathered Stockholder shall no longer be deemed to be a Grandfathered Stockholder unless, upon such acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of additional Common Shares, such Person is not the Beneficial Owner of 4.9% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding. In addition, upon the first decrease of a Grandfathered Stockholder’s Beneficial Ownership below 4.9%, such Grandfathered Stockholder shall no longer be deemed to be a Grandfathered Stockholder. In the event that after the time of the first public announcement of the Rights Agreement, any agreement, arrangement or understanding pursuant to which any Grandfathered Stockholder is deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares expires, terminates or no longer confers any benefit to or imposes any obligation on the Grandfathered Stockholder, any direct or indirect replacement, extension or substitution of such agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the same or different Common Shares that confers Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares shall be considered the acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of additional Common Shares by the Grandfathered Stockholder and render such Grandfathered Stockholder an Acquiring Person for purposes of the Rights Agreement unless, upon such acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of additional Common Shares, such Person is not the Beneficial Owner of 4.9% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.

“Beneficial Ownership” is defined in the Rights Agreement to include any securities that a Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) (a) would be deemed to actually or constructively own for purposes of Section 382 of the Code or the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (as each such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), including any coordinated acquisition of Common Shares by any Persons who have a formal or informal understanding with respect to such acquisition (to the extent ownership of such Common Shares would be attributed to such Persons under Section 382 of the Code or the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder), (b) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 or 13d-5 promulgated under the Exchange Act, (c) has the right to acquire or vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (except under limited circumstances), (d) which are directly or indirectly beneficially owned by any other Person with which such Person has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding or voting such securities, or obtaining, changing or influencing control of the Company (except under limited circumstances), or (e) in respect of which such Person has a Derivative Position (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement).

The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on the Close of Business on the date on which the Company’s 2018 annual meeting of stockholders is concluded (or, if later, the date on which the votes of the stockholders of the Company with respect to such meeting are certified). The Rights Agreement may also be terminated, or the rights may be redeemed, prior to the scheduled expiration of the Rights Agreement under certain other circumstances.

Exempt Persons and Transactions

The Board may, in its sole and absolute discretion, determine that a Person is exempt from the Rights Agreement (an “Exempt Person”). Any Person will cease to be an Exempt Person if the Board makes a contrary determination with respect to such Person regardless of the reason therefor. In addition, the Board may, in its sole and absolute discretion, exempt any transaction from triggering the Rights Agreement.

Flip-in Event

If a Person or group becomes an Acquiring Person at any time after the date of the Rights Agreement (with certain limited exceptions), the Rights will become exercisable for Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances, Preferred Shares or other similar securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. From and after the announcement that any Person has become an Acquiring Person, if the Rights evidenced by a Right Certificate are or were acquired or Beneficially Owned (as defined in the Rights Agreement) by an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become void, and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights. If the Board so elects, the Company shall deliver upon payment of the exercise price of a Right an amount of cash or securities equivalent in value to the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of a Right.

Exchange

At any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by any Person or group of a majority of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such Person or group which have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right (subject to adjustment). The Company may issue, transfer or deposit such Common Shares (or other property as permitted under the Rights Agreement) to or into a trust or other entity created upon such terms as the Board may determine and may direct that all holders of Rights receive such Common Shares or other property only from the trust. In the event the Board determines, before the Distribution Date, to effect an exchange, the Board may delay the occurrence of the Distribution Date to such time as it deems advisable.

Flip-over Event

If, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, (i) the Company consolidates with, or merges with and into, any other Person; (ii) any Person consolidates with the Company, or merges with and into the Company, and the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares are or will be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other property; or (iii) 50% or more of the Company’s consolidated assets or Earning Power (as defined in the Rights Agreement) are sold, then proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.

Redemption

At any time prior to the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.00001 per Right (the “Redemption Price”). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

Amendment

The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that from and after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than the Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates).

Preferred Stock Rights

Each Preferred Share will entitle the holder thereof to the same dividends and liquidation rights as if the holder held one Common Share and will be treated the same as a Common Share in the event of a merger, consolidation or other share exchange.

Rights of Holders

Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company in respect of such Right, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

Item 3.03. Material Modifications to Rights of Security Holders.

The information set forth in Items 1.01 and 5.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

In connection with the adoption of the Rights Agreement, on August 31, 2017, the Company filed a Certificate of Designation of Series R Preferred Stock with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada. A copy of the Certificate of Designation of Series R Preferred Stock is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

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.

EXHIBIT INDEX