Shareholder Vote

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 24, 2020 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.   ¨           I tem 5.07 — Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.   Abbott held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders on April 24, 2020. 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.     1,339,883,794       17,727,527       205,521,308   Roxanne S. Austin     1,288,595,809       69,015,512       205,521,308   Sally E. Blount, Ph.D.     1,353,893,667       3,717,654       205,521,308   Robert B. Ford     1,343,514,772       14,096,550       205,521,308   Michelle A. Kumbier     1,343,669,496       13,941,825       205,521,308   Edward M. Liddy     1,333,732,689       23,878,632       205,521,308   Darren W. McDew     1,352,315,607       5,295,714       205,521,308   Nancy McKinstry     1,067,064,716       290,546,605       205,521,308   Phebe N. Novakovic     1,341,182,943       16,428,379       205,521,308   William A. Osborn     1,323,132,704       34,478,618       205,521,308   Daniel J. Starks     1,340,794,056       16,817,265       205,521,308   John G. Stratton     1,353,108,028       4,503,294       205,521,308   Glenn F. Tilton     1,296,859,378       60,751,943       205,521,308   Miles D. White     1,321,600,922       36,010,399       205,521,308     (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     1,550,970,892       9,518,284       2,643,453       0     (3) The shareholders voted to approve the compensation of Abbott’s named executive officers listed in the proxy statement for the 2020 annual meeting, with 92.01 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     1,249,119,989       100,298,672       8,192,660       205,521,308           (4) 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 19.68 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     267,208,881       1,082,456,479       7,945,960       205,521,308     (5) The shareholders rejected a shareholder proposal requesting that Abbott provide certain proxy disclosure regarding adjustments to GAAP financial performance metrics, with 30.76 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     417,543,155       931,644,755       8,423,410       205,521,308     (6) The shareholders rejected a shareholder proposal requesting that any Board approved By-Law amendment be subject to a non-binding shareholder vote, with 2.38 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     32,263,098       1,317,026,280       8,321,942       205,521,308     (7) The shareholders passed a shareholder proposal regarding simple majority vote, with 84.48 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     1,146,927,037       204,066,841       6,617,443       205,521,308           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 28, 2020 By:  /s/ Robert E. Funck, Jr.     Robert E. Funck, Jr.     Executive Vice President, Finance     and Chief Financial Officer