Shareholder Vote

Common Shares, Without Par Value   ABT       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