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):

November 18, 2015

Cabot Microelectronics Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	000-30205	36-4324765
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification)

870 Commons Drive, Aurora, Illinois	60504
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

(630) 375-6631

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

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:

☐ 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))

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On November 18, 2015, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Cabot Microelectronics Corporation (the "Corporation") and the Compensation Committee of the Board approved the performance goals for the Corporation, upon which cash bonus awards that may be paid to the Corporation's executive officers and other employees under the Corporation's Short Term Incentive Program ("STIP"), which operates pursuant to the Cabot Microelectronics Corporation 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan ("OIP"), for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016 ("Fiscal 2016"), are intended to be based.  The performance goals for Fiscal 2016 are financial goals that include revenue, gross profit, expressed as a percentage of revenue, and operating  income, expressed as a percentage of revenue.  Any cash bonus award amounts pursuant to the STIP and OIP will be determined for each participant based on levels of attainment of the indicated goals by the Corporation, as well as the attainment of individual performance objectives, as assessed by the Compensation Committee of the Board using its discretion.  Such assessment may include consideration of macroeconomic and other factors, whether or not able to be generally foreseen, that may impact the Corporation's performance during Fiscal 2016.

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.

		CABOT MICROELECTRONICS CORPORATION
		[Registrant]
Date: November 20, 2015	By:	/s/ WILLIAM S. JOHNSON
		William S. Johnson
		Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
		[Principal Financial Officer]