8-K

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

October 11, 2019

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

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 8.01 Other Events

On October 11, 2019, the Board of Directors of Abbott Laboratories (“Abbott”) authorized the repurchase of up to $3 billion of Abbott common shares. The new authorization is in addition to the $795 million unused portion of the previous share repurchase program that was authorized in September 2014. The repurchases may be made from time to time as market conditions warrant and subject to regulatory considerations.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K may be forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Abbott cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect Abbott’s operations are discussed under Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in Abbott’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and are incorporated by reference.  Abbott undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

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:   October 15, 2019	By:	/s/ Brian B. Yoor
		Brian B. Yoor
		Executive Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer

XML

Cover	Oct. 11, 2019
Entity Listings [Line Items]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Oct. 11, 2019
Entity File Number	1-2189
Entity Registrant Name	ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Entity Central Index Key	0000001800
Entity Tax Identification Number	36-0698440
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	IL
Entity Address, Address Line One	100 Abbott Park Road
Entity Address, City or Town	Abbott Park
Entity Address, State or Province	IL
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	60064-6400
City Area Code	224
Local Phone Number	667-6100
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Common Stock [Member] | CHICAGO STOCK EXCHANGE, INC [Member]
Entity Listings [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Shares, Without Par Value
Trading Symbol	ABT
Security Exchange Name	CHX
Common Stock [Member] | NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. [Member]
Entity Listings [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Shares, Without Par Value
Trading Symbol	ABT
Security Exchange Name	NYSE