Executive Change · Bylaw Amendment

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   February 18, 2021 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 5.02       Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.   On February 18, 2021, Phebe N. Novakovic informed the Board of Directors of her decision not to stand for re-election at the end of her current term expiring at the 2021 annual shareholders meeting in April.   Item 5.03        Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.   On February 19, 2021, Abbott’s Board of Directors amended the first sentence of Article III, Section 2 of Abbott’s by-laws to provide that Abbott’s Board of Directors shall consist of thirteen persons, effective April 23, 2021. Abbott’s by-laws currently provide that the Board of Directors consists of fourteen persons.   Item 9.01       Financial Statements and Exhibits     Exhibit No. Exhibit         3.1 By-Laws of Abbott Laboratories, as amended and restated, effective April 23, 2021.         104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (the cover page XBRL tags are embedded in the Inline XBRL document).           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: February 19, 2021 By:  /s/ Robert E. Funck, Jr.     Robert E. Funck, Jr.     Executive Vice President,     Finance and Chief Financial Officer