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:  June 23, 2016

(Date of earliest event reported)

 

THE KROGER CO.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Ohio

 

No. 1-303

 

31-0345740

(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

1014 Vine Street

Cincinnati, OH 45202

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  (513) 762-4000

 

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:

 

o      Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o      Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 



 

Item 5.07              Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

(a)           June 23, 2016 — Annual Meeting

 

(b)           The shareholders elected eleven directors to serve until the annual meeting in 2017, or until their successors have been elected and qualified; approved executive compensation on an advisory basis; and ratified the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent public accounting firm for fiscal year 2016.  The shareholders defeated a shareholder proposal regarding a report assessing human rights risks in the Company’s operations and supply chain; a shareholder proposal regarding a report assessing the environmental impacts of using unrecyclable brand packaging; a shareholder proposal regarding a report assessing the climate benefits and feasibility of adopting targets for increasing renewable energy sourcing; and a shareholder proposal to adopt a general payout policy that gives preference to share repurchases relative to cash dividends.  The final results are as follows:

 

 

 

FOR

 

AGAINST

 

ABSTAIN

 

BROKER
NON-VOTE

 

Nora A. Aufreiter

 

746,440,794

 

7,774,491

 

3,174,688

 

98,026,384

 

Robert D. Beyer

 

730,608,589

 

23,753,442

 

3,027,942

 

98,026,384

 

Anne Gates

 

747,765,159

 

6,786,907

 

2,837,907

 

98,026,384

 

Susan J. Kropf

 

746,970,234

 

7,622,324

 

2,797,415

 

98,026,384

 

W. Rodney McMullen

 

703,930,697

 

45,547,893

 

7,911,383

 

98,026,384

 

Jorge P. Montoya

 

746,639,581

 

7,857,891

 

2,892,501

 

98,026,384

 

Clyde R. Moore

 

735,962,385

 

18,234,667

 

3,192,921

 

98,026,384

 

Susan M. Phillips

 

738,549,532

 

16,054,280

 

2,786,161

 

98,026,384

 

James A. Runde

 

746,061,630

 

8,460,869

 

2,867,474

 

98,026,384

 

Ronald L. Sargent

 

722,014,767

 

32,744,245

 

2,630,961

 

98,026,384

 

Bobby S. Shackouls

 

736,486,484

 

17,990,862

 

2,912,627

 

98,026,384

 

 

2



 

 

 

FOR

 

AGAINST

 

ABSTAIN

 

BROKER
NON VOTE

 

Advisory vote approving executive compensation

 

716,343,597

 

35,256,376

 

5,790,000

 

98,026,384

 

 

 

 

FOR

 

AGAINST

 

ABSTAIN

 

 

 

Ratification of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors for 2016

 

841,151,642

 

12,384,014

 

1,880,701

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOR

 

AGAINST

 

ABSTAIN

 

BROKER
NON VOTE

 

Shareholder proposal (regarding a report assessing human rights risks in the Company’s operations and supply chain)

 

174,972,500

 

527,420,067

 

54,997,406

 

98,026,384

 

 

 

 

FOR

 

AGAINST

 

ABSTAIN

 

BROKER
NON VOTE

 

Shareholder proposal (regarding a report assessing the environmental impacts of using unrecyclable brand packaging)

 

184,884,557

 

519,056,244

 

53,449,172

 

98,026,384

 

 

 

 

FOR

 

AGAINST

 

ABSTAIN

 

BROKER
NON VOTE

 

Shareholder proposal (regarding a report assessing the climate benefits and feasibility of adopting targets for increasing renewable energy sourcing)

 

197,207,891

 

507,284,391

 

52,897,691

 

98,026,384

 

 

 

 

FOR

 

AGAINST

 

ABSTAIN

 

BROKER
NON VOTE

 

Shareholder proposal (to adopt a general payout policy that gives preference to share repurchases relative to cash dividends)

 

16,498,413

 

736,297,814

 

4,593,746

 

98,026,384

 

 

3



 

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.

 

 

 

THE KROGER CO.

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 24, 2016

By:

/s/ Christine S. Wheatley

 

 

Christine S. Wheatley

 

 

Group Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel

 

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