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

 

September 4, 2008
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

 

ABBOTT LABORATORIES

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

100 Abbott Park Road
Abbott Park, Illinois 60064-6400

(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (847) 937-6100

 

Check the appropriate box 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 8.01 – Other Events.

 

Abbott Laboratories and Zimmer, Inc. have entered into a definitive agreement for Zimmer to acquire Abbott’s spine business for approximately $360 million in cash.

 

Abbott expects the sale of its spine business to result in a one-time pretax gain of at least $150 million and intends to treat this gain as a specified item in the period in which the transaction closes.

 

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and completion of the consultation process with employee representatives in France, and is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2008.

 

Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 — A Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

 

Some statements in this Form 8-K may be forward-looking statements for the 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. Economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect Abbott’s operations are discussed in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” to Abbott’s Annual Report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, and in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” to Abbott’s Quarterly Report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, 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.

 

Signatures

 

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: September 4, 2008
	By:	/s/ Thomas C. Freyman
		Thomas C. Freyman
		Executive Vice President, Finance
		and Chief Financial Officer

 

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