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 the report (Date of earliest event reported): May 2, 2024
CHURCH & DWIGHT CO., INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware | 1-10585 | 13-4996950 | ||
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
500 Charles Ewing Boulevard, Ewing, New Jersey | 08628 | |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (609) 806-1200
N/A
(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)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class |
Trading |
Name of each exchange on which registered |
||
Common Stock, $1 par value | CHD | New York 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 5.03 | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (the “Company”) held its Annual Meeting of Stockholders on May 2, 2024 (the “Annual Meeting”). At the Annual Meeting, the stockholders of the Company approved a proposal to amend the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) to provide limited exculpation to covered officers in order to align with new provisions under Delaware law. The amendment, among other things, allows for the limitation of monetary liability of certain officers in connection with direct claims brought by stockholders, including class actions, for breaches of the duty of care in certain circumstances. The amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to implement these changes was previously approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, subject to stockholder approval. The Company filed the amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, and it became effective, on May 6, 2024.
The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation, a copy of which is filed hereto as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 5.07 | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders. |
The final voting results for each of the proposals submitted to a vote of the Company’s stockholders at the Annual Meeting are set forth below.
Proposal No. 1 — Election of Directors
The following nominees were elected by stockholders to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors for a term of one year each, or until their successors are elected and qualified. The voting results for each director nominee were as follows:
Nominees |
For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes | ||||||||||||
Bradlen L. Cashaw |
188,284,981 | 7,009,471 | 720,488 | 21,782,436 | ||||||||||||
Matthew T. Farrell |
180,773,279 | 13,858,269 | 1,383,352 | 21,782,436 | ||||||||||||
Bradley C. Irwin |
183,086,166 | 12,183,828 | 744,906 | 21,782,436 | ||||||||||||
Penry W. Price |
185,530,958 | 9,854,288 | 629,654 | 21,782,436 | ||||||||||||
Susan G. Saideman |
188,852,779 | 6,564,085 | 598,036 | 21,782,436 | ||||||||||||
Ravichandra K. Saligram |
181,805,793 | 13,474,908 | 734,199 | 21,782,436 | ||||||||||||
Robert K. Shearer |
187,144,678 | 8,235,826 | 634,396 | 21,782,436 | ||||||||||||
Janet S. Vergis |
180,677,900 | 14,745,164 | 591,836 | 21,782,436 | ||||||||||||
Arthur B. Winkleblack |
184,487,833 | 10,913,259 | 613,808 | 21,782,436 | ||||||||||||
Laurie J. Yoler |
188,625,015 | 6,781,172 | 608,713 | 21,782,436 |
Proposal No. 2 – Advisory Vote to Approve Compensation of the Named Executive Officers
The stockholders approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the named executive officers as disclosed in the Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting. The result of the advisory vote is set forth below:
For |
Against |
Abstain |
Broker Non-Votes |
|||
172,851,148 | 22,273,985 | 889,767 | 21,782,436 |
Proposal No. 3 — Ratification of the Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The stockholders ratified the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2024. The voting results on the proposal were as follows:
For |
Against |
Abstain |
||
204,761,427 | 12,598,071 | 437,838 |
Proposal No. 4 — Approval of Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
The stockholders approved the Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. The voting results on the proposal were as follows:
For |
Against |
Abstain |
Broker Non-Votes |
|||
171,743,848 | 23,824,583 | 446,469 | 21,782,436 |
Proposal No. 5 – Stockholder Proposal
The stockholders did not approve the stockholder proposal submitted as Proposal 5. The voting results on the proposal were as follows:
For |
Against |
Abstain |
Broker Non-Votes |
|||
36,433,191 | 157,011,743 | 2,569,966 | 21,782,436 |
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit |
Description |
|
3.1 | Amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as approved by the Company’s stockholders on May 2, 2024, and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on May 6, 2024. | |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). |
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.
CHURCH & DWIGHT CO., INC. | ||||||
Date: May 6, 2024 | By: | /s/ Patrick de Maynadier |
||||
Name: | Patrick de Maynadier | |||||
Title: | Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
Exhibit 3.1
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT TO THE TENTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
CHURCH & DWIGHT CO., INC.
ADOPTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 242 OF THE
DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW
Church & Dwight Co., Inc., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware,
DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
FIRST: The name of this Corporation is Church & Dwight Co., Inc. and the date of the filing of its original certificate of incorporation was December 14, 1925. The name under which this Corporation was initially incorporated is Church & Dwight Co. Inc.
SECOND: This Certificate of Amendment amending the Corporation’s Tenth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), has been duly adopted in accordance with Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “GCL”), by the Board of Directors and the stockholders of the Corporation.
THIRD: Paragraph (a) of Article SEVENTH of the Certificate of Incorporation is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, a director or officer of the Corporation shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer. Any amendment or repeal of, or adoption of any provision inconsistent with, this Article SEVENTH shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director or officer of the Corporation in respect of any breach of fiduciary duty occurring in whole or in part prior to such amendment or repeal.
FOURTH: Except as amended hereby, all other provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation shall remain in full force and effect.
FIFTH: This Certificate shall become effective immediately upon its filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been executed by a duly authorized officer of this corporation on this 6th day of May, 2024.
/s/ Patrick D. de Maynadier |
Patrick D. de Maynadier |
Corporate Secretary |
[Signature Page to the Certificate of Amendment to the Tenth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation]