Business Context and Reporting Period
This Form 8-K reports on the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held by Applied Materials, Inc. on March 8, 2011. The filing details the results of four specific matters submitted to a vote by security holders.
Key Financial Metrics
The filing text does not provide a clear value for revenue, profit, cash flow, margins, debt, or liquidity. This report focuses exclusively on corporate governance voting results.
Material Changes and Voting Results
Item 1: Election of Directors
All 11 director nominees were duly elected to serve for a one-year term. Voting results included significant broker non-votes (183,730,590) across all candidates. The highest number of "Withheld" votes was cast against Michael R. Splinter (36,213,719) and James E. Rogers (20,298,801).
Item 2: Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation
Stockholders approved the compensation of named executive officers on an advisory basis. The vote was 919,734,439 For, 38,393,271 Against, and 3,423,940 Abstain.
Item 3: Frequency of Compensation Vote
Stockholders indicated a preference for the advisory vote on executive compensation to be held annually. The vote was 862,424,155 for One Year, 92,642,526 for Three Years, and 3,910,560 for Two Years.
Item 4: Ratification of Auditors
The appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2011 was ratified. The vote was 1,137,388,505 For, 4,575,828 Against, and 3,317,907 Abstain.
Guidance, Outlook, and Risks
The filing text does not provide guidance, outlook, management commentary, risks, contingencies, or unusual items related to financial performance or operations.
Investor Verification Checklist
- Verify the specific reasons for the higher "Withheld" votes for directors Michael R. Splinter and James E. Rogers compared to other nominees.
- Confirm the total number of shares outstanding to calculate the percentage of votes cast versus broker non-votes.
- Review the full Proxy Statement referenced in the filing for detailed executive compensation data.
- Check subsequent filings for any changes in the audit firm or board composition following this meeting.