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 (Date of earliest event reported)
June 6, 2022
 

Gannett Co., Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
001-36097
38-3910250
(State or other jurisdiction
(Commission
(IRS Employer
of incorporation)
File Number)
Identification No.)

7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, Virginia
 
22107-0910
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code
(703) 854-6000
 

Not Applicable
(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 Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
GCI
New York Stock Exchange
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
N/A
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 5.07
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

At the Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Gannett Co., Inc. (the “Company”), held on June 6, 2022, the stockholders of the Company voted on the matters described below.

As of April 14, 2022, the record date for the Annual Meeting, holders of 146,609,561 shares of common stock of the Company were entitled to vote.

Proposal 1.  The Company’s stockholders elected the following nine director nominees to serve until the 2023 annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified. The results of the vote are summarized in the table below.

Director Nominees
 
Votes For
 
Votes Withheld
 
Broker Non-Votes*
Theodore P. Janulis
 
93,962,882
 
6,297,797
 
19,194,215
John Jeffry Louis III
 
94,157,242
 
6,103,437
 
19,194,215
Maria M. Miller
 
98,686,586
 
1,574,093
 
19,194,215
Michael E. Reed
 
98,372,225
 
1,888,454
 
19,194,215
Amy Reinhard
 
98,756,131
 
1,504,548
 
19,194,215
Debra A. Sandler
 
98,517,831
 
1,742,848
 
19,194,215
Kevin M. Sheehan
 
94,050,933
 
6,209,746
 
19,194,215
Laurence Tarica
 
98,849,636
 
1,411,043
 
19,194,215
Barbara W. Wall
 
98,868,591
 
1,392,088
 
19,194,215

Proposal 2.  The Company’s stockholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022. The results of the vote are summarized in the table below.

Votes For
 
Votes Against
 
Abstentions
118,707,231
 
542,559
 
205,104

Proposal 3.  The Company’s stockholders approved, on an advisory basis, the Company’s executive compensation. The results of the vote are summarized in the table below.

Votes For
 
Votes Against
 
Abstentions
 
Broker Non-Votes*
86,077,102
 
13,944,543
 
239,034
 
19,194,215

Proposal 4.  The Company’s stockholders did not approve an amendment to the Amended and Restated Bylaws to implement majority voting in uncontested director elections. Approval of this proposal would have required the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the voting power of our issued and outstanding shares. The results of the vote are summarized in the table below.

Votes For
 
Votes Against
 
Abstentions
 
Broker Non-Votes*
99,492,548
 
593,570
 
174,561
 
19,194,215

Proposal 5a.  The Company’s stockholders did not approve amendments to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to eliminate the supermajority voting requirement to amend certain provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. Approval of this proposal would have required the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the voting power of our issued and outstanding shares. The results of the vote are summarized in the table below.

Votes For
 
Votes Against
 
Abstentions
 
Broker Non-Votes*
99,405,255
 
659,672
 
195,752
 
19,194,215

Proposal 5b. The Company’s stockholders did not approve amendments to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws to eliminate the supermajority voting requirements to amend the Amended and Restated Bylaws. Approval of this proposal would have required the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the voting power of our issued and outstanding shares. The results of the vote are summarized in the table below.

Votes For
 
Votes Against
 
Abstentions
 
Broker Non-Votes*
99,409,203
 
656,272
 
195,204
 
19,194,215

Proposal 5c.  The Company’s stockholders did not approve amendments to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws to eliminate the supermajority voting requirements to remove directors and to appoint directors in the event that the entire Board of Directors is removed. Approval of this proposal would have required the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the voting power of our issued and outstanding shares. The results of the vote are summarized in the table below.

Votes For
 
Votes Against
 
Abstentions
 
Broker Non-Votes*
99,449,930
 
622,671
 
188,078
 
19,194,215

* Broker non-votes are instances where a broker holding shares of record for a beneficial owner does not vote the shares because it has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner and therefore is precluded by the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) from voting on a particular matter. Under NYSE rules, when a broker holding shares in “street name” does not receive voting instructions from a beneficial owner, the broker has discretionary authority to vote on certain routine matters but is prohibited from voting on non-routine matters. Brokers who did not receive instructions were entitled to vote on the ratification of the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm but not entitled to vote on any other proposals at the Annual Meeting.


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.

 
GANNETT CO., INC.
   
Date:  June 7, 2022
By:
/s/ Michael E. Reed
 
Michael E. Reed
 
Chief Executive Officer and President