8-K


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): January 27, 2016
BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
Delaware
 
0-25434
 
04-3040660
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
 
(Commission File Number)
 
(IRS Employer Identification No.)


15 Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, MA
 
01824
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
 
(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (978) 262-2400
            
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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):
 
¨
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))






Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
(e) At the annual meeting of stockholders of the Company held on January 27, 2016 (the “2016 Annual Meeting”), the Company’s stockholders ratified the adoption of the Executive Performance-Based Variable Compensation Plan ("Executive PBVC Plan"). The Board of Directors of the Company adopted the Executive PBVC Plan on November 4, 2015, subject to stockholder ratification.
Under the Executive PBVC Plan the Company is permitted to grant awards that qualify as "performance-based" compensation under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Section 162(m)"). Under Section 162(m), the Company may not receive a federal income tax deduction for compensation paid to our Chief Executive Officer and certain other highly compensated executive officers to the extent that any of these persons receives more than $1 million in any one year. However, if the Company pays compensation that is "performance-based" under Section 162(m), it may still receive a federal income tax deduction for the compensation even if it is more than $1 million during a single year. The Executive PBVC Plan allows the Company to pay incentive compensation that is performance-based and therefore fully tax deductible on the Company's federal income tax return.
The foregoing summary of the Executive Performance-Based Variable Compensation Plan is qualified in its entirety by reference to the detailed summary of the Executive Performance-Based Variable Compensation Plan set forth in the section “Proposal No . 3 - Ratification of the Adoption of the Company's Executive Performance-Based Variable Compensation Plan” in the Company’s Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 11, 2015 and to the full text of the Executive Performance-Based Variable Compensation Plan, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 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 Annual Meeting of the stockholders of Brooks Automation, Inc. (the “Company”) was held on January 27, 2016. The stockholders elected each of the Company’s nominees for director; approved, by a non-binding advisory vote, the overall compensation of the Company’s named executive officers; ratified the adoption of the Company's Executive Performance-Based Variable Compensation Plan; and, ratified the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered accounting firm for the 2016 fiscal year. The proposals below are described in detail in the Company’s definitive proxy statement dated December 11, 2015. The results are as follows:

1.    Election of Directors
 
 
For
 
Withhold
 
Broker Non-Votes
A. Clinton Allen
 
57,431,517

 
1,098,799

 
5,370,539

Robyn C. Davis
 
58,381,621

 
148,695

 
5,370,539

Joseph R. Martin
 
58,428,431

 
101,885

 
5,370,539

John K. McGillicuddy
 
58,424,027

 
105,289

 
5,370,539

Krishna G. Palepu
 
57,228,892

 
1,301,424

 
5,370,539

Kirk P. Pond
 
58,374,162

 
156,154

 
5,370,539

Stephen S. Schwartz
 
58,425,657

 
104,659

 
5,370,539

Alfred Woollacott, III
 
58,377,966

 
152,350

 
5,370,539

Mark S. Wrighton
 
58,452,348

 
77,968

 
5,370,539

Ellen M. Zane
 
58,329,782

 
200,534

 
5,370,539


2.    Approval, by a non-binding advisory vote, of the overall compensation of the Company’s named executive officers

For
 
Against
 
Abstain
 
Broker Non-Votes
58,010,042
 
461,778
 
58,496
 
5,370,539

3.    Ratification of the adoption of the Company's Executive Performance-Based Variable Compensation Plan
For
 
Against
 
Abstain
 
Broker Non-Votes
57,865,638
 
613,416
 
51,262
 
5,370,539






4.    Ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent registered accounting firm for the 2016 fiscal year
For
 
Against
 
Abstain
 
Broker Non-Votes
63,812,199
 
64,243
 
24,413
 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits
10.1
Brooks Automation, Inc. Executive Performance-Based Variable Compensation Plan







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.

 
 
BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Jason W. Joseph
Date: January 29, 2016
 
Jason W. Joseph
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary








EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT
NUMBER
 
DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS
10.1
 
Brooks Automation, Inc. Executive Performance-Based Variable Compensation Plan