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EX-3 - CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT TO DECLARATION OF TRUST - EVERSOURCE ENERGYdeclarationoftrustsoscert201.htm

 


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):  May 4, 2017 (May 3, 2017)

 


EVERSOURCE ENERGY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



Massachusetts

1-5324

04-2147929

(State or other jurisdiction

of organization)

(Commission File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)


300 Cadwell Drive

Springfield, Massachusetts


01104

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)


Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (800) 286-5000


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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

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))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2). 

Emerging growth company o

 

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.  o


 




Section 5

Corporate Governance and Management


Item 5.03

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.


On May 4, 2017, Eversource Energy (the “Company”) filed an amendment to its Declaration of Trust (the “Amendment”) with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to restate Article 4 in its entirety to add a proxy access provision.


As disclosed in Item 5.07 of this report, on May 3, 2017, the shareholders of the Company, by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all common shares outstanding and entitled to vote on the matter, approved the proposal authorizing the Company to amend its Declaration of Trust to add the proxy access provision.  


The Amendment is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this report and is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 5.07

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.


(a)

On May 3, 2017, the Company held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders.  


(b)

Shareholders voted on the proposals set forth below.  For more information on the following proposals, see the Company’s proxy statement dated March 24, 2017.  On March 6, 2017, the record date for the Annual Meeting, there were 316,885,808 common shares outstanding and entitled to vote.  At the Annual Meeting, 280,401,522 common shares were represented, in person or by proxy, constituting a quorum.


(1)        Election of Trustees.  The shareholders elected each of the 12 nominees to the Board of Trustees for a one-year term by a majority of the outstanding common shares:

Trustee

    For

 



Against

Abstained


Broker

Non-Votes

 

John S. Clarkeson

224,406,805

 

18,759,079

1,208,470

36,025,858

Cotton M. Cleveland

239,140,570

 

  4,076,180

1,157,720

36,025,858

Sanford Cloud, Jr.

219,744,707

 

23,421,743

1,209,213

36,025,858

James S. DiStasio

224,809,619

 

18,420,461

1,144,273

36,025,858

Francis A. Doyle

240,471,263

 

  2,511,229

1,393,157

36,025,858

Charles K. Gifford

220,462,501

 

22,697,292

1,215,870

36,025,858

James J. Judge

241,267,528

 

  1,965,066

1,141,760

36,025,858

Paul A. La Camera

240,416,519

 

  2,798,608

1,160,523

36,025,858

Kenneth R. Leibler

236,653,867

 

  6,548,311

1,173,485

36,025,858

William C. Van Faasen

224,523,660

 

18,735,998

1,114,695

36,025,858

Frederica M. Williams

241,188,878

 

  2,106,806

1,079,479

36,025,858

Dennis R. Wraase

224,639,959

 

18,572,773

1,162,917

36,025,858



(2)

The shareholders approved the proposal to amend our Declaration of Trust to include a proxy access provision:


For

Against

Abstained

Broker Non-Votes

 

237,867,184

 

4,515,781

 

1,988,746

 

36,025,858




2




(3)

The shareholders approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s 2016 Named Executive Officers:


For

Against

Abstained

Broker Non-Votes

216,405,108

25,510,514

2,457,939

36,025,858



(4)

The shareholders voted for “1 year” on an advisory resolution on the frequency of shareholder votes on executive compensation:


1 Year

2 Years

3 Years

Abstained

Broker Non-Votes

 

215,248,345

 

1,816,941

 

25,095,238

 

         2,205,925

 

       36,025,858



(5)

The shareholders re-approved the material terms of the performance goals under the 2009 Eversource Incentive Plan as required by Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code:


For

Against

Abstained

Broker Non-Votes

 

231,664,259

 

10,901,491

 

1,808,375

 

36,025,858

 

 

 

 

(6)

The shareholders ratified the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for 2017:


For

Against

Abstained

Broker Non-Votes

 

269,880,329

 

9,064,571

 

1,453,553

 

0

 

 

 

 

(d)

As indicated in (b)(4) of this Item, shareholders holding a majority of the shares voting on the proposal voted, on an advisory basis, to hold an advisory vote to approve executive compensation every year.  In line with this recommendation by our shareholders, the Board of Trustees has decided that it will continue to include an advisory shareholder vote on executive compensation in its proxy materials every year until the next advisory vote on the frequency of shareholder votes on executive compensation, which will occur no later than our Annual Meeting of Shareholders in 2023.    



Section 9

Financial Statements and Exhibits


Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.


Exhibit

Number

Description

 

Exhibit 3.1

 

Amendment to Declaration of Trust





[The remainder of this page left blank intentionally.]



3



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.




EVERSOURCE ENERGY

(Registrant)




May 3, 2017

By:

/S/ GREGORY B. BUTLER

Gregory B. Butler

Executive Vice President and General Counsel




4




EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit

Number

Description

 

Exhibit 3.1

 

Amendment to Declaration of Trust