Abbott has reached agreements with three law firms to resolve the Gill case and claims involving approximately 2,000 other individuals regarding its specialty formulas for preterm infants.

The company agreed to an aggregate settlement of approximately $670 million. This amount covers the resolution of the Gill case as well as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) claims asserted on behalf of the additional infants.

Legal Background

In July 2024, a St. Louis jury awarded the plaintiff in the Gill case $495 million in damages. Abbott appealed this verdict to the Missouri Court of Appeals in December 2024, but the appeal was denied.

Faced with the prospect of continuing appeals or paying approximately $600 million—representing the Gill judgment plus accrued interest to date—Abbott opted for the settlement. The agreement resolves both the specific Gill judgment and the broader group of NEC claims.

What the Numbers Show

The settlement structure indicates a strategic decision to cap total liability. By settling the Gill case (valued at approximately $600 million with interest) alongside ~2,000 additional claims for a combined $670 million, the company effectively resolved the broader litigation exposure for a marginal premium over the standalone Gill obligation.

Abbott India Limited has declared a total dividend of ₹656 per equity share for the financial year ended March 31, 2026, comprising a final dividend of ₹525 and a special dividend of ₹131. The payout will be made on or after August 18, 2026, to shareholders whose names appear on the Register of Members as on the record date of July 24, 2026. The company’s Board of Directors had previously recommended this distribution alongside the adoption of audited financial statements for the year.

The Eighty-second Annual General Meeting is scheduled to be held on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 10.00 a.m. through Video-Conference and Other Audio-Visual Means. Shareholders can participate in the meeting and vote on resolutions, including the ratification of remuneration for Cost Auditors M/s. Kishore Bhatia & Associates for FY 2026-27.

Dividend Details

The Board recommended the dividend out of the company's profits for FY 2025-26. The record date for determining eligibility is July 24, 2026.

AGM and Voting

The meeting will be conducted via VC/OAVM without physical presence at a venue. Remote e-voting will be available from 9 a.m. on August 10, 2026, until 5 p.m. on August 12, 2026. Members registered as on the cut-off date of August 6, 2026, are entitled to vote. The facility for appointing proxies is not available due to the virtual mode of the meeting.

Business Agenda

Ordinary business includes the adoption of financial statements, dividend declaration, and the retirement of Directors Mr. Munir Shaikh and Mr. Kaiyomarz Marfatia. Special business encompasses the ratification of cost auditor remuneration fixed at ₹0.09 Crores plus taxes for FY 2026-27.