ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS
The Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials will contain instructions as to how you can access our annual report to shareholders, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K containing financial statements for the fiscal year ended April 25, 2020, over the Internet. It will also tell you how to request, free of charge, a paper or e-mail copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K. No part of our annual report to shareholders is incorporated herein and no part of the annual report to shareholders is to be considered proxy-soliciting material.
We will furnish to each person whose proxy is being solicited, upon written request of such person, a copy of any exhibit described in the exhibit list accompanying the Form 10-K, upon the payment, in advance, of reasonable fees related to our furnishing of such exhibit(s). Written requests for copies of such exhibit(s) should be sent to Patterson Companies, Inc., 1031 Mendota Heights Road, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55120, Attention: Investor Relations. Another means to obtain exhibits is to send a written request via email to investor.relations@pattersoncompanies.com.
HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS
The Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries (e.g., brokers) to satisfy the delivery requirements for the proxy materials, including the Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials, with respect to two or more shareholders sharing the same address by delivering a single set of proxy materials, including the Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials, addressed to those shareholders, unless the affected shareholder has provided contrary instructions. This process, which is commonly referred to as “householding,” potentially means extra convenience for shareholders and cost savings for companies.
A number of brokers with account holders who are Patterson shareholders will be “householding” our proxy materials, including the Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials. A single Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials and, if applicable, a single set of proxy materials will be delivered to multiple shareholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received from the affected shareholders. Once you have received notice from your broker that it will be “householding” communications to your address, “householding” will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in “householding” and would prefer to receive a separate Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials and, if applicable, a separate set of proxy materials, please notify your broker or us. Direct your written request to Patterson Companies, Inc., 1031 Mendota Heights Road, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55120, Attention: Investor Relations, or send a written request via email to investor.relations@pattersoncompanies.com, or call Investor Relations at (651) 686-1364. Shareholders who currently receive multiple copies of the proxy materials, including the Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials, at their addresses and would like to request “householding” of their communications should contact their brokers.
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR THE 2021 ANNUAL MEETING
If a shareholder wishes to present a proposal for consideration for inclusion in the proxy materials for the 2021 annual meeting of shareholders, the proposal must be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, and must be received at the executive offices of Patterson Companies, Inc., 1031 Mendota Heights Road, St. Paul, Minnesota 55120, Attn: Les B. Korsh, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, no later than April 2, 2021. All proposals must conform to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Our Bylaws provide that, except in the case of proposals made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, for shareholder proposals to be considered at an annual meeting of shareholders, the shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to our Corporate Secretary. To be timely for consideration at the 2021 annual meeting of shareholders, a shareholder’s notice must be delivered to or mailed and received at our executive offices by June 16, 2021. In addition, the proxy solicited by the Board for the 2021 annual meeting of shareholders will confer discretionary authority to vote on any proposal presented by a shareholder at that meeting for which we have not been provided with notice on or prior to June 16, 2021. A copy of our Bylaws may be obtained by written request to Patterson Companies, Inc., 1031 Mendota Heights Road, St. Paul,