Quest Diagnostics 2004 Annual Report Download - page 26

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Company’s directors and
executive officers, and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of the Company’s
equity securities, to file reports of ownership of, and transactions in, our equity securities with the
SEC. Such directors, executive officers and 10% stockholders are also required to furnish us with
copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file.
Based solely on a review of Forms 3 and 4 and amendments thereto furnished to Quest
Diagnostics during 2003, and Form 5 and amendments thereto furnished to Quest Diagnostics with
respect to 2003, Quest Diagnostics believes that all reports required by Section 16(a) of the
Exchange Act were filed on a timely basis (or within one business day following the due date),
except that, in February 2003, a Form 4 was filed late by Kenneth Freeman and by James Flaherty.
Each of these reports related to one transaction (involving a share grant to Mr. Freeman and an
option grant to Mr. Flaherty).
Stockholder Proposals for 2005 Annual Meeting
Stockholders who, in accordance with the SEC’s Rule 14a-8, wish to present proposals for
inclusion in the proxy material to be distributed by us in connection with our 2005 annual
meeting of stockholders must submit their proposal to our Secretary on or before December 12,
2004. As the rules of the SEC make clear, simply submitting a proposal does not guarantee its
inclusion.
In accordance with the Company’s By-laws, in order to be properly brought before the 2005
annual meeting of stockholders, a stockholder’s notice of the matter the stockholder wishes to
present must be delivered to the Secretary of Quest Diagnostics at its principal executive offices at
One Malcolm Avenue, Teterboro, New Jersey 07608. As a result, any notice given by or on behalf
of a stockholder pursuant to these provisions of our By-laws (and not pursuant to the SEC’s Rule
14a-8) must be received between January 1 and February 15 of 2005.
Voting via the Internet or by Telephone
Provision has been made for you to vote your shares of common stock via the Internet or by
telephone. You may also vote your shares by mail. Please see the proxy card or voting instruction
form accompanying this proxy statement for specific instructions on how to cast your vote by any
of these methods.
Votes submitted via the Internet or by telephone must be received by 12:00 midnight, Eastern
time, on May 3, 2004. Submitting your vote via the Internet or by telephone will not affect your
right to vote in person should you decide to attend the annual meeting of stockholders.
The Internet and telephone voting procedures are designed to authenticate stockholders’
identities, to allow stockholders to give their voting instructions and to confirm that stockholders’
instructions have been recorded properly. We have been advised that the Internet and telephone
voting procedures that have been made available to you are consistent with the requirements of
applicable law. Stockholders voting via the Internet and by telephone should understand that there
may be costs associated with voting in these manners, such as usage charges from Internet access
providers and telephone companies, that must be borne by the stockholder.
Additional Information
Quest Diagnostics files annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other
information with the SEC. You may read and copy any reports, statements or other information
that we file at the SEC’s public reference rooms in Washington, D.C., New York, New York and
Chicago, Illinois. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public
reference rooms. The Company’s SEC filings are also available to the public from commercial
document retrieval services and at the Internet web site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov.
Reports, proxy statements and other information should also be available for inspection at the
offices of the New York Stock Exchange.
24 ?Quest Diagnostics Incorporated ?2004 Proxy Statement