---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001712543-23-000038"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "EQS"
cik: "0000878932"
company_name: "EQUUS TOTAL RETURN, INC."
filed_at: "2023-05-26T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-14T13:46:53.482117+00:00"
event_type: "other"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.3
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.3
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Equus Total Return shareholders elect five directors, ratify BDO, approve say-on-pay

## Summary
- Shareholders representing 89.57% of outstanding shares present at May 25, 2023 annual meeting.
- All five director nominees elected: Atkinson, Denos, Hankinson, Hardy, Knauss with majority support.
- Ratification of BDO USA LLP as auditor for fiscal 2023 approved (11.68M for, 51.6K against).
- Non-binding advisory approval of 2022 executive compensation passed (7.51M for, 2.65M against).

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001712543-23-000038
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: EQS
- cik: 0000878932
- company_name: EQUUS TOTAL RETURN, INC.
- filed_at: 2023-05-26T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: other
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.3
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.3
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.07, 8.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/878932/000171254323000038/0001712543-23-000038-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/878932/000171254323000038/f8k_equus05252023.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001712543-23-000038
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001712543-23-000038.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001712543-23-000038.txt

## Key facts
- Shareholder Votes
  EQUUS TOTAL RETURN, INC. shareholders approved Non-binding advisory approval of executive compensation for 2022 at the 2023-05-25 meeting.
  - Proposal: say on pay
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2023-05-25
  source text: Proposal 3 (non-binding approval of executive compensation in 2022) : For Against Abstained 7,514,443 2,650,071 729,595 Brokers did not have discretionary voting authority on Proposals 1 and 3.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/878932/000171254323000038/0001712543-23-000038-index.htm
- Shareholder Votes
  EQUUS TOTAL RETURN, INC. shareholders approved Ratification of the appointment of BDO USA LLP as independent accountants for fiscal year 2023 at the 2023-05-25 meeting.
  - Proposal: auditor ratification
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2023-05-25
  source text: Proposal 2 (ratification of auditors for fiscal 2023) : For Against Abstained 11,676,554 51,553 380,293
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/878932/000171254323000038/0001712543-23-000038-index.htm
- Shareholder Votes
  EQUUS TOTAL RETURN, INC. shareholders approved Election of five director nominees at the 2023-05-25 meeting.
  - Proposal: director election
  - Outcome: passed
  - Meeting: 2023-05-25
  source text: Proposal 1 (election of directors) : Board of Directors Nominees For Withheld Fraser Atkinson 8,525,564 2,368,545 Kenneth I. Denos 8,525,154 2,368,955 Henry W. Hankinson 8,525,160 2,368,949 John A. Hardy 8,525,160 2,368,949 Robert L. Knauss 8,485,593 2,408,516 There were no votes against or abstained with respect to any director nominee.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/878932/000171254323000038/0001712543-23-000038-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.