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4 GENERAL INFORMATION We are providing these proxy materials in connection with the solicitation by the Board of Directors of proxies to be used at the annual meeting of shareholders of Stryker Corporation to be held on May 3, 2017 and at any adjournment or postponement of the meeting. The solicitation will begin on or about March 20, 2017. Who Is Entitled to Vote? At the close of business on March 6, 2017, the record date for the meeting, 373,069,477 shares of our common stock, $0.10 par value ("Common Stock"), were outstanding. For each proposal to be voted on, each shareholder is entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock owned at the record date. How Do I Vote? If you are a shareholder of record, you may vote by proxy in any of the following ways: • By Internet or Telephone — If you have internet or telephone access, you may submit your proxy by following the voting instructions on the proxy card. If you vote by internet or telephone, you should not return your proxy card. • By Mail — You may vote by mail by completing, dating and signing your proxy card and mailing it in the envelope provided. You must sign your name exactly as it appears on the proxy card. If you are signing in a representative capacity (for example, as officer of a corporation, guardian, executor, trustee or custodian), you must indicate your name and title or capacity. If you vote via the internet or by telephone, your vote must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 2, 2017. You may also vote in person at the annual meeting or you may be represented by another person at the meeting by executing a proxy designating that person. If your shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other holder of record, you are considered the beneficial owner of shares held in "street name." The street name holder will provide you with instructions that you must follow to have your shares voted. If you hold your shares in street name and you wish to vote in person at the meeting, you must obtain a proxy issued in your name from the street name holder. May I Change My Mind after Submitting a Proxy? If you are a shareholder of record, you may revoke your proxy before it is exercised by: • Written notice to the Vice President, Corporate Secretary of the Company at 2825 Airview Boulevard, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49002; • Timely delivery of a valid, later-dated proxy or later-dated vote by internet or telephone; or • Voting by ballot at the annual meeting. If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name, you may submit new voting instructions by contacting your brokerage firm, bank or other holder of record. What Are the Broker Non-votes? A broker non-vote occurs when the broker, bank or other holder of record that holds your shares in street name is not entitled to vote on a matter without instruction from you and you do not give any instruction. Unless instructed otherwise by you, brokers, banks and other street name holders will have discretionary authority to vote only on Proposal 2 (ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for 2017). What is the Required Vote? In the election of directors, a director nominee will be elected only if he or she receives a majority of the votes cast with respect to his or her election (that is, the number of votes cast "for" a director nominee must exceed the number of votes cast "against" that nominee). The other matters, other than the advisory votes on say- on-pay and say-on-frequency in Proposal 7 and Proposal 8, respectively, require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting. On all matters, other than Proposal 2, abstentions and broker non-votes will not be counted as votes cast and will therefore have no effect. Will the Annual Meeting be Webcast? You may access our annual meeting via webcast or telephone. Information about the webcast, which will include both the audio and the slide presentation from the meeting, is available in the Events & Presentations area of the Investor section of our website at www.investorevents.stryker.com. The telephone number to listen to the meeting is (844) 826-0610 (U.S.) or (973) 453-3249 (International) and the Conference ID is 78762706. An archived copy of the webcast will continue to be available on our website until June 30, 2017. How Do I Obtain Directions to the Annual Meeting? Directions are available at www.proxymaterials.stryker.com. Can I Access These Proxy Materials on the Internet? This Proxy Statement, our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K and a link to the means to vote by internet are available at www.proxymaterials.stryker.com. Stryker's 2016 Annual Review Available Online As a part of our strategy to be environmentally conscious and financially responsible, printed copies of our Annual Review are no longer being mailed to shareholders. The 2016 Annual Review, which contains a letter to shareholders from Kevin Lobo, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is available online at www.stryker.com/2016.