content: <PAGE>
   
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
   
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
   
                                    FORM 8-K
   
                                 CURRENT REPORT
   
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
   
   
                                  July 21, 1997  
                -----------------------------------------------
                Date of Report (date of earliest event reported)
   
  
                       AMERICAN BUSINESS INFORMATION, INC.
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
   
          Delaware                       005-42304                47-0751545
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  (State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer 
  incorporation or organization)                              Identification No.)
   
                             5711 South 86th Circle
                              Omaha, Nebraska 68127
                    ----------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
   
       Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (402) 593-4500
  
   
                                 Not Applicable
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  <PAGE>
   
  ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS
  
       On July 21, 1997 pursuant to a Preferred Shares Rights Agreement (the
  "Rights Agreement") between American Business Information, Inc. (the "Company")
  and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), the
  Company's Board of Directors declared a dividend of one right (a "Right") to
  purchase one one-thousandth of a share of the Company's Series A Participating
  Preferred Stock ("Series A Preferred") for each outstanding share of Common
  Stock, $0.0025 par value ("Common Shares"), of the Company.  The dividend is
  payable on August 14, 1997 (the "Record Date") to stockholders of record as of
  the close of business on that day.  Each Right entitles the registered holder to
  purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Preferred at
  an exercise price of $120.00 (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment.
  
       A copy of the press release issued by the Company regarding the Rights
  Agreement is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by
  reference.
  
  ITEM 7.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
  
       The following exhibit is filed as part of this report, where indicated.
  
            99.1  Press Release dated August 1, 1997.
  
                                       -2-
  <PAGE>
   
       Pursuant to this requirement of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                AMERICAN BUSINESS INFORMATION, INC.
  
  
  
  August 5, 1997                /s/ Steven Purcell
                                ---------------------------------------------
                                Steven Purcell
                                Chief Financial Officer
  
  
                                       -3-
  <PAGE>
   
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
   
                                                              Page
                                                             Number
                                                              Under
                                                           Sequential
  Exhibit                                                   Numbering
    No.            Exhibit                                   System
  -------          -------                                  ---------
  99.1             Press Release dated August 1, 1997
  
                                       -4-
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3944}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AMERICAN BUSINESS INFORMATION INC /DE", "cik": "0000879437", "assigned-sic": "7331", "irs-number": "470751545", "state-of-incorporation": "NE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-19598", "film-number": "97651656"}, "business-address": {"street1": "5711 S 86TH CIRCLE", "city": "OMAHA", "state": "NE", "zip": "68127", "phone": "4025934500"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "5711 SOUTH 86TH CIRCLE", "city": "OMAHA", "state": "NE", "zip": "68127"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
   
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
   
                                    FORM 8-K
   
                                 CURRENT REPORT
   
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
   
   
                                  July 21, 1997  
                -----------------------------------------------
                Date of Report (date of earliest event reported)
   
  
                       AMERICAN BUSINESS INFORMATION, INC.
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
   
          Delaware                       005-42304                47-0751545
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  (State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer 
  incorporation or organization)                              Identification No.)
   
                             5711 South 86th Circle
                              Omaha, Nebraska 68127
                    ----------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
   
       Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (402) 593-4500
  
   
                                 Not Applicable
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS
  
       On July 21, 1997 pursuant to a Preferred Shares Rights Agreement (the
  "Rights Agreement") between American Business Information, Inc. (the "Company")
  and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), the
  Company's Board of Directors declared a dividend of one right (a "Right") to
  purchase one one-thousandth of a share of the Company's Series A Participating
  Preferred Stock ("Series A Preferred") for each outstanding share of Common
  Stock, $0.0025 par value ("Common Shares"), of the Company.  The dividend is
  payable on August 14, 1997 (the "Record Date") to stockholders of record as of
  the close of business on that day.  Each Right entitles the registered holder to
  purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Preferred at
  an exercise price of $120.00 (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment.
  
       A copy of the press release issued by the Company regarding the Rights
  Agreement is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by
  reference.
  
  ITEM 7.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
  
       The following exhibit is filed as part of this report, where indicated.
  
            99.1  Press Release dated August 1, 1997.
  
                                       -2-
  Pursuant to this requirement of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                AMERICAN BUSINESS INFORMATION, INC.
  
  August 5, 1997                /s/ Steven Purcell
                                ---------------------------------------------
                                Steven Purcell
                                Chief Financial Officer
  
                                       -3-
  EXHIBIT INDEX
   
                                                              Page
                                                             Number
                                                              Under
                                                           Sequential
  Exhibit                                                   Numbering
    No.            Exhibit                                   System
  -------          -------                                  ---------
  99.1             Press Release dated August 1, 1997
  
                                       -4-