AEP insider filing: 40,898 shares sold; 377 phantom units added
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Benjamin G.S. Fowke III, a director of American Electric Power Co., reported transactions dated 09/30/2025. He recorded dispositions of 40,898 shares of common stock and an additional 2,320 common shares tied to a deferred retainer. On the same date he acquired 377 phantom stock units under the director plan; those units represent 377 underlying shares and were recorded at the AEP share price of $112.50. The filing explains the 2,320-item relates to deferring a $40,000 quarterly cash retainer into the AEP Stock Fund and notes phantom units are paid in cash or shares on termination or after elected deferral. The form is signed by an attorney-in-fact on 10/02/2025.
Positive
- Deferred compensation into stock indicating alignment of director pay with shareholder interests
- Receipt of 377 phantom stock units under the director plan, providing future-value linkage to company shares
- Clear disclosure of plan mechanics and price ($112.50) for the phantom units
Negative
- Material share dispositions reported: 40,898 shares and 2,320 shares were disposed of on 09/30/2025
- Director's beneficial ownership reduced following the reported disposals (per Form 4 lines)
Insights
Director deferred compensation into company stock and reported routine share dispositions; disclosures are standard for non-employee directors.
The Form 4 shows a director-level decision to defer a $40,000 quarterly retainer into the AEP Stock Fund, converting cash compensation into stock units, which aligns director pay with shareholder outcomes. The report also records significant share dispositions (40,898 and 2,320 shares) on 09/30/2025 and acquisition of 377 phantom units tied to the director plan. Documentation of payment timing and the plan's election mechanics is provided, and the filing appears complete and properly executed by an attorney-in-fact.
Insider trading activity is transactional and administrative in nature; it is informational but not materially transformative.
The filing quantifies the movements: two disposals of common stock and an accrual of 377 phantom units priced at $112.50 per share. The 2,320-item is specifically tied to a $40,000 retainer deferred into the AEP Stock Fund, clarifying compensation treatment. These entries are transactional disclosures required under Section 16 and supply useful ownership updates but contain no forward-looking operational or financial metrics.