AAR Corp. Insider Trades: Gillen Nets 11k Shares, Sells 18k at $77
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
AAR Corp. (AIR) – Form 4 filing, 25 Jul 2025. CFO Sean M. Gillen reported a series of same-day equity transactions on 23 Jul 2025.
- Equity awards: 3,815 restricted shares and 11,445 performance-based shares were granted at no cost under Rule 16b-3.
- Option grant: 10,550 new options with a $79.45 strike, vesting 1/3 annually starting 31 Jul 2026, expiring 23 Jul 2035.
- Option exercises: 18,000 options were exercised at strike prices of $18.94, $37.74, $41.88 and $58.27.
- Open-market sales: An equal 18,000 shares were sold at a weighted average price of $77.374 (range $76.43-$79.16) to monetize gains or cover taxes.
- Net share change: Beneficial ownership rose from 88,423.203 to 99,868.203 shares (+11,445 shares, +13%), suggesting the executive retained all performance stock while liquidating the option-exercise shares.
The filing signals continued long-term alignment through a larger outright share position and a sizeable fresh option grant, but the simultaneous sale neutralises near-term sentiment. No cash flow, earnings or guidance information was provided.
Positive
- Beneficial ownership increased by 11,445 shares, signalling continued commitment from the CFO.
- Grant of 10,550 new options aligned with long-term shareholder value, vesting through 2028.
- No shares were sold below exercise price; sales simply monetised in-the-money options without reducing core stake.
Negative
- 18,000 shares sold at $77.374 average could be read as short-term profit taking.
- Option exercise-and-sell pattern may dilute perceived bullishness of the insider activity.
Insights
TL;DR: Net ownership up 13% despite option-exercise sales; new 10.6k options deepen long-term alignment.
Gillen accepted 15.3k share awards and a 10.6k option grant struck near current market ($79.45), indicating confidence in upside. Exercising 18k deep-in-the-money options and immediately selling the shares locks in gains (~$1.0 m pre-tax) but leaves his overall stake higher. The matched sale removes short-term supply overhang, while the increased outright ownership and out-of-the-money option grant tie compensation to future appreciation. From a governance perspective, this is a routine comp event; valuation impact is modest.
TL;DR: Filing is largely neutral; no operational signal, but insider still raises core stake.
The trades reflect a standard refresh of equity incentives around fiscal year-end. The sale at ~$77 aligns with AIR’s recent highs, yet beneficial ownership climbs to ~100k shares, worth ~$7.7 m — not the behaviour of an insider exiting. The new option strike sits above the sale price, implying upside expectation. Investors should view the activity as housekeeping rather than a read-through on fundamentals.