AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) COO uses RSU share withholding to cover tax liability
Filing Impact
Filing Sentiment
Form Type
4
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. Chief Operating Officer Shanti B. Gupta reported a tax-related share disposition linked to restricted stock unit (RSU) vesting. A total of 41,666 RSUs vested, and 21,275 shares of Class A Common Stock were withheld at $113.41 per share to cover tax liabilities. This left a net 20,391 shares from the vesting, which Gupta retained. Following the withholding, Gupta directly holds 412,747 shares of Class A Common Stock, indicating this was a routine compensation and tax-settlement event rather than an open-market trade.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
Insider Trade Summary
1 transaction reported
Mixed
1 txn
Insider
Gupta Shanti B.
Role
Chief Operating Officer
| Type | Security | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tax Withholding | Class A Common Stock | 21,275 | $113.41 | $2.41M |
Holdings After Transaction:
Class A Common Stock — 412,747 shares (Direct, null)
Footnotes (1)
- [object Object]
Key Figures
Shares withheld for taxes: 21,275 shares
Shares vested as RSUs: 41,666 shares
Net shares received from vesting: 20,391 shares
+2 more
5 metrics
Shares withheld for taxes
21,275 shares
Tax-withholding disposition on RSU vesting
Shares vested as RSUs
41,666 shares
Restricted Stock Units vesting event
Net shares received from vesting
20,391 shares
RSU vesting after tax withholding
Post-transaction holdings
412,747 shares
Direct Class A Common Stock after transaction
Tax withholding price
$113.41 per share
Value used for withheld shares
Key Terms
Restricted Stock Units, Class A Common Stock, tax-withholding disposition, Rule 16b-3
4 terms
Restricted Stock Units financial
"Represents a payment of tax liability by withholding securities incident to the vesting of Restricted Stock Units representing 41,666 shares"
Restricted stock units are a type of company reward where employees are promised shares of stock, but they only fully own these shares after meeting certain conditions, like staying with the company for a set time. They matter because they can become valuable assets and are often used to motivate employees to help the company succeed.
Class A Common Stock financial
"Represents a payment of tax liability by withholding securities incident to the vesting of Restricted Stock Units representing 41,666 shares of Class A Common Stock"
Class A common stock is a category of a company’s shares that carries a specific set of ownership rights—most commonly defined voting power and claims on dividends—set out in the company’s charter. For investors it matters because the class determines how much influence you have over corporate decisions, the share’s likely dividend and trading behavior, and how it compares in value to other share classes, like choosing a particular seat with different privileges at the company’s decision-making table.
tax-withholding disposition financial
"transaction_action": "tax-withholding disposition""
A tax-withholding disposition is an event or transaction—such as selling or transferring securities, exercising options, or receiving compensation—that triggers a requirement to hold back part of the payment and remit it to tax authorities. It matters to investors because it reduces the cash they receive immediately and can change the timing and amount of taxable income, like a cashier taking a portion of your sale proceeds to pay taxes before you get the rest.
Rule 16b-3 regulatory
"Restricted Stock Units representing 41,666 shares of Class A Common Stock issued in accordance with Rule 16b-3"
Rule 16b-3 is a Securities and Exchange Commission regulation that exempts certain routine, pre-approved transactions by company insiders from automatic liability for short-term trading profits. It acts like a safe harbor: if an insider follows a formal plan or the board approves specific transactions in advance, profits from buying and selling company stock within six months are not automatically reclaimed. Investors care because the rule clarifies when insider trades are permissible and reduces uncertainty about potential clawbacks.
FAQ
What insider transaction did ASTS executive Shanti B. Gupta report on this Form 4?
Gupta reported a tax-related disposition of shares tied to RSU vesting. 21,275 Class A shares were withheld to cover tax liability when 41,666 restricted stock units vested, resulting in a net 20,391 vested shares retained as equity compensation.
Was Shanti B. Gupta’s ASTS Form 4 transaction an open-market stock sale?
No, the transaction was not an open-market sale. Shares were withheld by the company to satisfy tax obligations from RSU vesting, a common non-market mechanism that adjusts share count without the executive selling shares into the public market.