Element Solutions CEO converts options and sells shares to cover taxes at $26.56 avg
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Benjamin Gliklich, President and CEO and a director of Element Solutions Inc (ESI), reported option exercises and related share transactions dated 09/18/2025. He exercised four tranches of stock options totaling 180,123 underlying shares at strike prices of $12.25, $13.30, $11.34 and $7.95. To cover exercise costs and taxes, 117,637 shares were sold at a weighted average price of $26.56. After these transactions the reporting person beneficially owned 864,521 shares. The filing states all options were fully vested and exercisable.
Positive
- Reporting person retains material stake: beneficial ownership of 864,521 shares after the transactions.
- Options were fully vested: all exercised options were stated as fully vested and exercisable, indicating executed compensation rights.
Negative
- Shares sold to cover costs: 117,637 shares were sold at a weighted average price of $26.56 to cover exercise prices and taxes.
- Net change in beneficial ownership visible: the filing shows multiple exercises and a sale that altered reported holdings, though directionality must be read from the provided counts.
Insights
TL;DR: A senior insider exercised vested options and sold shares to cover taxes, leaving substantial continuing ownership.
This Form 4 documents routine executive equity compensation activity rather than a discretionary open-market sale for cash needs or diversification. The exercises converted options into shares and a portion was sold to satisfy exercise prices and tax obligations, which is common under option exercise practices. The reporting person remains materially invested with 864,521 beneficial shares, supporting alignment with shareholders. No indications of unusual timing or accelerated disposals are present in the filing.
TL;DR: Multiple option exercises created 180,123 shares; 117,637 were sold at a weighted average of $26.56.
The transaction mix shows conversion of stock options into common shares across four exercise prices, increasing outstanding insider-held shares prior to the sale activity. The weighted average sale price is disclosed and the filing notes the sale covered exercise costs and taxes. Because the filing reports exercises and a sale to cover obligations, rather than a large voluntary liquidation, the disclosure appears to be non-material to capital structure absent further context on total float or company valuation.