Franklin Financial (FRAF) Officer Ups Stake After Option Exercise
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
On 07/30/2025, Matthew D. Weaver, SVP & Chief Marketing Officer of Franklin Financial Services Corp. (FRAF), filed a Form 4 disclosing an option exercise (code M) for 2,150 common shares at an exercise price of $21.27 under the 2013 Incentive Stock Option Plan. To cover exercise costs and taxes, 1,109 shares were withheld by the issuer at the then-market price of $41.26 (code F), resulting in a net addition of 1,041 shares to Weaver’s direct holdings.
Following the transaction, Weaver directly owns 3,381 common shares, up from 2,340. The exercised 2016 grant is now exhausted, while 4,500 unexercised options remain (2,250 at $30 expiring 02/23/2027 and 2,250 at $34.10 expiring 02/22/2028). The cashless exercise locks in an intrinsic gain of roughly $43k but does not represent open-market buying or selling. Overall impact is modest given FRAF’s share count, yet the insider retains the newly acquired shares, a signal of continued confidence in the company’s prospects.
Positive
- Net increase of 1,041 shares suggests insider is retaining equity rather than immediately liquidating.
- Exercise price ($21.27) far below market price ($41.26), implying confidence in long-term valuation.
Negative
- Transaction size is small versus total shares outstanding, limiting market significance.
- Shares were acquired via cashless exercise, not an open-market purchase, tempering the strength of the bullish signal.
Insights
TL;DR: Routine cashless option exercise; small net share gain, neutral-to-slightly positive signal.
The filing shows Weaver crystallizing value from a deep-in-the-money 2016 option grant, gaining 1,041 shares after tax withholding. Because no open-market sale occurred and the insider retains the net shares, the move can be read as modestly bullish. However, the dollar value (~$43k) and share count are immaterial relative to Franklin Financial’s total float, so market impact should be limited. Remaining options provide additional upside alignment through 2028.