STOCK TITAN

Independent Bank (IBCP) CEO exercises stock awards, uses shares for tax

Filing Impact
(Neutral)
Filing Sentiment
(Neutral)
Form Type
4

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Independent Bank Corp. President & CEO William B. Kessel exercised equity awards and settled related taxes using shares. He exercised Performance Rights that resulted in the acquisition of 10,981 shares of Common Stock. To cover tax obligations, 4,788 Common Stock shares were withheld at a price of $33.78 per share. Following these transactions, he holds 159,836 Common Stock shares directly and 9,020.35 shares indirectly through an ESOP.

Positive

  • None.

Negative

  • None.
Insider Kessel William B
Role President & CEO
Type Security Shares Price Value
Exercise Performance Right 6,431 $0.00 --
Exercise Common Stock 10,981 $0.00 --
Tax Withholding Common Stock 4,788 $33.78 $162K
holding Common Stock -- -- --
Holdings After Transaction: Performance Right — 0 shares (Direct); Common Stock — 164,624 shares (Direct); Common Stock — 9,020.35 shares (Indirect, By ESOP)
Footnotes (1)
  1. [object Object]
Shares acquired via exercise 10,981 shares Common Stock from Performance Rights on 2026-04-06
Shares withheld for taxes 4,788 shares Tax withholding disposition on 2026-04-06
Tax withholding price $33.78 per share Price used for 4,788-share tax payment
Direct holdings after transaction 159,836 shares Common Stock directly owned after 2026-04-06
Indirect ESOP holdings 9,020.35 shares Common Stock held indirectly by ESOP after 2026-04-06
Performance Right exercise shares 6,431 units Performance Right units exercised, conversion price $0.00
Performance Right financial
"Each Performance Right (PSU) represents a contingent right to receive not more than two (2) shares"
PSU financial
"Each Performance Right (PSU) represents a contingent right to receive not more than two (2) shares"
A PSU is a company where the government owns a controlling stake and often plays a direct role in its management and strategy. Think of it like a business that operates with public oversight, similar to a town-run utility versus a private neighborhood service. Investors watch PSUs differently because government involvement can affect profits, dividend policies, regulatory treatment and stability, so these stocks may behave more like policy instruments than pure market-driven enterprises.
tax-withholding disposition financial
"Payment of exercise price or tax liability by delivering securities"
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.
ESOP financial
"Common Stock indirectly owned, nature of ownership: By ESOP"
An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is a program that gives employees ownership shares in their company, often as part of their benefits package. It acts like a company-sponsored savings plan, allowing workers to have a stake in the company's success, which can boost motivation and loyalty. For investors, ESOPs can influence company decisions and stock value, making them an important aspect of corporate ownership and governance.
total shareholder return financial
"based upon the total shareholder return of Issuer's Common Stock, relative to its peer group index"
Total shareholder return is the overall gain an investor gets from owning a stock, combining changes in the share price plus any cash payouts like dividends, and assuming those payouts are reinvested in more shares. Investors use it like a single score that shows the true return on their investment—similar to checking both the growth of a savings account and the interest earned—to compare how well different companies or investments perform over time.
SEC Form 4
FORM 4UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number:3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response:0.5
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
Kessel William B

(Last)(First)(Middle)
4200 E BELTLINE

(Street)
GRAND RAPIDS MICHIGAN 49525

(City)(State)(Zip)

UNITED STATES

(Country)
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
INDEPENDENT BANK CORP /MI/ [ IBCP ]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
XDirector10% Owner
XOfficer (give title below)Other (specify below)
President & CEO
2a. Foreign Trading Symbol
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
04/06/2026
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
XForm filed by One Reporting Person
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
CodeVAmount(A) or (D)Price
Common Stock04/06/2026M10,981A(1)164,624D
Common Stock04/06/2026F4,788D$33.78159,836D
Common Stock9,020.35IBy ESOP
Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
CodeV(A)(D)Date ExercisableExpiration DateTitleAmount or Number of Shares
Performance Right(1)04/06/2026M6,431 (1)02/06/2026Common Stock(1)$00D
Explanation of Responses:
1. Each Performance Right (PSU) represents a contingent right to receive not more than two (2) shares of Issuer Common Stock, based upon the total shareholder return of Issuer's Common Stock, relative to its peer group index.
Remarks:
s/Darcy J. Benjamin, Attorney-in-Fact04/07/2026
** Signature of Reporting PersonDate
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.
* Form 4: SEC 1474 (03-26)

FAQ

What insider transactions did IBCP CEO William B. Kessel report?

William B. Kessel exercised Performance Rights into 10,981 shares of Independent Bank Corp. Common Stock. To satisfy tax obligations, 4,788 shares were withheld at $33.78 per share, leaving him with substantial ongoing ownership in the company’s stock.

How many IBCP shares does the CEO hold after these Form 4 transactions?

After these transactions, William B. Kessel holds 159,836 Independent Bank Corp. Common Stock shares directly. He also has 9,020.35 shares held indirectly through an ESOP, reflecting both personal and employee-plan related ownership stakes in the company.

Were any of the IBCP CEO’s transactions open-market sales or purchases?

The reported activity reflects derivative exercises and tax withholding, not open-market trades. Shares were acquired through exercising Performance Rights, and a portion was disposed of as a tax-withholding transaction rather than a discretionary market sale or purchase.

What does the tax-withholding transaction mean in the IBCP Form 4 filing?

The tax-withholding transaction shows 4,788 Common Stock shares delivered at $33.78 per share to satisfy tax liabilities. This disposition is a mechanical step tied to the vesting or exercise of awards, rather than a voluntary decision to sell shares in the open market.

What are Performance Rights (PSUs) in the IBCP CEO’s compensation?

Each Performance Right (PSU) represents a contingent right to receive up to two shares of Common Stock. The ultimate payout depends on Independent Bank Corp.’s total shareholder return relative to a peer group index, linking the award to comparative stock performance.

How many derivative securities remain after the IBCP CEO’s exercise?

The derivative summary in this filing is empty, and the Performance Right position shows zero shares following the transaction. This indicates the reported Performance Rights were fully exercised, with no remaining derivative position from this specific award.