KNW officer Kitty Payne granted option for 1,790,000 shares, 10‑year term
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
On August 6, 2025, Kitty B. Payne, an officer of Know Labs, Inc. (KNW), was granted an option to purchase 1,790,000 shares of the company's common stock at an exercise price of $2.45 per share under the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan. The option vests 25% on the one-year anniversary of the grant and then in quarterly installments over the following three years, tying vesting to continued service. The grant is reported as a direct ownership interest and the option shows an expiration date of August 6, 2035, indicating a 10-year term from the grant date. The Form 4 reports the transaction as an acquisition of derivative securities through the company plan.
Positive
- Large equity award granted under the company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, showing active use of equity compensation
- Multi‑year vesting (25% after one year then quarterly) aligns incentives with continued service and longer‑term performance
- Clear exercise price disclosed at $2.45 and an explicit expiration date (August 6, 2035)
Negative
- Potential dilution of up to 1,790,000 shares if the options are exercised
- Materiality unclear because total shares outstanding and prior insider holdings are not provided in this filing
- No contextual disclosure here of prior grants or board authorization details that would clarify governance and compensation impacts
Insights
TL;DR This is a large time‑based option grant: 1.79M options at $2.45, ten‑year term, standard multi‑year vesting.
The grant represents a significant award in absolute terms but the material investor impact depends on total shares outstanding and existing dilution, which are not provided in this filing. The exercise price of $2.45 and the four‑year vesting schedule align management incentives with multi‑year performance and retention. Without share count or recent compensation history, it is not possible to quantify dilution or expense impact from the filing alone.
TL;DR Time‑based equity awarded to an officer with customary cliff and quarterly vesting; governance implications depend on grant size and disclosure context.
The Form 4 discloses the grant mechanics and vesting schedule clearly, showing direct beneficial ownership and a ten‑year term. For governance review, key missing context includes prior grants, total outstanding common shares, and board approval details. The structure—25% after one year then quarterly over three years—is a common retention‑focused design; its appropriateness cannot be judged from this single disclosure.