nLIGHT (LASR) CFO discloses mandatory RSU tax sell-to-cover sales
Filing Impact
Filing Sentiment
Form Type
4
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
nLIGHT, Inc.’s Chief Financial Officer Joseph John Corso reported two sales of common stock that were executed to cover tax withholding on vested restricted stock units. On May 15, 2026, he sold 18,445 shares at a weighted average price of $75.16 per share. On May 18, 2026, he sold 19,575 shares at a weighted average price of $70.82 per share.
The company’s election to require a mandatory “sell to cover” mechanism means these transactions were not discretionary trades. After these sales, Corso directly holds 233,291 shares of nLIGHT common stock, a figure that includes both owned shares and unvested restricted stock units and reflects shares acquired under the company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
Insider Trade Summary
Net Seller: 38,020 shares ($2,772,628)
Net Sell
2 txns
Insider
Corso Joseph John
Role
Chief Financial Officer
Sold
38,020 shs ($2.77M)
| Type | Security | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sale | Common Stock | 19,575 | $70.82 | $1.39M |
| Sale | Common Stock | 18,445 | $75.16 | $1.39M |
Holdings After Transaction:
Common Stock — 233,291 shares (Direct, null)
Footnotes (1)
- This reported sale represents shares sold by the Reporting Person to cover tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units. The sale is mandated by the Issuer's election to require the satisfaction of tax withholding obligations to be funded by a "sell to cover" transaction and does not represent a discretionary transaction by the Reporting Person. The reported transaction involves sale transactions from $75.16 to $75.16 per share. The weighted average price per share was $75.16. The Reporting Person undertakes to provide upon request by the SEC staff, the Issuer or a security holder of the Issuer, information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price. Includes common stock owned and unvested restricted stock units. The reported transaction involves sale transactions from $70.82 to $70.82 per share. The weighted average price per share was $70.82. The Reporting Person undertakes to provide upon request by the SEC staff, the Issuer or a security holder of the Issuer, information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price. Amount includes shares purchased pursuant to the nLIGHT, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP"), for the ESPP purchase period of November 16, 2025 through May 15, 2026. In accordance with the ESPP, these shares were purchased at a price equal to 85% of the closing price of the issuer's common stock on November 17th, 2025.
Key Figures
Shares sold 15 May 2026: 18,445 shares at $75.16
Shares sold 18 May 2026: 19,575 shares at $70.82
Total shares sold: 38,020 shares
+2 more
5 metrics
Shares sold 15 May 2026
18,445 shares at $75.16
Open-market sale to cover RSU tax withholding
Shares sold 18 May 2026
19,575 shares at $70.82
Open-market sale to cover RSU tax withholding
Total shares sold
38,020 shares
Combined sell-to-cover transactions in May 2026
Post-transaction holdings
233,291 shares
Common stock and unvested RSUs held directly after sales
ESPP purchase discount
85% of closing price
Price basis for ESPP shares on November 17, 2025
Key Terms
restricted stock units, sell to cover, weighted average price, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, +1 more
5 terms
restricted stock units financial
"tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units"
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.
sell to cover financial
"funded by a "sell to cover" transaction and does not represent a discretionary transaction"
Sell to cover is when a person who receives company stock through options or awards sells just enough shares immediately to pay required taxes, exercise costs, or fees, keeping the rest. Think of it like cashing part of a bonus to cover the tax bill so you can keep the remainder. For investors, it can create predictable small selling pressure and slightly change the number of shares actually held by insiders without increasing long‑term dilution.
weighted average price financial
"The weighted average price per share was $75.16."
Weighted average price is the average price of a security where each trade or component is counted according to its size, so bigger trades pull the average more than smaller ones. Think of it like calculating the average cost of a grocery haul where items you bought more of have greater influence on the final per-item cost. Investors use it to understand the true average price paid or received, judge execution quality, and compare trading performance against market movement.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan financial
"shares purchased pursuant to the nLIGHT, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP")"
An employee stock purchase plan is a company program that lets workers buy shares through small payroll deductions, often at a discount to the market price and after a set offering period. Think of it like a workplace savings plan that turns into ownership: it encourages employees to share in the company’s success and can create predictable buying or selling of stock that investors watch because it affects supply, demand and employee incentives.
open-market sale financial
"transaction_code_description": "Sale in open market or private transaction""
An open-market sale is when a shareholder sells existing shares directly on a public exchange to any willing buyer, rather than through a private deal. Think of it like putting goods on a busy market stall where price is set by supply and demand; for investors it matters because such sales increase available supply, can put short-term downward pressure on the stock price, and signal changes in liquidity or investor confidence.
FAQ
What insider activity did nLIGHT (LASR) disclose in this Form 4?
nLIGHT (LASR) disclosed that its CFO, Joseph John Corso, sold shares to cover tax withholding tied to restricted stock unit vesting. The transactions were mandated “sell to cover” sales rather than discretionary open-market trades.
Do these nLIGHT (LASR) insider sales involve any derivative securities or options?
The reported nLIGHT (LASR) transactions involve only common stock, with no derivative exercises or option conversions disclosed. The derivative summary is empty, indicating no remaining derivative positions are shown in this particular Form 4.
What role did the Employee Stock Purchase Plan play in the CFO’s LASR holdings?
The CFO’s reported holdings include shares purchased under nLIGHT’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan for the November 16, 2025 to May 15, 2026 period. These ESPP shares were bought at 85% of the closing stock price on November 17, 2025.