STOCK TITAN

Ligand (NASDAQ: LGND) CFO exercises 1,736 stock options, now holds 27,679 shares

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

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Ligand Pharmaceuticals’ Chief Financial Officer Octavio Espinoza exercised employee stock options to acquire 1,736 shares of Common Stock on May 27, 2026. He exercised 972 options at an exercise price of $52.84 per share and 764 options at $63.62 per share. Following these transactions, he directly holds 27,679 Common Shares. The filing also shows 17,407 employee stock options remaining outstanding at a $63.62 exercise price, with expirations in 2032, reflecting routine compensation-related equity activity rather than open‑market buying or selling.

Positive

  • None.

Negative

  • None.
Insider Espinoza Octavio
Role Chief Financial Officer
Type Security Shares Price Value
Exercise Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 972 $0.00 --
Exercise Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 764 $0.00 --
Exercise Common Stock 764 $63.62 $49K
Exercise Common Stock 972 $52.84 $51K
Holdings After Transaction: Employee Stock Option (right to buy) — 0 shares (Direct, null); Common Stock — 26,707 shares (Direct, null)
Footnotes (1)
  1. The stock option vests as to approximately 55% of the underlying shares in 12 substantially equal monthly installments beginning on January 5, 2025, and approximately 45% of the underlying shares in two substantially equal monthly installments thereafter. Grant to reporting person of stock options that will vest and become exercisable over a 4-year period measured from December 5, 2022, with 12-1/2% of the shares subject to the stock options vesting on the date that is six months after December 5, 2022 and the remaining stock options vesting in 42 equal monthly installments thereafter.
Options exercised 1,736 shares Employee stock option exercises on May 27, 2026
Exercise price 1 $52.84 per share 972 options exercised into Common Stock
Exercise price 2 $63.62 per share 764 options exercised into Common Stock
Shares held after transaction 27,679 shares Direct Common Stock ownership after exercises
Remaining options 17,407 options Employee Stock Options at $63.62 exercise price
Option expiration (63.62 grant) December 13, 2032 Employee Stock Options at $63.62
Option expiration (52.84 grant) May 5, 2032 Employee Stock Options at $52.84, now fully exercised
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) financial
"security_title: "Employee Stock Option (right to buy)" in derivative transactions"
Exercise or conversion of derivative security financial
"transaction_code_description: "Exercise or conversion of derivative security""
exercise price financial
"conversion_or_exercise_price values of 52.8400 and 63.6200 per share"
The exercise price is the fixed amount at which you can buy or sell an asset, like a stock, when using an options contract. It matters because it helps determine whether exercising the option will be profitable or not, depending on the current market price. Think of it as the set price you agree on today to buy or sell later.
vests financial
"The stock option vests as to approximately 55% of the underlying shares..."
installments financial
"in 12 substantially equal monthly installments beginning on January 5, 2025..."
Installments are a series of scheduled partial payments that together cover a larger amount owed or due, like paying for a purchase or loan in weekly or monthly pieces rather than all at once. For investors, installments matter because they change when cash moves between parties, affect a company’s or counterparty’s short-term cash flow and risk of missed payments, and can influence valuation or perceived financial stability much like spreading the cost of a car over monthly payments.
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*
Espinoza Octavio

(Last)(First)(Middle)
555 HERITAGE DRIVE
SUITE 200

(Street)
JUPITER FLORIDA 33458

(City)(State)(Zip)

UNITED STATES

(Country)
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INC [ LGND ]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
Director10% Owner
XOfficer (give title below)Other (specify below)
Chief Financial Officer
2a. Foreign Trading Symbol
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
05/27/2026
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 Stock05/27/2026M764A$63.6226,707D
Common Stock05/27/2026M972A$52.8427,679D
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
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)$52.8405/27/2026M972 (1)05/05/2032Common Stock972$0.00D
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)$63.6205/27/2026M764 (2)12/13/2032Common Stock764$0.017,407D
Explanation of Responses:
1. The stock option vests as to approximately 55% of the underlying shares in 12 substantially equal monthly installments beginning on January 5, 2025, and approximately 45% of the underlying shares in two substantially equal monthly installments thereafter.
2. Grant to reporting person of stock options that will vest and become exercisable over a 4-year period measured from December 5, 2022, with 12-1/2% of the shares subject to the stock options vesting on the date that is six months after December 5, 2022 and the remaining stock options vesting in 42 equal monthly installments thereafter.
By: /s/ Andrew Reardon, Attorney-in-Fact For: Octavio Espinoza05/28/2026
** 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 transaction did Ligand (LGND) report for CFO Octavio Espinoza?

Ligand reported that CFO Octavio Espinoza exercised employee stock options to acquire 1,736 shares of Common Stock on May 27, 2026. These option exercises are compensation-related events rather than open-market purchases or sales of existing shares.

At what prices did the Ligand (LGND) CFO exercise his stock options?

The CFO exercised 972 options with a $52.84 exercise price and 764 options with a $63.62 exercise price. These amounts reflect the pre-set strike prices of his employee stock options, not the prevailing market price on the exercise date.

How many Ligand (LGND) shares does the CFO hold after the reported Form 4?

After the reported option exercises, CFO Octavio Espinoza directly holds 27,679 shares of Ligand Common Stock. This figure represents his post-transaction direct ownership as disclosed in the filing’s non-derivative transaction table.

How many Ligand (LGND) stock options remain outstanding for the CFO?

The filing shows 17,407 employee stock options remaining outstanding for the CFO at a $63.62 exercise price. These options relate to a grant vesting over time and expiring on December 13, 2032, if not exercised earlier.

Did the Ligand (LGND) CFO sell any shares in this Form 4 filing?

The Form 4 reports only option exercises classified as acquisitions of Common Stock and shows no open-market sales. The transactions reflect converting derivative securities into shares, not disposing of existing Common Stock in the market.