Stellar Bancorp (STEL) exec withholds 676 shares to cover tax liability

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Stellar Bancorp, Inc. Senior Executive VP and Chief Credit Officer Joe F. West reported a small tax-related share disposition. The company withheld 676 shares of Common Stock at $35.51 per share to cover his tax liability upon vesting of previously reported restricted shares. Following this withholding, West directly holds 102,193 shares of Stellar Bancorp common stock, indicating this was a routine compensation and tax event rather than an open-market trade.

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED 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^*

West Joe F

(Last) (First) (Middle)

9 GREENWAY PLAZA, SUITE 110

(Street)

HOUSTON TX 77046

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Stellar Bancorp, Inc. [ STEL ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director		10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)
	Senior Executive VP, CCO

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/15/2026

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

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)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	03/15/2026		F		676(1)	D	$35.51	102,193	D

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)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:

1. Represents shares withheld to satisfy tax liability for vesting of restricted shares of Common Stock previously reported.

Remarks:

	/s/ Justin M. Long, attorney-in-fact	03/17/2026
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
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.

FAQ

What insider transaction did Stellar Bancorp (STEL) report for Joe F. West?

Stellar Bancorp reported that Senior Executive VP and CCO Joe F. West had 676 shares of Common Stock withheld. The shares were used to satisfy tax liabilities from vesting restricted stock, rather than being sold in the open market.

How many Stellar Bancorp (STEL) shares were involved in Joe F. West’s tax withholding?

The transaction involved 676 shares of Stellar Bancorp Common Stock. These shares were withheld at a price of $35.51 per share to cover tax obligations triggered by the vesting of previously granted restricted shares.

Was Joe F. West’s Stellar Bancorp (STEL) transaction an open-market sale?

No, the filing describes a tax-withholding disposition, not an open-market sale. Shares were withheld by the company to pay taxes due on vesting restricted stock, a common administrative step in equity compensation programs.

How many Stellar Bancorp (STEL) shares does Joe F. West hold after this transaction?

After the tax-withholding transaction, Joe F. West directly holds 102,193 shares of Stellar Bancorp Common Stock. This figure reflects his remaining position following the withholding of 676 shares for tax obligations tied to vesting restricted stock.

What does transaction code “F” mean in Joe F. West’s Stellar Bancorp (STEL) filing?

Transaction code “F” signifies payment of an exercise price or tax liability by delivering securities. In this case, 676 shares of Stellar Bancorp Common Stock were withheld to satisfy West’s tax liability related to vesting restricted shares already granted.

What triggered the tax-withholding share disposition for Stellar Bancorp (STEL) executive Joe F. West?

The disposition was triggered by the vesting of restricted shares of Common Stock previously reported. When these restricted shares vested, 676 shares were withheld at $35.51 per share to satisfy the associated tax liability on the equity compensation.