Stellar Bancorp (STEL) officer has 444 shares withheld for tax on vesting

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Stellar Bancorp, Inc. Chief Banking Officer Jason D. Sirkel reported a routine tax-related share disposition. On March 15, 2026, 444 shares of common stock were withheld at $35.51 per share to satisfy tax liabilities from the vesting of previously granted restricted shares.

After this withholding, Sirkel directly holds 35,535 shares of common stock and has 30,000 employee stock options outstanding. The filing reflects compensation-related tax withholding rather than an open-market purchase or sale.

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

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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^*

Sirkel Jason D.

(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)
	Chief Banking Officer

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		444(1)	D	$35.51	35,535	D
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)								30,000	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).
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FAQ

What insider transaction did Stellar Bancorp (STEL) report for Jason D. Sirkel?

Stellar Bancorp reported that Chief Banking Officer Jason D. Sirkel had 444 common shares withheld to cover taxes on vesting restricted stock. This is recorded as a tax-withholding disposition, not an open-market trade, and is tied to prior equity compensation.

Was the STEL Form 4 transaction a stock sale by Jason D. Sirkel?

No, the Form 4 shows tax withholding, not an open-market sale. 444 shares were withheld by the company to satisfy Sirkel’s tax liability on vested restricted shares, as noted in the footnote, which is a standard compensation-related mechanism.

How many Stellar Bancorp (STEL) shares does Jason D. Sirkel hold after this Form 4?

After the reported tax-withholding disposition, Jason D. Sirkel directly holds 35,535 shares of Stellar Bancorp common stock. This post-transaction balance is disclosed in the Form 4 as total shares following the transaction, showing his continuing equity stake.

What does the 444-share tax withholding mean for STEL investors?

The 444-share tax withholding reflects routine administration of equity compensation, not a discretionary sale. Shares were withheld to cover taxes on vested restricted stock, while Sirkel continues to hold 35,535 common shares, indicating this filing is operational rather than thesis-changing.

What equity awards does Jason D. Sirkel have in Stellar Bancorp (STEL) after the filing?

In addition to 35,535 common shares, Jason D. Sirkel holds 30,000 employee stock options as reported in the Form 4 holding entry. These options represent a remaining derivative position that can be exercised into common stock subject to their terms and future decisions.