Stryker (NYSE: SYK) HR chief sells shares and exercises stock options
Filing Impact
Filing Sentiment
Form Type
4
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Stryker Corporation VP and Chief HR Officer M. Kathryn Fink reported a mix of stock option exercises, tax withholding, and open-market sales of Stryker common stock. On May 8, 2026, she exercised employee stock options to acquire 21,582 shares at exercise prices of $179.3500 and $154.1400 per share. On the same date, 16,362 shares were disposed of to satisfy tax obligations, which is recorded as a tax-withholding disposition rather than a market sale.
On May 11, 2026, 3,500 shares were sold in the open market at an average price of $283.4530 per share by the 2023 Mary Fink Living Trust, and 5,220 shares were sold directly at an average price of $283.8450 per share. After these transactions, Fink holds 13,137 shares directly, 444 shares indirectly through a 401(k), and 177 shares indirectly via the Living Trust, which includes 128 shares acquired under Stryker’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of March 31, 2026.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
Insider Trade Summary
Net Seller: 8,720 shares ($2,473,756)
Net Sell
8 txns
Insider
Fink M Kathryn
Role
VP, Chief HR Officer
Sold
8,720 shs ($2.47M)
| Type | Security | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sale | Common Stock | 5,220 | $283.845 | $1.48M |
| Sale | Common Stock | 3,500 | $283.453 | $992K |
| Exercise | Employee Stock Option granted 02/07/2018 (right to buy) | 9,732 | $0.00 | -- |
| Exercise | Employee Stock Option granted 02/06/2019 (right to buy) | 11,850 | $0.00 | -- |
| Exercise | Common Stock | 9,732 | $154.14 | $1.50M |
| Exercise | Common Stock | 11,850 | $179.35 | $2.13M |
| Tax Withholding | Common Stock | 16,362 | $294.23 | $4.81M |
| holding | Common Stock | -- | -- | -- |
Holdings After Transaction:
Common Stock — 13,137 shares (Direct, null);
Common Stock — 177 shares (Indirect, By 2023 Mary Fink Living Trust);
Employee Stock Option granted 02/07/2018 (right to buy) — 0 shares (Direct, null);
Employee Stock Option granted 02/06/2019 (right to buy) — 0 shares (Direct, null)
Footnotes (1)
- Includes 128 shares of Stryker Common Stock acquired pursuant to Stryker Corporation's Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP") as of March 31, 2026, the date of the latest available statement of the reporting person's ESPP holdings. These shares, which were previously owned directly, were transferred to the Living Trust on March 26, 2026. Employee stock option granted pursuant to the Stryker Corporation 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan, exercisable as to 20% on each of the first five anniversaries of the date of grant.
Key Figures
Open-market shares sold: 8,720 shares
Average sale prices: $283.4530 and $283.8450 per share
Options exercised: 21,582 shares
+5 more
8 metrics
Open-market shares sold
8,720 shares
Common Stock sales on May 11, 2026
Average sale prices
$283.4530 and $283.8450 per share
Common Stock open-market sales
Options exercised
21,582 shares
Employee stock option exercises on May 8, 2026
Option exercise prices
$179.3500 and $154.1400 per share
Employee stock option grants from 2019 and 2018
Tax-withholding shares
16,362 shares
Shares disposed to cover tax liability on May 8, 2026
Direct holdings after transactions
13,137 shares
Common Stock held directly following May 11, 2026 sales
Indirect 401(k) holdings
444 shares
Common Stock held indirectly by 401(k) as of May 8, 2026
Indirect trust holdings incl. ESPP
177 shares
Living Trust holdings, including 128 ESPP shares as of March 31, 2026
Key Terms
Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP"), Employee stock option, Long-Term Incentive Plan, tax-withholding disposition, +1 more
5 terms
Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP") financial
"Includes 128 shares of Stryker Common Stock acquired pursuant to Stryker Corporation's Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP")"
Employee stock option financial
"Employee stock option granted pursuant to the Stryker Corporation 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan"
An employee stock option is a promise that lets a worker buy company shares later at a predetermined price, often after they stay for a certain period or meet performance goals — think of it like a coupon that locks in today's price for a future purchase. It matters to investors because options align employees’ incentives with company performance, can increase the number of shares outstanding (dilution) when exercised, and represent a compensation cost that affects reported profits and shareholder value.
Long-Term Incentive Plan financial
"granted pursuant to the Stryker Corporation 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan, exercisable as to 20% on each of the first five anniversaries"
A long-term incentive plan is a company program that pays executives or employees with stock, options, or cash tied to multi-year performance goals, where the rewards become theirs only after meeting conditions over time. Think of it as a delayed bonus or retirement-style reward that aligns employees’ interests with shareholders by encouraging them to boost long-term value; investors watch these plans because they affect pay costs, share dilution and management incentives.
tax-withholding disposition financial
"Payment of exercise price or tax liability by delivering securities"
A tax-withholding disposition is an event or transaction—such as selling or transferring securities, exercising options, or receiving compensation—that triggers a requirement to hold back part of the payment and remit it to tax authorities. It matters to investors because it reduces the cash they receive immediately and can change the timing and amount of taxable income, like a cashier taking a portion of your sale proceeds to pay taxes before you get the rest.
derivative exercise/conversion financial
"Exercise or conversion of derivative security"
FAQ
What did Stryker (SYK) executive M. Kathryn Fink report in this Form 4?
M. Kathryn Fink reported exercising employee stock options, shares withheld for taxes, and open-market sales of Stryker common stock. The filing details exercise prices, sale prices, and her resulting direct and indirect share holdings.
How many Stryker (SYK) stock options did Kathryn Fink exercise?
She exercised options covering 21,582 Stryker common shares. These option exercises were at strike prices of $179.3500 and $154.1400 per share, converting derivative awards from Stryker’s long-term incentive plans into common stock.
How are the trust and ESPP holdings described in the Stryker (SYK) Form 4?
The Form 4 notes 177 Stryker shares held by the 2023 Mary Fink Living Trust, including 128 shares acquired through Stryker’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of March 31, 2026, based on the latest available ESPP statement.