[Form 4] Telephone and Data Systems Inc. Insider Trading Activity
Douglas W. Chambers, an officer (President of a subsidiary) of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS), reported multiple transactions on 08/12/2025 and an amended filing signed 08/14/2025.
The Form 4 shows option grants under the company’s Long-Term Equity Plan that are exercisable: 6,634 options at $30.72 (exercisable through 05/22/2029), 11,601 options at $27.79 (exercisable through 05/24/2027) and 10,592 options at $29.45 (exercisable through 08/15/2026). The reporting person acquired the underlying common shares from those option exercises on 08/12/2025.
The filing also discloses substantial sales of common shares on 08/12/2025 totaling 41,992.377 shares at an average price of $38.6293, with two subsets described: 12,475.377 shares sold at an average $38.50 and 29,517 shares sold at an average $38.684 (individual trade prices ranged $38.595 to $38.96). After the reported transactions, the filing shows 0 common shares beneficially owned directly by the reporting person.
- Equity compensation granted under the Long-Term Equity Plan, showing continued use of performance/retention tools
- Reporting person provided an undertaking to supply full transaction details to the SEC and issuer, which supports transparency
- Large insider sales of 41,992.377 common shares on 08/12/2025, resulting in 0 direct beneficial ownership reported
- Concentration of sales on a single date (08/12/2025), which may be of interest to investors monitoring insider alignment
Insights
TL;DR: Significant insider sales coinciding with option exercises; raises governance questions about post-exercise disposition.
The filing documents option exercises for 28,827 underlying shares (6,634 + 11,601 + 10,592) and contemporaneous open-market sales amounting to 41,992.377 shares on 08/12/2025. The disclosure notes distinct average sale prices and that sales occurred in multiple transactions. From a governance perspective, the key facts are clear: equity awards were exercised under the Long-Term Equity Plan and most or all resulting shares were sold such that the reporting person reports zero direct ownership following these trades. The Form 4 includes an undertaking to provide full transaction-level details to regulators and the issuer. This is routine when insiders monetize exercised awards but is material to shareholders monitoring insider ownership and alignment.
TL;DR: Insider exercised options and executed sizeable share sales the same day; results in no direct holdings reported.
The report itemizes three option exercises granted under the Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. Long-Term Equity Plan with strike prices of $27.79, $29.45 and $30.72 and shows those options were exercisable at the time of the transactions. The sales quantity reported is 41,992.377 common shares at an average price of $38.6293, composed of a 12,475.377-share block at $38.50 average and a 29,517-share block at $38.684 average (trade prices ranged $38.595–$38.96). Post-transaction beneficial ownership is reported as zero. For investors tracking insider activity, this is a material disclosure of monetization of equity compensation but does not alone indicate firm-wide financial trends.