Tax-driven share sale by Twist Bioscience (NASDAQ: TWST) CEO Emily Leproust
Filing Impact
Filing Sentiment
Form Type
4
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Twist Bioscience Corp Chief Executive Officer Emily M. Leproust reported a mandated sale of 6,888 shares of Common Stock on May 21, 2026 at an average price of $53.257 per share. According to the disclosure, these shares were sold solely to cover tax withholding obligations arising from the vesting of Restricted Stock Units under the company’s equity incentive plans, and the transaction did not represent a discretionary trade by the CEO. Following this transaction, Leproust directly held 846,872 shares of Twist Bioscience Common Stock and retained employee stock options covering 64,950 underlying shares at an exercise price of $67.85 per share, expiring on August 31, 2030.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
Insider Trade Summary
Net Seller: 6,888 shares ($366,834)
Net Sell
6 txns
Insider
Leproust Emily M.
Role
Chief Executive Officer
Sold
6,888 shs ($367K)
| Type | Security | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sale | Common Stock | 6,888 | $53.257 | $367K |
| holding | Employee Stock Option (right to buy) | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Employee Stock Option (right to buy) | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Employee Stock Option (right to buy) | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Employee Stock Option (right to buy) | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Employee Stock Option (right to buy) | -- | -- | -- |
Holdings After Transaction:
Common Stock — 846,872 shares (Direct, null);
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) — 0 shares (Direct, null)
Footnotes (1)
- Represents the number of shares required to be sold by the Reporting Person to cover tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting of Restricted Stock Units. These sales are mandated by the Issuer's election under its equity incentive plans to require the satisfaction of a tax withholding obligation to be funded by a "sell to cover" transaction and do not represent discretionary trades by the Reporting Person. The option is immediately exercisable. 25% of the shares subject to the option vested on September 1, 2016 and 1/48th of the shares subject to the option vest on each monthly anniversary thereafter, subject to the Reporting Person's continuous service through each vesting date. The option is immediately exercisable. 10% of the shares subject to the option vested on September 28, 2017, 15% of the shares subject to the option vested on September 28, 2018, and 1/48th of the shares subject to the option vest on each monthly anniversary thereafter, subject to the Reporting Person's continuous service through each vesting date. 20% of the shares subject to the option vested and became exercisable on October 31, 2019 and 1/60th of the shares subject to the option vest and become exercisable on each monthly anniversary thereafter, subject to the Reporting Person's continuous service through each vesting date. 25% of the shares subject to the option vested on October 24, 2020, and 1/48th of the shares subject to the option vest on each monthly anniversary thereafter, subject to the Reporting Person's continuous service through each vesting date. Represents performance stock options granted to the reporting person on September 1, 2020, that vested and became exercisable on December 19, 2022 as a result of the reporting person having met the applicable performance criteria.
Key Figures
Shares sold: 6,888 shares
Sale price: $53.257 per share
Shares held after sale: 846,872 shares
+3 more
6 metrics
Shares sold
6,888 shares
Common Stock sold on May 21, 2026
Sale price
$53.257 per share
Average price for 6,888-share sale
Shares held after sale
846,872 shares
Common Stock directly held post-transaction
Option underlying shares
64,950 shares
Employee stock options on Common Stock
Option exercise price
$67.85 per share
Exercise price for 64,950-share option grant
Option expiration
August 31, 2030
Expiration date of 64,950-share option
Key Terms
Restricted Stock Units, sell to cover, equity incentive plans, Employee Stock Option (right to buy), +1 more
5 terms
Restricted Stock Units financial
"to cover tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting of Restricted Stock Units"
Restricted stock units are a type of company reward where employees are promised shares of stock, but they only fully own these shares after meeting certain conditions, like staying with the company for a set time. They matter because they can become valuable assets and are often used to motivate employees to help the company succeed.
sell to cover financial
"funded by a "sell to cover" transaction and do not represent discretionary trades"
Sell to cover is when a person who receives company stock through options or awards sells just enough shares immediately to pay required taxes, exercise costs, or fees, keeping the rest. Think of it like cashing part of a bonus to cover the tax bill so you can keep the remainder. For investors, it can create predictable small selling pressure and slightly change the number of shares actually held by insiders without increasing long‑term dilution.
equity incentive plans financial
"mandated by the Issuer's election under its equity incentive plans to require the satisfaction of a tax withholding obligation"
Equity incentive plans are company programs that pay employees, executives, or directors with company stock, stock options, or share units instead of or in addition to cash, aiming to align their interests with shareholders—like giving team members a stake in the house they help build. For investors this matters because such plans can motivate better company performance but also dilute existing ownership and increase reported compensation costs, so they affect future earnings, voting power, and share value.
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) financial
"security_title": "Employee Stock Option (right to buy)""
performance stock options financial
"Represents performance stock options granted to the reporting person on September 1, 2020"
FAQ
What did Twist Bioscience (TWST) CEO Emily Leproust report in this Form 4?
Emily Leproust reported a sale of 6,888 Twist Bioscience Common Stock shares. The filing states this sale was required to satisfy tax withholding obligations tied to vesting Restricted Stock Units, rather than a discretionary decision to reduce her equity exposure.
What stock options does the Twist Bioscience (TWST) CEO still hold?
The CEO holds employee stock options over 64,950 underlying Twist Bioscience Common Stock shares at a $67.85 exercise price. These options are immediately exercisable and are scheduled to expire on August 31, 2030, providing additional potential future equity exposure beyond current share holdings.