Vericel COO sells 10,000 shares after option exercise
Vericel Corp Chief Operating Officer Michael Halpin reported an exercise-and-sale transaction in company stock.
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Form Type
4
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Vericel Corp Chief Operating Officer Michael Halpin reported an exercise-and-sale transaction in company stock. On June 18, 2026, he exercised options to acquire 10,000 shares of common stock at $16.66 per share and then sold 10,000 shares in an open-market transaction at $40.24 per share.
The filing notes that the sales were executed automatically under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on December 2, 2025, indicating the timing was set in advance. Following these transactions, Halpin directly holds 16,248 shares of Vericel common stock.
Insider Trade Summary 10b5-1
Exercise and Sale: 10,000 shares ($236K approx. pre-tax spread)
Exercise and Sale
3 txns
Insider
Halpin Michael
Role
Chief Operating Officer
Sold
10,000 shs ($402K)
Approx. gross sale proceeds
$402K
Approx. exercise cost
$167K
Approx. pre-tax spread
$236K
| Type | Security | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Stock Option (Right to Buy) | 10,000 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Exercise | Common Stock | 10,000 | $16.66 | $167K |
| Sale | Common Stock | 10,000 | $40.24 | $402K |
Holdings After Transaction:
Stock Option (Right to Buy) — 36,250 contracts (Direct);
Common Stock — 16,248 shares (Direct)
Footnotes (3)
- F1. These shares include shares acquired pursuant to the Issuer's 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan in transactions that were exempt under both Rule 16b-3(d) and Rule 16b-3(c).
- F2. The sales reported in this Form 4 were effected by an automatic sale pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on December 2, 2025.
- F3. These options, representing the right to purchase 76,250 shares, became exercisable in equal quarterly installments, contingent upon continued service to the Company, with the first vesting date on May 6, 2019, which was one quarter after the date on which the option was granted.
Key Figures
Shares sold: 10,000 shares
Sale price: $40.24 per share
Options exercised: 10,000 shares
+4 more
7 metrics
Shares sold
10,000 shares
Open-market sale of common stock on June 18, 2026 at $40.24
Sale price
$40.24 per share
Price for 10,000 Vericel common shares sold in open market
Options exercised
10,000 shares
Stock options exercised at $16.66 per share on June 18, 2026
Option exercise price
$16.66 per share
Exercise price for stock options converted into common stock
Post-transaction holdings
16,248 shares
Vericel common stock directly held by COO after transactions
Original option grant size
76,250 shares
Stock options vesting quarterly, contingent on continued service
10b5-1 plan adoption date
December 2, 2025
Date COO adopted automatic trading plan for reported sales
Key Terms
Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Rule 16b-3(d), Rule 16b-3(c), +1 more
5 terms
Rule 10b5-1 trading plan regulatory
"The sales reported in this Form 4 were effected by an automatic sale pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan"
A Rule 10b5-1 trading plan is a pre-arranged schedule that allows company insiders to buy or sell stock at specific times, even if they have inside information. It helps prevent accusations of unfair trading by making these transactions look planned and transparent, rather than sneaky or illegal.
2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan financial
"These shares include shares acquired pursuant to the Issuer's 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan"
Rule 16b-3(d) regulatory
"transactions that were exempt under both Rule 16b-3(d) and Rule 16b-3(c)"
Rule 16b-3(d) is a narrow SEC safe-harbor that shields company insiders (officers, directors and large shareholders) from liability for short‑swing profits when their buys or sells of company stock are made under a pre-established, written plan or contract that removes the insider’s ability to time trades. For investors, this matters because it permits predictable, automated insider transactions — like scheduled sales for diversification or payroll withholding — without triggering forced disgorgement, so such planned trades are treated differently from opportunistic insider trading.
Rule 16b-3(c) regulatory
"transactions that were exempt under both Rule 16b-3(d) and Rule 16b-3(c)"
An SEC rule that lets corporate insiders avoid automatic "short‑swing" profit recovery when they buy or sell their company’s stock under a pre‑approved, written plan that meets specific conditions. For investors, it matters because it clarifies when insider trades are treated as routine, reducing legal uncertainty and helping distinguish trades made for ordinary compensation or pre‑planned reasons from those that might signal opportunistic or timely insider advantage.
Stock Option (Right to Buy) financial
"Stock Option (Right to Buy) ... representing the right to purchase 76,250 shares"
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What insider transaction did Vericel (VCEL) COO Michael Halpin report?
Michael Halpin reported an options exercise and related share sale. He exercised 10,000 options at $16.66 per share and sold 10,000 Vericel common shares at $40.24 per share in an open-market transaction executed on June 18, 2026.
Was the Vericel (VCEL) COO stock sale pre-planned under Rule 10b5-1?
Yes. The filing states the sales were effected automatically under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by Michael Halpin on December 2, 2025. Such pre-arranged plans schedule trades in advance, reducing the significance of transaction timing as an information signal.
What derivative securities were involved in the Vericel (VCEL) COO’s Form 4?
The Form 4 shows a stock option representing the right to buy 10,000 Vericel shares was exercised. A related footnote explains the broader option grant originally covered 76,250 shares that became exercisable in equal quarterly installments, contingent on continued service to the company.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
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