Vericel CMO trades 10,000 shares via option exercise
Vericel Corp’s Chief Medical Officer, Jonathan Mark Hopper, reported an exercise-and-sell transaction in company stock.
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Form Type
4
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Vericel Corp’s Chief Medical Officer, Jonathan Mark Hopper, reported an exercise-and-sell transaction in company stock. On June 26, 2026, he exercised stock options to acquire 10,000 shares of common stock at $29.82 per share and sold 10,000 shares in open-market trades at $45.00 per share in two 5,000-share blocks.
After these transactions, Hopper directly holds 75,753 shares of Vericel common stock and 25,000 remaining stock options with a $29.82 exercise price expiring on February 17, 2033. The sales were carried out under an automatic Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on May 30, 2025, indicating they were pre-scheduled rather than discretionary market-timing trades.
Insider Trade Summary 10b5-1
Exercise and Sale: 10,000 shares ($152K approx. pre-tax spread)
Exercise and Sale
6 txns
Insider
Hopper Jonathan Mark
Role
Chief Medical Officer
Sold
10,000 shs ($450K)
Approx. gross sale proceeds
$450K
Approx. exercise cost
$298K
Approx. pre-tax spread
$152K
| Type | Security | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Stock Option (Right to Buy) | 5,000 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Exercise | Stock Option (Right to Buy) | 5,000 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Exercise | Common Stock | 5,000 | $29.82 | $149K |
| Sale | Common Stock | 5,000 | $45.00 | $225K |
| Exercise | Common Stock | 5,000 | $29.82 | $149K |
| Sale | Common Stock | 5,000 | $45.00 | $225K |
Holdings After Transaction:
Stock Option (Right to Buy) — 45,000 contracts (Direct);
Common Stock — 75,753 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 May 30, 2025.
- F3. These options, representing the right to purchase 30,000 shares, became exercisable in equal quarterly installments, contingent upon continued service to the Company, with the first vesting date on May 17, 2023, which was one quarter after the date on which the option was granted.
Key Figures
Shares sold: 10,000 shares
Sale price: $45.00 per share
Options exercised: 10,000 shares
+4 more
7 metrics
Shares sold
10,000 shares
Open-market sales of common stock on June 26, 2026 at $45.00
Sale price
$45.00 per share
Price for two 5,000-share open-market trades on June 26, 2026
Options exercised
10,000 shares
Exercise of stock options at $29.82 per share on June 26, 2026
Option exercise price
$29.82 per share
Stock options for Vericel common stock
Shares held after
75,753 shares
Direct common stock holdings following reported transactions
Options remaining
25,000 options
Remaining stock options at $29.82, expiring February 17, 2033
Option expiration
February 17, 2033
Expiry date of reported Vericel stock options
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
"security_title: Stock Option (Right to Buy)... underlying security title: Common Stock"
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What did Vericel (VCEL) insider Jonathan Hopper report on this Form 4?
Jonathan Hopper, Vericel’s Chief Medical Officer, reported exercising options for 10,000 shares at $29.82 and selling 10,000 shares at $45.00. The filing shows a routine exercise-and-sell pattern rather than a pure open-market sale of an existing stock position.
What is Jonathan Hopper’s remaining Vericel (VCEL) ownership after the reported trades?
After the transactions, Hopper directly holds 75,753 Vericel common shares and 25,000 stock options. The remaining options carry a $29.82 exercise price and expire on February 17, 2033, indicating he maintains substantial ongoing equity exposure to the company.
Were Jonathan Hopper’s Vericel (VCEL) stock sales made under a Rule 10b5-1 plan?
Yes. A footnote states the sales were effected by automatic trades under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on May 30, 2025. Such plans pre-schedule transactions, reducing the likelihood that trade timing reflects short-term views on Vericel’s share price.
What is the exercise price and expiry of Jonathan Hopper’s Vericel (VCEL) stock options?
The reported stock options have a $29.82 exercise price and expire on February 17, 2033. The options cover 30,000 shares in total and vest in equal quarterly installments, contingent on continued service, with vesting that began on May 17, 2023.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
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