Eastern Co (EML) 10% Owner James Mitarotonda Receives 1,423 Shares

What Happened
James A. Mitarotonda, identified as a 10% owner, received 1,423 shares of Eastern Company (EML) on 2026-09-16. The shares were issued at an effective price of $25.25 per share, for a total value of approximately $35,931. This was an acquisition through the company’s Director’s Fee Program (reported on Form 4 as a purchase), not a sale.

Key Details

• Transaction date: 2026-09-16; filing date: 2026-09-17 (filed next day).
• Price per share: $25.25; total value: ~$35,931.
• Shares received: 1,423 shares issued under The Eastern Company Director’s Fee Program pursuant to Rule 16b-3(d). The number of shares was determined using the share price on Sept 15, 2026. (Footnote F1)
• Ownership structure: Reporting person is sole stockholder/director of LNA Capital Corp., which is linked to Barington entities (see Footnote F2 for ownership chain).
• Beneficial ownership disclaimer: The filer disclaims beneficial ownership except for pecuniary interests (Footnote F3).
• Shares owned after the transaction: Not specified in the filing.

Context
This transaction reflects director compensation via the company’s fee program rather than an open-market investment decision. For retail investors, such issuances are generally compensation-related and don’t necessarily signal a personal buy or sell intent by the insider. The filing appears timely (reported one day after the transaction).