Franklin Chris 4

What Happened

• Chris Franklin, CEO of Essential Utilities (WTRG), received an award and a derivative grant on Jan 23, 2026. He was granted 36,788 restricted stock units (RSUs) (acquired at $0.00) and a stock option grant covering 88,375 shares with an indicated price of $39.19 (aggregate value reported as $3,463,416). These transactions are awards/grants (not open-market purchases or sales).

Key Details

• Transaction date: 2026-01-23; Form 4 filed: 2026-01-27 (filed on time).
• RSU entry: 36,788 shares @ $0.00 (award).
• Derivative/option entry: 88,375 shares @ $39.19 (reported value $3,463,416).
• Shares owned after transaction: Not specified in the provided filing.
• Footnotes of note:
  • F1: RSUs represent contingent rights to one share each; vesting is one-third per year tied to achievement of designated performance goals.
  • F4: The 88,375-share entry is a stock option grant that vests one-third each year on the grant anniversary.
  • F2: References RSU shares not included in a prior 2025 Form 4.
  • F3: Notes shares acquired under the company 401(k) since the last filing.
• Transaction type codes: A = Award/Grant; the derivative entry is an option grant (not an exercised option).

Context

• The 88,375-share entry is a derivative (option) grant — it gives the holder the right to buy shares at the stated price ($39.19) subject to vesting; it does not create immediate share ownership unless exercised later. The RSUs are contingent on performance and vest over time. These are standard compensation awards rather than open-market purchases or sales, so they reflect pay-related grants rather than an immediate insider market view.