Franklin Chris 4

What Happened

• Franklin Chris, CEO of Essential Utilities (WTRG), transferred (disposed) 5,917 shares back to the company to cover tax obligations tied to vested restricted stock units. The shares were valued at $37.69 each, totaling $223,012. This was a tax-withholding disposition rather than an open-market sale.

Key Details

• Transaction date: 2026-02-05
• Price per share: $37.69; Total value: $223,012
• Transaction type/code: F — disposition to issuer for tax withholding on RSU vesting
• Footnote: F1 — shares surrendered to issuer to satisfy tax obligations upon vesting of restricted stock units
• Shares owned after the transaction: Not reported in the provided filing
• Filing date: 2026-02-09 (filed within the standard two-business-day window; appears timely)

Context

• This was a routine tax-withholding action (common when RSUs vest); shares were surrendered to the company rather than sold on the open market, so it does not necessarily indicate a change in the insider’s market view.
• For retail investors, purchases or open-market sales by insiders may be more indicative of sentiment than tax-withholding dispositions like this one.