Hopper Jonathan Mark 4
4 · Vericel Corp · Filed Apr 6, 2026
Research Summary
AI-generated summary of this filing
Vericel (VCEL) CMO Jonathan Hopper Exercises Options, Sells 3,472 Shares
What Happened
Jonathan Mark Hopper, Chief Medical Officer of Vericel Corp (VCEL), exercised options to acquire 3,472 shares and immediately sold those 3,472 shares in an open-market transaction on April 2, 2026. The exercise recorded a cash cost of $10.95 per share ($38,018 total); the sale was at $35.00 per share for $121,520, producing a gross difference of $83,502 before taxes and fees. The Form 4 shows a related derivative reporting line (zero-dollar entry) consistent with option conversion mechanics.
Key Details
- Transaction date: April 2, 2026. Form 4 filed April 6, 2026 (timely filing).
- Exercise: 3,472 shares exercised at $10.95 each = $38,018 (code M).
- Sale: 3,472 shares sold at $35.00 each = $121,520 (code S).
- Filing notes: Sale was effected automatically under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted May 30, 2025 (Footnote F2).
- Footnote F1: Some reported shares include acquisitions via the issuer’s 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) exempt under Rule 16b-3.
- Footnote F3: The underlying options relate to a grant covering 135,000 shares that became initially exercisable Aug 20, 2019 with a standard vesting schedule.
- Shares owned after transaction: not reported in the provided details.
Context
This was an option exercise paired with an immediate sale (commonly a "cashless" or same-day sale) executed under a pre-established 10b5-1 plan — a routine mechanism insiders use to sell shares while avoiding questions about contemporaneous trading. Such sales are often procedural and do not, by themselves, indicate management sentiment about the company.
Insider Transaction Report
- Exercise/Conversion
Common Stock
[F1]2026-04-02$10.95/sh+3,472$38,018→ 79,028 total - Sale
Common Stock
[F2][F1]2026-04-02$35.00/sh−3,472$121,520→ 75,556 total - Exercise/Conversion
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
[F3]2026-04-02+3,472→ 9,132 totalExercise: $10.95Exp: 2028-08-20→ Common Stock (3,472 underlying)
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 135,000 shares, became exercisable on August 20, 2019, the first anniversary of the date of grant, with 25% vesting and the remaining 75% vesting in equal quarterly installments over three years thereafter, contingent upon continued service to the Company.