Lifeway (LWAY) Director Kirk Chartier Receives 782-Share Award

What Happened Kirk Chartier, a director of Lifeway Foods, was granted/acquired 782 derivative shares on 2026-09-30, reported on Form 4 filed 2026-10-01. The filing records the transaction as an award/grant (code A); no purchase price or dollar value is provided because these are restricted stock units (RSUs) and phantom stock rather than an open-market trade.

Key Details

• Transaction date: 2026-09-30; Form 4 filed: 2026-10-01 (appears timely).
• Transaction type/code: Award/Grant (A) — derivative securities (RSUs and phantom stock).
• Shares involved: 782 derivative shares; price per share: N/A; total value: not stated.
• Vesting/payment terms (per footnotes):
  • F1: Some RSUs vest on December 30, 2026, contingent on continued service.
  • F2: Some RSUs vest on July 1, 2027, contingent on continued service.
  • F3: Phantom stock represents a right to one share payable when the director leaves the board.
  • F4: Some phantom stock acquired upon deferral of the director’s cash compensation for the quarter ended 9/30/2026 under the company’s Non-Employee Director Equity and Deferred Compensation Plan.
• Shares owned after the transaction: Not disclosed in the filing.
• Filing timeliness: Reported the day after the transaction date; no late filing indicated.

Context

• RSUs = contingent rights to receive shares if vesting conditions (usually continued service) are met; phantom stock = cash/stock-equivalent paid later, often upon termination or specified date.
• This was an equity award/compensation deferral for a director — not an open-market purchase or sale — so it reflects compensation mechanics rather than an immediate insider bet on the stock price.