Mercier Johanna 4

What Happened

• Johanna Mercier, Gilead's Chief Communications & Corporate Affairs Officer, exercised stock options to acquire 25,000 shares at $66.64 per share (cost $1,666,000) on Feb 17, 2026. The same day she sold a total of 28,000 shares in open-market transactions (18,405 @ ~$154.18; 9,395 @ ~$154.91; 200 @ ~$155.62), generating proceeds of approximately $4,324,228. The Form 4 also reports a 25,000-share derivative disposition at $0 (see Key Details).

Key Details

• Transaction date: February 17, 2026; Form 4 filed Feb 18, 2026 (timely).
• Exercise: 25,000 shares acquired at $66.64 per share ($1,666,000).
• Sales: 18,405 shares @ $154.18, 9,395 @ $154.91, 200 @ $155.62; total proceeds ≈ $4,324,228.
• Additional derivative entry: 25,000 shares reported disposed at $0 (the filing does not specify the reason).
• Sale price ranges noted in filing: roughly $153.57 to $155.62 (footnotes indicate more granular price breakdowns are available to the SEC, issuer, or shareholders).
• Trades were made pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted Feb 20, 2025 (footnote).
• Vesting note (footnote): related options have a four-year vesting schedule — 25% after one year, then 6.25% quarterly thereafter.
• Shares owned after the transaction: not specified in this Form 4.

Context

• This filing shows an option exercise coinciding with same-day open-market sales. The separate derivative disposition reported at $0 often (but not always) reflects shares withheld to cover taxes or exercise costs; the Form 4 does not state the reason here. The sales were executed under a pre-established 10b5-1 plan, which is a routine mechanism insiders use to schedule transactions.