Brown Tice 4

What Happened Brown Tice, a reported 10% owner of Empery Digital Inc. (EMPD), exercised 1,000 call option contracts on May 15, 2026. Each contract covered 100 shares, so the exercise produced 100,000 common shares at an exercise price of $2.99 per share, for a cash outlay of $299,000. The filing also shows the derivative position closed (reported as a disposal at $0) as a result of the automatic exercise at expiration.

Key Details

• Transaction date: 2026-05-15 (automatic exercise at expiration).
• Exercise: 1,000 call contracts → 100,000 shares acquired at $2.99/share; total paid $299,000.
• Derivative closed: the option position was closed on exercise (reported as disposed at $0).
• Shares owned after transaction: reported to include 100,000 newly acquired shares plus prior holdings; filing notes inclusion of 67,634 shares previously held by Woodmont Investing LLC that were transferred to Mr. Brown on March 6, 2026 (total implied holdings reported: 167,634).
• Notable footnotes: F1 = automatic exercise of 1,000 contracts; F2 = closing of the derivative and acquisition exempt from Section 16(b) per Rule 16b‑6(b); F3 = securities directly held by Woodmont Investing LLC (Mr. Brown is managing member and may be deemed to beneficially own); F4 = the 67,634-share transfer note.
• Filing timeliness: Form 4 filed 2026-05-19 for a 2026-05-15 transaction — within the standard 2-business-day reporting window (timely).

Context This was an exercise of in‑the‑money call options that resulted in an acquisition of shares (not an immediate public sale). The derivative position was closed because the options were automatically exercised at expiration. As a reported 10% owner whose securities are held via Woodmont Investing LLC, Brown Tice’s holdings reflect both the LLC position and his reported pecuniary interest; the filing disclaims beneficial ownership except to the extent of pecuniary interest. Exercises and other option transactions are routine but are one way insiders increase their stake without indicating specific future expectations.