Form 4: AAOI CFO Murry Disposes Shares for Tax Obligations

Applied Optoelectronics CFO Stefan Murry disposed of common stock to cover tax liabilities from restricted stock unit vestings.

Summary

• Stefan J. Murry, Chief Financial Officer of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AAOI), reported the disposition of common stock.
• The transactions occurred on January 22, 2026, and involved surrendering shares to the Issuer to satisfy tax-withholding obligations.
• A total of 7,150 shares were disposed across four separate transactions at a price of $38.38 per share.
• These dispositions were related to the vesting of restricted stock unit awards granted on June 27, 2022, June 26, 2023, April 29, 2024, and April 11, 2025.
• Following these transactions, Stefan J. Murry beneficially owns 275,821 shares of Common Stock directly.

Sentiment

Score: 5

Explanation: The filing reports a routine, non-discretionary insider transaction related to tax withholding upon RSU vesting, which is a neutral event for company performance or outlook.

Positives

• The underlying event is the vesting of restricted stock units, indicating the executive is receiving equity compensation, which aligns management's interests with shareholders.
• The disposition of shares for tax withholding is a standard administrative procedure for equity compensation.

Future Outlook

This filing does not contain any forward-looking statements or guidance regarding the company's future performance or outlook.

Industry Context

This is a routine insider transaction related to executive compensation and tax obligations, common across all industries for publicly traded companies with equity incentive plans.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• The practice of surrendering shares to cover tax liabilities upon RSU vesting is a standard and widely accepted method for managing equity compensation in public companies, consistent with industry benchmarks.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: The disposition of shares for tax purposes is a standard practice and does not reflect a discretionary sale by the insider. The number of shares is relatively small compared to the total outstanding shares, resulting in minimal dilution.
• Employees (specifically the CFO): The vesting of RSUs represents a component of the CFO's compensation, aligning their financial interests with the company's performance.

Key Dates

Keywords

AAOI, Applied Optoelectronics, Form 4, Insider Transaction, Stefan Murry, CFO, Restricted Stock Units, RSU Vesting, Tax Withholding, Equity Compensation