Form 4: Ares Management GC Receives Equity Grant, Sells Shares for Tax

Ares Management General Counsel Naseem Sagati Aghili reported receiving a new equity grant of 100,000 restricted units and selling 23,861 shares to cover tax obligations.

Summary

• Naseem Sagati Aghili, General Counsel of Ares Management Corp, acquired 100,000 Class A Common Stock restricted units on January 31, 2026, as part of an equity incentive plan.
• These restricted units represent the right to receive one share of Class A Common Stock upon vesting, with restrictions scheduled to lapse in four equal installments on January 31, 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031.
• Following this acquisition, Aghili beneficially owned 354,671 shares, including 254,872 restricted units.
• Aghili also disposed of 23,861 shares of Class A Common Stock on January 31, 2026, at a price of $149.67 per share.
• This disposition was to satisfy minimum tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of previously granted restricted units.
• After the disposition, Aghili beneficially owned 330,810 shares, including 204,872 restricted units.

Sentiment

Score: 7

Explanation: StockSavvy.ai views this filing as moderately positive. The significant equity grant to a key executive indicates continued alignment of management incentives with company performance, while the share disposition is a standard tax-related event.

Positives

• The General Counsel received a significant grant of 100,000 restricted stock units, aligning management's interests with long-term shareholder value.

Negatives

• A disposition of 23,861 shares occurred, although it was for tax withholding purposes related to vested equity.

Future Outlook

This filing primarily reports past transactions and does not contain explicit forward-looking statements or guidance from the company.

Industry Context

StockSavvy.ai notes that the grant of restricted stock units and subsequent sale of shares for tax withholding are routine components of executive compensation packages in the financial services industry, designed to incentivize long-term performance and align executive interests with shareholder returns.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: The equity grant aligns the General Counsel's interests with long-term shareholder value. The tax-related sale is a minor, routine event with negligible impact on overall share structure.

Next Steps

• Vesting of the 100,000 restricted units in four equal installments on January 31, 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031.

Key Dates

Keywords

Ares Management, ARES, SEC Form 4, Insider Transaction, Equity Grant, Restricted Units, Stock Sale, General Counsel, Executive Compensation