Form 4: Artiva CEO Sells Shares for Tax Obligations

Artiva Biotherapeutics CEO Fred Aslan sold and had shares withheld to cover tax obligations related to restricted stock unit vesting.

Summary

• Fred Aslan, President and CEO, and a Director of Artiva Biotherapeutics, Inc. (ARTV), reported changes in his beneficial ownership of common stock.
• On May 15, 2025, 4,472 shares of common stock were withheld by the Issuer at a price of $2.13 per share to satisfy income tax obligations associated with the vesting of restricted stock unit awards.
• On August 15, 2025, 25,500 shares of common stock were sold at a weighted average price of $2.7286 per share (with prices ranging from $2.60 to $2.80) pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Plan adopted on July 23, 2024. These sales were also to satisfy income tax obligations related to restricted stock unit vesting.
• On August 15, 2025, an additional 4,472 shares of common stock were withheld by the Issuer at a price of $2.75 per share to satisfy income tax obligations associated with the vesting of restricted stock unit awards.
• Following these reported transactions, Fred Aslan directly beneficially owns 382,221 shares of Artiva Biotherapeutics common stock.

Sentiment

Score: 5

Explanation: The filing reports routine insider transactions related to equity compensation and tax obligations, which are generally neutral events and do not indicate a significant positive or negative sentiment regarding the company's prospects.

Future Outlook

No forward-looking statements or guidance are provided in this insider transaction report.

Industry Context

Insider transactions, particularly those involving the disposition of shares to cover tax obligations from equity compensation like Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), are common occurrences in publicly traded companies. These transactions are typically pre-planned under Rule 10b5-1 plans to avoid accusations of trading on material non-public information.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• The reported transactions are standard practice for executives receiving equity-based compensation. It is common for a portion of vested shares to be sold or withheld to cover tax liabilities, often facilitated through Rule 10b5-1 plans.
• The prices at which shares were disposed ($2.13, $2.7286, $2.75) reflect the market value of Artiva Biotherapeutics' common stock at the time of the transactions, which is typical for such tax-related dispositions.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders may note the reduction in the CEO's direct shareholding, but the explanation that these are tax-related dispositions from RSU vesting mitigates concerns about discretionary selling.
• Employees holding similar equity compensation may find these transactions illustrative of how their own RSU vesting and tax obligations might be handled.

Key Dates

Recommendation

The filing details routine insider transactions by the CEO to cover tax obligations arising from restricted stock unit vesting, including sales under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan. These are not discretionary sales signaling a change in management's outlook on the company's prospects, thus the filing itself does not warrant a change in investment recommendation.

Keywords

Artiva Biotherapeutics, ARTV, SEC Form 4, Insider Trading, Stock Sales, Restricted Stock Units, RSU, Tax Obligations, Rule 10b5-1 Plan