Form 4: CHTR Exec Ray Reports Stock, Option Grants

Charter Communications' EVP, Chief Commercial Officer Richard Adam Ray reported new grants of stock options and restricted stock units, alongside the vesting of previous RSUs and related tax withholdings.

Summary

• Richard Adam Ray, EVP, Chief Commercial Officer of Charter Communications, Inc. (CHTR), reported several transactions.
• On January 16, 2026, 774 shares of Class A Common Stock were acquired due to the vesting of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) that were granted on January 17, 2023.
• Concurrently, 288 shares of Class A Common Stock were disposed of at a price of $191.765 to cover tax liabilities related to the vesting.
• Following these transactions, Ray directly beneficially owns 1,631 shares of Class A Common Stock.
• On January 15, 2026, Ray was granted 7,504 stock options with an exercise price of $198.03, which will vest 100% on January 15, 2029, and expire on January 15, 2036.
• Also on January 15, 2026, Ray was granted 947 Restricted Stock Units, which will vest 100% on January 15, 2029.
• The 774 Restricted Stock Units that vested on January 16, 2026, were converted into common stock, resulting in 0 derivative units remaining from that specific grant.

Sentiment

Score: 7

Explanation: The filing reflects routine executive compensation, including new equity grants and vesting of prior awards. This is generally positive as it aligns executive incentives with long-term company performance, but it's a standard event rather than a significant new development.

Positives

• Grant of 7,504 stock options to a key executive, aligning management incentives with shareholder value.
• Grant of 947 Restricted Stock Units, further aligning executive interests with long-term company performance.
• Vesting of 774 Restricted Stock Units, indicating successful achievement of prior performance or time-based conditions.

Negatives

• Disposal of 288 shares of Class A Common Stock for tax withholding, which is a common practice but reduces direct share ownership.

Future Outlook

The grants of stock options and restricted stock units with vesting dates in 2029 indicate a long-term incentive structure for the EVP, Chief Commercial Officer, aligning future performance with executive compensation.

Industry Context

Executive equity grants are a standard practice across the telecommunications and media industry to attract, retain, and motivate key leadership, linking their financial success to the company's long-term performance and shareholder returns. This filing reflects a routine compensation event for a senior executive at a major cable and broadband provider.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• The structure of equity compensation, including stock options and restricted stock units with multi-year vesting schedules, is consistent with common practices observed at comparable companies in the telecommunications sector, such as Comcast (CMCSA) or AT&T (T), which utilize similar long-term incentive plans to align executive interests with shareholder value creation over several years.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: Alignment of executive incentives with long-term shareholder value through equity grants.
• Employees: Reflects standard executive compensation practices within the company.

Next Steps

• Continued vesting of the newly granted stock options and Restricted Stock Units on January 15, 2029.
• Potential exercise of stock options between January 15, 2029, and January 15, 2036.

Key Dates

Recommendation

This Form 4 filing details routine executive compensation, specifically the vesting of prior equity awards and the grant of new long-term incentives. While these grants align executive interests with shareholder value, they are standard events and do not provide new material information that would warrant a change in investment recommendation. The filing does not contain any operational or financial news that would significantly impact the company's valuation or outlook.

Keywords

Charter Communications, CHTR, SEC Form 4, Insider Trading, Stock Options, Restricted Stock Units, Executive Compensation, Richard Adam Ray, Equity Grant, Vesting