Form 4: Equitable Holdings CEO Mark Pearson Exercises Options, Sells Shares Under Pre-Arranged Plan

Equitable Holdings President and CEO Mark Pearson executed a series of transactions, including exercising stock options and selling common stock, under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Summary

• Mark Pearson, President and CEO of Equitable Holdings, Inc. (EQH), engaged in stock transactions on July 15, 2025, under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on May 30, 2024.
• Pearson exercised employee stock options to acquire 20,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $23.18 per share. These options were granted under the Issuer's 2019 Omnibus Incentive Plan and vested in three installments starting February 26, 2021.
• Concurrently, Pearson sold a total of 30,000 shares of common stock in multiple transactions.
• Sales included 19,700 shares at a weighted average price of $52.2049, 300 shares at a weighted average price of $53.05, 9,800 shares at a weighted average price of $52.2066, and 200 shares at $53.12.
• Following these transactions, Pearson's direct beneficial ownership of Equitable Holdings common stock, including Restricted Stock Units, stands at 714,367.21 shares.
• Pearson retains beneficial ownership of 326,400 employee stock options.

Sentiment

Score: 6

Explanation: The sentiment is neutral to slightly positive. While there's a net sale of shares by an insider, it was conducted under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan, which mitigates concerns about opportunistic selling. The exercise of options at a significantly lower price than the sale price indicates the insider's profit from previously granted equity, which is a normal part of executive compensation.

Positives

• The exercise of employee stock options at a price of $23.18, significantly below the market sale prices ranging from $52.2049 to $53.12, indicates a substantial profit for the reporting person on the exercised shares.
• The transactions were conducted under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, which suggests a pre-planned and orderly disposition of shares, reducing concerns about opportunistic insider selling.

Negatives

• The net disposition of 10,000 shares (30,000 sold minus 20,000 acquired) by a key executive could be interpreted by some investors as a slight reduction in direct exposure to the company's equity.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: The net sale of 10,000 shares by the CEO could be viewed as a minor reduction in insider alignment, though the 10b5-1 plan context lessens this impact. The overall beneficial ownership remains substantial.
• Employees: The exercise of stock options is a standard part of executive compensation, demonstrating the value of equity incentives.

Key Dates

Keywords

Equitable Holdings, EQH, Mark Pearson, insider trading, Form 4, stock options, share sale, 10b5-1 plan, executive compensation, beneficial ownership