Form 4: FirstEnergy Executive Reports Stock Vesting & Tax Withholding

FirstEnergy's President of FE Utilities, Allan Wade Smith, reported the vesting of restricted stock and the subsequent withholding of shares to cover tax obligations.

Summary

• Allan Wade Smith, President of FE Utilities at FirstEnergy Corp. (FE), reported a transaction on December 18, 2025.
• The transaction involved the withholding of 14,300 shares of common stock at a price of $44.635 per share.
• This withholding was to satisfy tax obligations upon the vesting of 33,861 shares of restricted common stock.
• The restricted stock was granted under an agreement dated December 18, 2023.
• Following the transaction, Smith directly beneficially owns 105,196.562 shares of common stock.
• An additional 520.978 shares are indirectly held through the Company's 401(k) Savings Plan, which includes dividend reinvestment and company match features, estimated as of November 30, 2025.

Sentiment

Score: 5

Explanation: The filing reports a routine insider transaction related to executive compensation (restricted stock vesting and tax withholding). It contains no information that would significantly alter the company's financial outlook or operational status, thus maintaining a neutral sentiment.

Positives

• Vesting of 33,861 shares of restricted common stock indicates successful achievement of performance or tenure conditions for executive compensation.
• The reporting person's direct beneficial ownership increased to 105,196.562 shares due to dividend reinvestments since the last filing.
• Indirect ownership through the 401(k) Savings Plan also includes dividend reinvestment and company match features, contributing to long-term wealth accumulation.

Negatives

• No inherent negatives, as the reported transaction is a standard tax withholding event associated with restricted stock vesting.

Future Outlook

This Form 4 filing does not contain specific forward-looking statements or guidance regarding the company's future performance or strategic direction. It primarily reports a past insider transaction related to executive compensation.

Management Comments

• This Form 4 is being filed to report the number of shares withheld to satisfy the reporting person's tax withholding obligation upon the vesting of 33,861 shares of restricted common stock granted pursuant to the terms of the Restricted Stock Award Agreement, dated December 18, 2023.
• Balance has been updated since the reporting person's last filed Form 4 to include shares acquired through dividend reinvestments.
• The Company's 401(k) Savings Plan includes a unitized fund invested in shares of common stock of the Company, in which the reporting person may invest, and includes dividend reinvestment and company match features.

Industry Context

This filing is a routine insider transaction report (Form 4) for an executive at FirstEnergy Corp., a utility company. Such filings are standard disclosures for publicly traded companies and reflect executive compensation practices, specifically the vesting of restricted stock and associated tax withholdings. It does not provide broader industry trend analysis but confirms ongoing executive compensation structures common in the utility sector.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• The vesting of restricted stock and subsequent tax withholding is a standard practice for executive compensation in publicly traded companies, including those in the utility sector like FirstEnergy Corp.
• The inclusion of dividend reinvestment and company match features in the 401(k) Savings Plan aligns with common employee benefit structures offered by large corporations.
• The reported transaction is consistent with typical compensation events for senior executives, reflecting the payout of long-term incentives.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: Minimal direct impact, as it's a routine compensation event. It confirms the executive's continued equity ownership and alignment with shareholder interests through stock-based compensation.
• Employees: No direct impact on general employees, but it reflects the company's executive compensation structure.

Key Dates

Keywords

FirstEnergy Corp, FE, Allan Wade Smith, Form 4, Insider Transaction, Restricted Stock, Stock Vesting, Tax Withholding, Executive Compensation, Common Stock, 401k Savings Plan, Dividend Reinvestment