Form 4: Gartner Director Peter Bisson Receives Equity Compensation Grant

Gartner Inc. Director Peter Bisson was granted 65 Common Stock Equivalents as part of his compensation, increasing his beneficial ownership to 3,471 CSEs.

Summary

• Peter Bisson, a Director of Gartner Inc. (IT), acquired 65 Common Stock Equivalents (CSEs).
• These CSEs were received as compensation for his service as an outside director.
• The grant was made under the Gartner, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP).
• Each CSE is equivalent to one share of Gartner common stock.
• The CSEs convert into Gartner common stock on the date the outside director's continuous status as a director terminates, or as otherwise provided in the LTIP.
• The reported price of the derivative security was $406.7 per CSE.
• Following this transaction, Peter Bisson beneficially owns 3,471 Common Stock Equivalents.

Sentiment

Score: 7

Explanation: The filing indicates a routine equity grant to a director, which is a positive for aligning interests, but it is not a significant market-moving event on its own. It reflects standard corporate compensation practices.

Positives

• Director Peter Bisson received additional equity compensation, which aligns his interests with those of shareholders.
• The grant was made under the company's established Long-Term Incentive Plan, indicating a structured and routine approach to director compensation.

Risks

• The value of the Common Stock Equivalents is directly tied to the future performance of Gartner's common stock, exposing the director's compensation to market fluctuations.

Future Outlook

The Common Stock Equivalents are designed to convert into Gartner common stock upon the termination of the director's continuous status or as otherwise provided in the Long-Term Incentive Plan, aligning future compensation with long-term company performance.

Management Comments

• Common Stock Equivalents were received as compensation for service as an outside director of Gartner, Inc. and granted under the Gartner, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan.

Industry Context

This transaction is a routine insider filing, common across industries, where directors receive equity-based compensation to align their interests with shareholders and incentivize long-term performance. It reflects standard corporate governance practices for publicly traded companies like Gartner, a leading research and advisory company.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• The practice of compensating outside directors with equity, such as Common Stock Equivalents, is a standard corporate governance practice across various industries, including technology and professional services.
• Companies like Forrester Research (FORR) or IDC (part of IDG) also utilize similar equity-based compensation structures for their board members to foster long-term alignment and retention.
• The specific value and number of units granted would typically be benchmarked against peer group compensation data to ensure competitiveness and fairness within the industry.

Corporate Governance

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: Interests are further aligned with the director through equity compensation, potentially fostering long-term value creation.
• Management: Reflects ongoing and standard compensation practices for board members, contributing to stable corporate governance.

Next Steps

• The Common Stock Equivalents will convert into Gartner common stock upon the termination of Peter Bisson's continuous status as a director or as otherwise provided in the LTIP.

Key Dates

Recommendation

Keywords

Gartner Inc., IT, Form 4, SEC filing, Director compensation, Equity compensation, Common Stock Equivalents, Long-Term Incentive Plan, Insider transaction, Peter Bisson