Form 4: Ginkgo Bioworks CFO Reports RSU Vesting and Tax-Related Stock Sale

Ginkgo Bioworks' Chief Financial Officer, Steven P. Coen, reported the vesting of restricted stock units and a subsequent sale of shares to cover tax obligations.

Summary

• Steven P. Coen, Chief Financial Officer of Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA), reported transactions involving the company's Class A Common Stock.
• On August 21, 2025, Coen acquired 587 shares of Class A Common Stock through the vesting of restricted stock units (RSUs).
• Also on August 21, 2025, an additional 156 shares of Class A Common Stock were acquired through RSU vesting.
• Following these acquisitions, Coen's direct beneficial ownership of Class A Common Stock increased to 11,422 shares.
• On August 22, 2025, Coen disposed of 310 shares of Class A Common Stock at a price of $12.396 per share.
• This disposition was explicitly stated as a "sell to cover" transaction to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to the RSU vesting and was not a discretionary trade.
• After the sale, Coen's direct beneficial ownership of Class A Common Stock was 11,112 shares.
• The RSUs represent a contingent right to receive one share of Class A Common Stock.
• One batch of RSUs (587 shares) vested 25% on May 1, 2024, with the remainder vesting in 36 equal monthly installments.
• Another batch of RSUs (156 shares) vested 2/48ths on May 1, 2024, with the remainder vesting in 46 equal monthly installments.

Sentiment

Score: 5

Explanation: The filing reports routine insider transactions related to executive compensation, specifically RSU vesting and a non-discretionary 'sell to cover' for tax purposes. This is a neutral event with no significant positive or negative implications for the company's operational or financial performance.

Positives

• The vesting of Restricted Stock Units indicates the fulfillment of compensation incentives for the Chief Financial Officer.
• The increase in beneficial ownership of Class A Common Stock from 11,112 to 11,422 shares (before the tax-related sale) reflects the conversion of equity awards.

Negatives

• A disposition of 310 shares occurred, although it was for tax withholding purposes and not a discretionary sale.

Industry Context

This filing is a routine insider transaction report for a biotechnology company, reflecting standard equity compensation practices for executives. It does not provide broader industry insights.

Related Party Transactions

• The reported transactions involve the Chief Financial Officer, Steven P. Coen, exercising and selling company stock, which is a standard related-party transaction for executive compensation.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: The sale of shares to cover tax obligations is a routine event and generally has minimal impact on the overall share structure or market perception.
• Employees: The vesting of RSUs demonstrates the company's ongoing equity compensation program for executives.

Key Dates

Recommendation

The filing details a routine 'sell to cover' transaction by the CFO for tax purposes following RSU vesting. This is a non-discretionary event and does not reflect a change in management's outlook or a strategic move. As such, it provides no new information that would warrant a change in investment recommendation; a 'hold' stance is appropriate based solely on this filing.

Keywords

Ginkgo Bioworks, DNA, Steven P. Coen, CFO, Insider Trading, Form 4, Restricted Stock Units, RSU Vesting, Stock Sale, Tax Withholding, Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology