Form 4: Hayward Holdings CEO Sells Shares Under 10b5-1 Plan

Hayward Holdings President and CEO Kevin Holleran sold 60,571 shares of common stock for $16.128 per share after exercising options.

Summary

• Kevin Holleran, President and CEO of Hayward Holdings, Inc., executed a pre-arranged trading plan on December 5, 2025.
• He exercised stock options to acquire 60,571 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.4 per share.
• Concurrently, he sold 60,571 shares of common stock at a weighted average price of $16.128 per share, with sales ranging from $16.0450 to $16.2350.
• These transactions were conducted pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on March 11, 2025.
• Following these transactions, Holleran directly owns 623,540 shares of common stock and indirectly owns 2,100 shares through his children.
• He continues to beneficially own 2,514,571 stock options.

Sentiment

Score: 6

Explanation: The transaction is a routine insider sale under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan, which is generally neutral. The significant profit from option exercise is a positive for the executive, but the sale itself could be viewed with slight caution by some investors, though mitigated by the pre-planned nature.

Positives

• The CEO exercised options at a low strike price ($1.4) and sold shares at a significantly higher market price ($16.128), indicating a substantial personal gain.
• The transactions were executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, suggesting a planned liquidity event rather than a reaction to negative company news or a lack of confidence.

Negatives

• A sale of shares by a high-ranking executive, even if pre-planned, could be perceived with slight caution by some investors.

Future Outlook

NA

Industry Context

NA

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: May view the sale as a routine liquidity event for the CEO, especially given the 10b5-1 plan. Some might interpret it as a slight negative, but the pre-planned nature mitigates this.

Key Dates

Recommendation

The filing details a routine insider transaction by the CEO under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan. While a sale by an executive might sometimes raise concerns, the pre-planned nature and the fact that the CEO still retains a significant number of shares and options suggest this is a personal liquidity event rather than a signal of lack of confidence in the company's future. Therefore, the filing itself does not provide new information that would warrant a change in investment stance, maintaining a 'hold' recommendation.

Keywords

Hayward Holdings, HAYW, Kevin Holleran, Insider Trading, Form 4, Stock Options, Share Sale, CEO, 10b5-1 Plan, Executive Compensation