Form 4: Palantir Technologies Executive Awarded Stock Appreciation Rights

Ryan D. Taylor, a Palantir Technologies executive, was granted stock appreciation rights (SARs) that are subject to service-based and stock price-based requirements.

Summary

• Ryan D. Taylor, Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Legal Officer of Palantir Technologies, was granted stock appreciation rights (SARs) on April 22, 2025.
• The SARs are subject to both service-based and stock price-based requirements.
• 1/3rd of the SARs will satisfy the service-based requirement in May 2025, and 1/6th will satisfy the service-based requirement each quarter thereafter, contingent on Taylor's continued service.
• The SARs become exercisable during a limited window in November 2033, but only if Palantir's stock price exceeds $150 at that time.
• The SARs have a maximum appreciation value of $300, limiting the maximum number of Class A Common Stock shares issuable upon exercise to 215,556.
• The total number of SARs awarded is 323,334.
• The exercise price of the SARs is $0.

Sentiment

Score: 7

Explanation: The sentiment is neutral to slightly positive. The granting of SARs is a standard practice and indicates confidence in future stock price appreciation, but the specific terms (stock price hurdle) introduce some uncertainty.

Positives

• The SARs incentivize the executive to remain with the company and drive stock price appreciation.
• The vesting schedule aligns the executive's interests with the long-term performance of the company.

Risks

• The SARs may not be exercisable if the stock price does not reach $150 by November 2033.
• The executive may leave the company before the SARs fully vest.

Future Outlook

The SARs are designed to incentivize long-term performance, with vesting and exercisability tied to continued service and stock price appreciation.

Industry Context

Granting stock appreciation rights is a common practice in the technology industry to align executive compensation with company performance and shareholder value.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• Stock appreciation rights are a fairly standard form of executive compensation, particularly in growth-oriented tech companies like Palantir.
• Companies like Snowflake, Datadog, and CrowdStrike also utilize equity-based compensation, including stock options and RSUs, to incentivize their executives.
• The specific terms of the SARs, such as the vesting schedule and performance hurdles, would need to be compared to those offered by peer companies to determine if they are above, below, or in line with industry standards.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders may view the SARs positively as they align executive interests with stock price appreciation.
• Employees may see the SARs as a positive sign of the company's commitment to its leadership.

Key Dates

Keywords

stock appreciation rights, SARs, Palantir Technologies, PLTR, executive compensation, Ryan D. Taylor, Form 4, insider trading