Form 4: QuantumScape Director Brad Buss Receives Annual Equity Award

QuantumScape Corporation's Director, Brad W. Buss, was granted 48,192 restricted stock units as part of his annual compensation, aligning his interests with shareholders.

Summary

• On June 4, 2025, QuantumScape Corporation granted 48,192 restricted stock units (RSUs) to Director Brad W. Buss.
• This grant is an annual award under the Issuer's Outside Director Compensation Policy.
• Each RSU represents the right to receive one share of Class A Common Stock of QuantumScape.
• The RSUs will vest 100% on the earlier of the one-year anniversary of the annual meeting held on June 4, 2025, or the day before the next annual meeting of stockholders, contingent on Mr. Buss's continued service.
• Following this transaction, Brad W. Buss directly beneficially owns 122,476 shares of Class A Common Stock, which includes the 48,192 RSUs.
• Additionally, Mr. Buss indirectly beneficially owns 249,720 shares through the 2011 Buss Family Trust and 70,000 shares through the Buss Family Heritage Trust dated December 24, 2020.

Sentiment

Score: 6

Explanation: The document reports a routine and expected compensation event for a director, which is generally positive as it aligns management interests with shareholders, but it does not contain information that would significantly alter the company's financial outlook or operations.

Positives

• The grant of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) to Director Brad W. Buss aligns his financial interests directly with the long-term performance and shareholder value of QuantumScape Corporation.
• This is a standard practice for compensating outside directors, ensuring their commitment and incentivizing sustained service.

Future Outlook

The vesting schedule for the granted RSUs indicates an expectation of continued service from Director Brad W. Buss for at least one year from the grant date, aligning his future compensation with the company's performance.

Industry Context

The granting of restricted stock units to directors is a common and widely accepted practice across various industries for publicly traded companies. It serves to attract and retain qualified board members while aligning their incentives with the long-term interests of shareholders.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• The compensation structure, involving Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) that vest over time, is a standard and widely adopted practice for compensating outside directors in publicly traded companies across various sectors, including technology and automotive-related industries.
• This method is consistent with corporate governance best practices aimed at aligning director incentives with shareholder value creation.
• While specific comparable companies or projects are not detailed in this filing, this type of equity compensation is prevalent among companies like Tesla, Solid Power, and other battery technology firms, as well as broader S&P 500 constituents, for their non-employee directors.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: The RSU grant aligns the director's long-term interests with those of the shareholders, potentially leading to more shareholder-centric decision-making.

Next Steps

• The granted Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) will vest on the earlier of the one-year anniversary of the June 4, 2025 annual meeting or the day before the next annual meeting of stockholders, subject to continued service.

Key Dates

Keywords

QuantumScape, QS, SEC Form 4, Insider Transaction, Director Compensation, Restricted Stock Units, RSU, Beneficial Ownership, Equity Award