Form 4: RYAM Executive Vests Performance Shares

Richard Colby Slaughter, SVP, GC & Corp Sec of Rayonier Advanced Materials, acquired common stock through the vesting of performance share units.

Summary

• Richard Colby Slaughter, SVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary of Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. (RYAM), reported changes in beneficial ownership.
• Acquired 17,273 shares of common stock on March 3, 2026, through the vesting and settlement of Performance Share Units (PSUs).
• The PSUs were originally granted on March 1, 2023, and vested based on relative and absolute Total Shareholder Return (TSR) metrics and cumulative adjusted EBITDA performance over a three-year period ending February 27, 2026.
• 4,206 shares were disposed of at $9.37 per share to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to the PSU vesting.
• Following these transactions, Mr. Slaughter directly owns 103,365 shares of common stock and indirectly owns 572 shares through the RYAM 401(k) Plan.

Sentiment

Score: 7

Explanation: StockSavvy.ai views this filing as moderately positive, reflecting the successful achievement of performance targets that led to PSU vesting, which aligns executive interests with shareholder value creation.

Positives

• The vesting of Performance Share Units indicates that the company met certain performance criteria (relative and absolute Total Shareholder Return and cumulative adjusted EBITDA) over the three-year performance period.
• The transaction aligns executive compensation with company performance, incentivizing long-term value creation.

Negatives

• A portion of the vested shares (4,206 shares) was sold to cover tax withholding, which is a common practice but reduces the executive's direct holdings.

Future Outlook

This Form 4 filing does not contain any forward-looking statements or guidance regarding the company's future performance or outlook.

Industry Context

StockSavvy.ai notes that routine executive compensation events, such as PSU vesting, are common across industries and reflect standard practices for aligning executive incentives with shareholder value. This filing does not provide specific industry-related insights beyond the company's internal performance metrics.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• The use of Performance Share Units (PSUs) tied to Total Shareholder Return (TSR) and adjusted EBITDA is a widely adopted executive compensation practice, comparable to schemes at companies like International Paper (IP) or WestRock (WRK) within the paper and packaging sector, which often link long-term incentives to similar financial and market-based metrics.
• The tax withholding practice upon vesting is standard across publicly traded companies to manage statutory tax obligations for equity awards.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: The vesting of PSUs indicates the company met performance targets, which is generally positive. The issuance of new shares for vesting results in minor dilution.
• Executive (Richard Colby Slaughter): Directly benefits from the acquisition of common stock, increasing personal wealth and aligning further with company performance.

Key Dates

Keywords

Rayonier Advanced Materials, RYAM, Form 4, Insider Transaction, Performance Share Units, PSU Vesting, Executive Compensation, Richard Colby Slaughter, Total Shareholder Return, EBITDA