- Tesla CEO Elon Musk exercised a massive 2018 stock option award, acquiring nearly 304 million shares without using cash or selling shares on the open market.
- The shares were part of a performance-based pay package and remain restricted, not fully vesting until 2028 if Musk continues as CEO.
- This transaction increased Musk’s direct ownership in Tesla to approximately 19.9%, as detailed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Retail trader sentiment for TSLA stock remained neutral in the past 24 hours, while the stock is down 10% year-to-date.
On Wednesday, Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk significantly bolstered his stake in the electric vehicle giant by exercising his long-held, performance-based stock options. According to a filing submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the transaction involved no cash and did not flood the market with new shares.
Musk converted options that allowed him to buy shares at $23.34 each for a total cost of around $7.1 billion. Consequently, Tesla withheld 17.5 million of the newly issued shares to cover this expense, leaving Musk with a net gain of nearly 286 million additional shares.
These options were part of the landmark 2018 compensation package approved by shareholders. Unlike standard executive pay, this package contained no salary or cash bonuses and was entirely tied to Tesla hitting aggressive financial milestones.
The shares Musk received remain restricted, however. They will not fully vest until January 2028, and only if he continues serving as CEO or in a comparable leadership role.
Meanwhile, retail trader sentiment for TSLA on social platforms stayed within ‘neutral’ territory over the past day. Tesla stock has fallen 10% so far this year.
✅ Follow BITNEWSBOT on Telegram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com, and Google News for instant updates.
