APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC. (AAOI) — Insider Trading

AI-Powered SEC Filing Analysis

Latest Insider Trading Filed: 2026-04-24

Key Insights

CEO Thompson Lin executed four separate RSU vesting transactions on 04/22/2026, totaling 16,672 shares surrendered for tax withholding at $150.57 per share, indicating regular compensation vesting rather than discretionary trading activity.
Lin's beneficial ownership decreased from approximately 1,695,946 shares to 1,688,605 shares following the vesting transactions, representing a net reduction of ~0.43% due to tax obligations on equity compensation.
All four RSU grants span over 2.5 years (June 2023 through February 2026), demonstrating consistent equity compensation strategy and long-term retention focus for the CEO across multiple grant cycles.
The transactions were executed at a uniform price of $150.57, reflecting the stock price at vesting rather than any discretionary buy/sell decision, which is typical for tax-withholding settlements on RSUs.

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Earlier Insider Trading filings

Filed: 2026-04-24

Hung-Lun (Fred) Chang, Senior Vice President and North America General Manager, executed four separate share dispositions on 04/22/2026, totaling 5,140 shares at $150.57 per share, representing approximately $774,000 in value.
All four transactions were forced sales to satisfy tax-withholding obligations upon vesting of restricted stock units (RSUs) granted between June 2023 and February 2026, indicating these are not voluntary insider sales but rather routine equity compensation mechanics.
The executive's beneficial ownership declined from approximately 235,818 shares to 228,478 shares following these tax-withholding dispositions, though the pattern reflects scheduled RSU vesting rather than loss of confidence in the company.
Multiple RSU tranches vesting in a single day suggests a concentrated equity compensation schedule that may warrant monitoring for future tax-withholding-driven sales pressure on the stock.

Filed: 2026-04-24

CFO Stefan J. Murry executed four separate RSU vesting transactions on 04/22/2026, resulting in a net reduction of 4,944 shares through tax-withholding obligations, leaving him with 270,126 shares of direct beneficial ownership.
All share dispositions were involuntary tax-withholding settlements related to RSU vesting events from grants spanning 2023-2026, not discretionary selling, indicating no loss of confidence in the company by senior management.
The consistent pattern of RSU grants and vesting across multiple years (June 2023, April 2024, April 2025, February 2026) demonstrates ongoing executive compensation through equity, aligning management interests with shareholder value.

Filed: 2026-04-24

David C. Kuo, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, sold a total of 3,585 shares on April 22, 2026, at $150.57 per share, representing approximately $540,000 in total value.
All four transactions were tax-withholding related dispositions from vesting restricted stock units (RSUs) rather than voluntary sales, indicating these are routine equity compensation events rather than loss of confidence in the company.
The officer maintained a substantial beneficial ownership position of approximately 79,078 shares after the transactions, suggesting continued significant personal investment in AAOI despite the RSU vesting sales.

Filed: 2026-04-24

Senior Vice President Yeh engaged in four separate tax-withholding share surrenders on 04/22/2026, totaling 4,709 shares at $150.57 per share, representing routine equity compensation vesting rather than discretionary selling.
The transactions reflect vesting of RSU awards granted across multiple years (June 2023, April 2024, April 2025, and February 2026), indicating consistent long-term equity compensation practices by the company.
Yeh maintains significant beneficial ownership of 317,342 shares following these transactions, demonstrating substantial personal financial commitment to AAOI despite the tax-driven share surrenders.

Filed: 2026-04-14

Stefan J. Murry, the Chief Financial Officer of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AAOI), disposed of 4,000 shares of the company's common stock on April 10, 2026 pursuant to a pre-established Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.
The shares were sold at a weighted average price of $136.50 per share, reducing Murry's direct beneficial ownership to 276,070 shares.
Insider selling, even when done through a pre-arranged plan, can signal management's view on the company's near-term prospects and may impact investor sentiment.

Filed: 2026-03-18

Hung-Lun (Fred) Chang, a senior officer at Applied Optoelectronics, sold 36,400 shares of the company's stock on March 16, 2026 at an average price of $100.245 per share.
This transaction reduced Chang's direct beneficial ownership in the company to 233,618 shares, indicating a potential shift in his investment stance.
Insider selling activities can provide insights into management's sentiment and outlook, which investors may want to monitor closely.

Filed: 2026-02-11

The reporting person, Chih-Hsiang (Thompson) Lin, who is the President and CEO of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc., has acquired 82,559 shares of the company's common stock, increasing his direct beneficial ownership to 1,705,277 shares.
The shares were acquired through a grant of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) under the company's Amended and Restated 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, with the RSUs vesting over time.
This acquisition of a significant number of shares by the CEO suggests his confidence in the company's future and alignment with shareholder interests.

Filed: 2026-02-11

Shu-Hua (Joshua) Yeh, the Senior Vice President and Asia General Manager of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AAOI), acquired 25,799 shares of the company's common stock through a grant of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) on February 9, 2026.
The RSUs were granted under the company's Amended and Restated 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, and will vest in one-sixteenth increments every three months, commencing on January 21, 2026.
The acquisition of these shares by a key executive suggests continued confidence in the company's long-term prospects and alignment of management's interests with those of shareholders.

Filed: 2026-02-11

Stefan J. Murry, the Chief Financial Officer of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AAOI), exercised 32,249 restricted stock units (RSUs) on February 9, 2026 under the company's 2021 Equity Incentive Plan.
Murry subsequently sold 18,020 shares of AAOI common stock on February 10-11, 2026 at weighted average prices ranging from $48.68 to $50.25 per share, pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.
The insider selling activity represents approximately 5.9% of Murry's total beneficial ownership in AAOI, suggesting some portfolio diversification or liquidity needs.

Filed: 2026-02-11

The reporting person, David C. Kuo, acquired 17,027 shares of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AAOI) common stock on February 9, 2026 under the company's equity incentive plan, indicating management confidence in the stock.
The reporting person sold a total of 20,000 shares of AAOI common stock on February 10 and 11, 2026 under a pre-established Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, suggesting potential liquidity needs or portfolio rebalancing.
The reported transactions provide transparency into insider ownership and trading activity, which can be useful signals for investors to monitor.

Filed: 2026-02-11

The reporting person, Hung-Lun (Fred) Chang, acquired 25,799 shares of the company's common stock through a restricted stock unit (RSU) grant, increasing his direct beneficial ownership to 270,018 shares.
The RSUs were granted under the company's 2021 Equity Incentive Plan and will vest in equal quarterly installments over the next 16 quarters, indicating a long-term incentive alignment with the company's performance.
As a Senior Vice President and North America General Manager, Chang's acquisition of these shares suggests his confidence in the company's future and his commitment to its success.

Filed: 2026-01-30

Insider David C. Kuo, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, sold 12,000 shares of Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) on January 28, 2026 at an average price of $45.055 per share.
The sale was made pursuant to a pre-existing 10b5-1 trading plan, indicating it was likely a planned transaction rather than a reactionary sale.
Kuo's remaining beneficial ownership after the sale is 114,636 shares, suggesting he still maintains a substantial position in the company.

Filed: 2026-01-26

Insider Shu-Hua (Joshua) Yeh, the Senior Vice President and Asia General Manager of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc., surrendered a total of 5,923 shares to cover tax withholding obligations upon the vesting of restricted stock unit awards.
The shares surrendered represent around 1.7% of Yeh's total beneficial ownership in the company, indicating a moderate level of insider selling activity.
The timing of the transactions, which occurred on January 22, 2026, suggests the insider may have had liquidity needs or portfolio rebalancing considerations, rather than a bearish view on the company's prospects.

Filed: 2026-01-26

The reporting person, Stefan J. Murry, the Chief Financial Officer of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc., has surrendered a total of 7,150 shares to the company to satisfy tax-withholding obligations upon the vesting of restricted stock unit awards.
The transactions occurred on a single day, January 22, 2026, indicating a consistent pattern of insider selling and potential liquidity management.
The reported transactions do not involve any direct purchases or sales of company stock, suggesting the reporting person is not taking a strong directional view on the company's future performance.

Filed: 2026-01-26

The reporting person, Chih-Hsiang (Thompson) Lin, who is the President and CEO of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc., has surrendered a significant number of shares to satisfy tax-withholding obligations related to the vesting of restricted stock unit awards.
The share surrenders occurred on January 22, 2026, and the total number of shares surrendered was 21,672, reducing the reporting person's beneficial ownership of the company's common stock from 1,638,160 to 1,622,718 shares.
The share surrenders appear to be routine transactions related to the vesting of equity compensation awards, and do not necessarily indicate a change in the reporting person's overall investment in the company.

Filed: 2026-01-26

The reporting person, David C. Kuo, who is the Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AAOI), has engaged in multiple transactions involving the company's common stock, including shares surrendered to the issuer to satisfy tax-withholding obligations upon the vesting of restricted stock unit awards.
The transactions occurred on January 22, 2026, and involved the surrender of a total of 4,312 shares at a price of $38.38 per share, reducing Kuo's beneficial ownership of AAOI common stock from 129,776 shares to 126,636 shares.
The pattern of insider selling, particularly by a senior executive, may indicate a potential near-term bearish outlook or concern about the company's prospects, which investors should monitor closely.

Filed: 2026-01-26

The reporting person, Hung-Lun (Fred) Chang, surrendered a total of 6,338 shares of common stock to the issuer to satisfy tax-withholding obligations upon the vesting of restricted stock unit awards, indicating an ongoing pattern of insider sales.
The sale price of $38.38 per share suggests the shares were disposed of at or near the current market price, rather than at a steep discount.
The reporting person's remaining beneficial ownership of 244,219 shares indicates they continue to hold a significant stake in the company, suggesting they may still be bullish on the company's long-term prospects.

Filed: 2026-01-20

The SEC Form 4 filing indicates that Stefan J. Murry, the Chief Financial Officer of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AAOI), sold 66 shares of the company's common stock on January 15, 2026 at a price of $35.01 per share.
The sale was executed pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by Murry on August 12, 2025, which suggests the trade was pre-planned and not based on any material non-public information.
Murry still holds 282,971 shares of AAOI following the reported transaction, indicating he maintains a significant ownership stake in the company.

Other reports for APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.

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Important Information

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