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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple directors Bill Campbell and Millard Drexler recently exercised and sold more than 42,000 Director Stock Options according to documents filed today with the SEC.

Drexler, the chairman and CEO of clothing retailer J. Crew, exercised a series of Director Stock Option grants from 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, for a total of 32,562 shares at exercise prices ranging from $113.62 to $202. He then turned around and sold the shares for roughly $449 each. Drexler netted roughly $9.5 million from the haul, the stock options being by far the most significant benefit of being on Apple's Board of Directors.

Campbell, who is chairman and the former CEO of intuit -- and the longest tenured director at Apple -- exercised a 10,000-share Director option grant at a strike price of $10.19. He then sold the stock for $440/share, for a net of $4.3 million.

Apple Non-Employee Directors typically make $50,000 per year in cash plus an additional stipend for serving on the various director committees. Tim Cook does not receive any additional pay for serving on the board.

In addition, under the Company's Board of Directors Equipment Program, each Non-Employee Director is eligible to receive, upon request and free of charge, one of each new product introduced by the Company and is eligible to purchase additional equipment at a discount.

Article Link: Apple Directors Bill Campbell and Millard Drexler Exercise and Sell Stock Options Worth $13.8 Million
 

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
That's a sweet ass deal; any new product released. True first world problems right there.
 

3282868

macrumors 603
Jan 8, 2009
5,281
0
True first world problems right there.

QFT.
Probably means nothing, but why does it seem more and more head honchos are either leaving Apple or selling large amounts of stock options around the same time (coincidence or selling high)? Are Capital Gains taxes supposed to increase, thus selling now?

Recent S.V.P.'s officially out:

- Mansfield: Came and went, then, came back and now going. (too many years in and out)
- Forestall: well, that wasn't a surprise (2012)
- Browett: Ditto there (guy didn't last a year) (2012)
- Allison Johnson: Marketing communications VP left company after 6 years (2011)
- Richard Williamson: Fired by Eddie Cue over iOS "Maps" (2012)
- Mark Papermaster: S.V.P. of Devices Hardware Engineering fired for alleged iPhone 4 "antenna gate" (2010)

What indication, if any, is related to selling stock options? Does it mean analyst predictions/future trading spec's are low, thus selling high?

Selling stock options:

- Drexler: Former CEO of GAP/Sub-brands for years before Apple
- Bill Campbell: Never heard of him :eek:
- Peter Oppenheimer: Apple CFO recently sold $16.4 Million in AAPL Stock

Cook is CEO and head of retail, Ive is S.V.P. of Industrial Design and now iOS design.

My spidey senses are tingling.
 
Last edited:

jlgolson

Contributing Editor
Jun 2, 2011
383
8
Durango, CO
What indication, if any, is related to selling stock options? Does it mean analyst predictions/future trading spec's are low, thus selling high?
No indications. Campbell's options are from 2004 and were likely going to expire soon if he didn't use them. Drexler's are from a number of years ago as well.

It's routine for executives to sell stock in their companies as a way to diversify their holdings. It's not smart business sense to hold stock in all one company.

Plus, all of these guys know that they have many, many more shares coming their way via RSU grants that have not vested. They aren't actually selling "all" their stock -- just the stock they are actually allowed to sell!

Also, executives (not directors) are now required to hold a multiple of their yearly base salary in Apple stock.
 

roninnder

macrumors newbie
Sep 27, 2011
6
1
That's a sweet ass deal; any new product released. True first world problems right there.

First world problem? What problem are you referring to?

A first world problem is when your Bentley is in the shop so you have to decide whether to take your Ferrari or your BMW to the premier of "Jobs."
 

Dulcimer

macrumors 6502a
Nov 20, 2012
891
688
QFT.
Probably means nothing, but why does it seem more and more head honchos are either leaving Apple or selling large amounts of stock options around the same time (coincidence or selling high)? Are Capital Gains taxes supposed to increase, thus selling now?

Recent S.V.P.'s officially out:

- Mansfield: Came and went, then, came back and now going. (too many years in and out)
- Forestall: well, that wasn't a surprise (2012)
- Browett: Ditto there (guy didn't last a year) (2012)
- Allison Johnson: Marketing communications VP left company after 6 years (2011)
- Richard Williamson: Fired by Eddie Cue over iOS "Maps" (2012)
- Mark Papermaster: S.V.P. of Devices Hardware Engineering fired for alleged iPhone 4 "antenna gate" (2010)

What indication, if any, is related to selling stock options? Does it mean analyst predictions/future trading spec's are low, thus selling high?

Selling stock options:

- Drexler: Former CEO of GAP/Sub-brands for years before Apple
- Bill Campbell: Never heard of him :eek:
- Peter Oppenheimer: Apple CFO recently sold $16.4 Million in AAPL Stock

Cook is CEO and head of retail, Ive is S.V.P. of Industrial Design and now iOS design.

My spidey senses are tingling.

You got a few thinks wrong there. For one, Mansfield hasn't left. He's in charge of "special projects." His removal from the executives team was his choice, as he didn't want to be distracted from the special wireless/semiconductors technology he's working on.

Many of the SVPs gone from the company that you listed were over failures or mistakes (Forstall, Browett, Williamson, Papermaster). To me, the firing of such individuals indicates a step forward for Apple because it shows the company's willingness to make changes. Most of these SVPs aren't a loss to the company.

As for selling stock, people do so in order to make money. Since this article focuses on board directors as opposed to actual company executives, I wouldn't be too concerned. In Oppenheimer's case (an Apple executive), he sold his stock under a schedule that dates back to November 2011, suggesting that his decision wasn't based on a belief of Apple's failure, especially back in 2011 when Apple was growing like crazy!

I think your spidey senses are a bit frayed. :D
 

3282868

macrumors 603
Jan 8, 2009
5,281
0
You got a few thinks wrong there. For one, Mansfield hasn't left. He's in charge of "special projects." His removal from the executives team was his choice, as he didn't want to be distracted from the special wireless/semiconductors technology he's working on.

Many of the SVPs gone from the company that you listed were over failures or mistakes (Forstall, Browett, Williamson, Papermaster). To me, the firing of such individuals indicates a step forward for Apple because it shows the company's willingness to make changes. Most of these SVPs aren't a loss to the company.

As for selling stock, people do so in order to make money. Since this article focuses on board directors as opposed to actual company executives, I wouldn't be too concerned. In Oppenheimer's case (an Apple executive), he sold his stock under a schedule that dates back to November 2011, suggesting that his decision wasn't based on a belief of Apple's failure, especially back in 2011 when Apple was growing like crazy!

I think your spidey senses are a bit frayed. :D

No indications. Campbell's options are from 2004 and were likely going to expire soon if he didn't use them. Drexler's are from a number of years ago as well.

It's routine for executives to sell stock in their companies as a way to diversify their holdings. It's not smart business sense to hold stock in all one company.

Plus, all of these guys know that they have many, many more shares coming their way via RSU grants that have not vested. They aren't actually selling "all" their stock -- just the stock they are actually allowed to sell!

Also, executives (not directors) are now required to hold a multiple of their yearly base salary in Apple stock.

Thanks! Appreciate the info. My father was an investment banker before retiring in the mid-90's (Bear Stearns I think), we weren't close and I never had an inclination towards the financial sect, but was always curious. :)
 

spiderman0616

macrumors 603
Aug 1, 2010
5,651
7,447
You got a few thinks wrong there. For one, Mansfield hasn't left. He's in charge of "special projects." His removal from the executives team was his choice, as he didn't want to be distracted from the special wireless/semiconductors technology he's working on.

Many of the SVPs gone from the company that you listed were over failures or mistakes (Forstall, Browett, Williamson, Papermaster). To me, the firing of such individuals indicates a step forward for Apple because it shows the company's willingness to make changes. Most of these SVPs aren't a loss to the company.

As for selling stock, people do so in order to make money. Since this article focuses on board directors as opposed to actual company executives, I wouldn't be too concerned. In Oppenheimer's case (an Apple executive), he sold his stock under a schedule that dates back to November 2011, suggesting that his decision wasn't based on a belief of Apple's failure, especially back in 2011 when Apple was growing like crazy!

I think your spidey senses are a bit frayed. :D

You're totally right, and maybe his spidey senses are frayed. He does have this all wrong. BUT.......

Sites like MacRumors.com release these stories to generate clicks and get people thinking that it DOES have to do with something being wrong at Apple. And when people worry about that, they come here more to read stories and take to the forums with their worries.

Since I truly believe that the people running MacRumors are very smart people, I also believe that these stories are posted by design as click bait. I used to follow MacRumors, AppleInsider, 9to5 Mac, and a couple of others, and MacRumors is the last one left that I pay attention to because I feel they're the least of the evils and I have to get my news SOMEWHERE.
 

macs4nw

macrumors 601
Apple Non-Employee Directors typically make $50,000 per year in cash plus an additional stipend for serving on the various director committees. Tim Cook does not receive any additional pay for serving on the board.

In addition, under the Company's Board of Directors Equipment Program, each Non-Employee Director is eligible to receive, upon request and free of charge, one of each new product introduced by the Company and is eligible to purchase additional equipment at a discount.

Article Link: Apple Directors Bill Campbell and Millard Drexler Exercise and Sell Stock Options Worth $13.8 Million

A nice little perq to be sure, but just gravy to these directors, most of whom are well-heeled current or former executives.

.....Campbell, who is chairman and the former CEO of intuit -- and the longest tenured director at Apple -- exercised a 10,000-share Director option grant at a strike price of $10.19. He then sold the stock for $440/share, for a net of $4.3 million.....

Article Link: Apple Directors Bill Campbell and Millard Drexler Exercise and Sell Stock Options Worth $13.8 Million

These board members currently or previously involved with other tech companies, are always a bit of a double-edged sword: On the one hand they bring an incalculable amount of know-how and savvy to a company's boardroom, but on the flipside, with their intimate knowledge of the business plans of at least two companies, there is an undeniable potential for a conflict of interest, and by the time they excuse themselves from their tenure, the damage may have already been done.
 

SusanK

macrumors 68000
Oct 9, 2012
1,676
2,655
There's an app for that :)

Many of he brokerage houses have apps in the App Store. Most apps have news and analysis sections in addition to trade functions. Good info on the go.
 

bgillander

macrumors 6502a
Jul 14, 2007
765
672
That's a sweet ass deal; any new product released. True first world problems right there.

As roninnder pointed out, there's no real problem there...

But if one of them starts complaining that their free computer was considered a taxable benefit and they had to pay taxes on it, now that would be a first world problem!
 

jlgolson

Contributing Editor
Jun 2, 2011
383
8
Durango, CO
Since I truly believe that the people running MacRumors are very smart people, I also believe that these stories are posted by design as click bait. I used to follow MacRumors, AppleInsider, 9to5 Mac, and a couple of others, and MacRumors is the last one left that I pay attention to because I feel they're the least of the evils and I have to get my news SOMEWHERE.
Not posting it as link bait -- we don't generally do that -- but in my defense we did put it on the blog rather than the front page!
 

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
As roninnder pointed out, there's no real problem there...

But if one of them starts complaining that their free computer was considered a taxable benefit and they had to pay taxes on it, now that would be a first world problem!

Sorry if you misunderstood and misread my post, but I didn't say there was a problem so much as I said "first world problems" to have that kind of cash and still get free ****. It wasn't aiming at anything else.
 
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