Insider Trading June 30, 2026 04:10 PM

Vericel CMO Jonathan Hopper Executes $450K Stock Sale Under Pre-Arranged Plan

Executive transaction occurs as company stock trades near 52-week peak, coinciding with strong Q1 2026 earnings beat.

By Leila Farooq
Share
Twitter Reddit Facebook LinkedIn
VCEL

Vericel Corp (NASDAQ: VCEL) Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Hopper has executed a series of transactions involving the company's equity, including a significant sale of shares and the exercise of stock options. The sale, totaling $450,000, was conducted through an automated trading plan established in May 2025. This activity takes place as Vericel's stock price hovers near its 52-week high, following a reporting period where the company surpassed both revenue and earnings expectations for the first quarter of 2026.

Vericel CMO Jonathan Hopper Executes $450K Stock Sale Under Pre-Arranged Plan
VCEL
Summarize with
ChatGPT Perplexity Claude Grok Gemini

Key Points

  • Vericel CMO Jonathan Hopper sold 10,000 shares for $450,000 via a Rule 10b5-1 plan, while simultaneously exercising options to acquire 10,000 shares valued at $298,200.
  • The transactions occurred as Vericel stock traded near its 52-week high of $46.62, with current prices at $44.46, while analysis suggests the stock remains undervalued against a fair value of $52.
  • Vericel reported Q1 2026 results beating expectations, with EPS of -$0.12 versus a forecast of -$0.15, and revenue of $68.4 million compared to the anticipated $63.7 million.

Jonathan Hopper, serving as the Chief Medical Officer at Vericel Corp (NASDAQ: VCEL), has completed a transaction involving the sale of 10,000 shares of the company's common stock. The transaction, finalized on June 26, 2026, resulted in proceeds totaling $450,000. Each share was disposed of at a price point of $45.00. The execution of this sale was facilitated through an automatic trading plan, which was initially established under the provisions of Rule 10b5-1 on May 30, 2025.

Timing for this divestment coincides with a period of relative strength for Vericel's equity. The stock was trading near its 52-week high of $46.62, with the current valuation recorded at $44.46. According to analysis provided by InvestingPro, the equity remains undervalued relative to its estimated Fair Value of $52. This discrepancy suggests potential upside for the stock despite the recent upward trajectory.

On the identical date of the sale, Mr. Hopper engaged in a concurrent acquisition of equity. He acquired 10,000 shares of Vericel common stock through the exercise of stock options. The exercise price for these options was set at $29.82 per share, resulting in a total transaction value of $298,200. These options were part of a broader grant comprising 30,000 shares. The vesting schedule for this grant required equal quarterly installments contingent upon continued service, with the initial vesting date occurring on May 17, 2023.

Following the conclusion of these transactions, Mr. Hopper's direct holdings in Vericel common stock stand at 75,753 shares. This aggregate figure encompasses shares obtained through the company's 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. For investors seeking comprehensive insights into Vericel's valuation metrics and operational performance, detailed research reports are available, covering this and over 1,400 other US equities.

These executive transactions occur against the backdrop of Vericel Corporation's recent financial disclosures. The company reported first-quarter results for 2026 that exceeded both earnings and revenue forecasts. Vericel posted an earnings per share (EPS) of -$0.12, outperforming the consensus forecast of -$0.15. Furthermore, the company generated revenue of $68.4 million, surpassing the anticipated figure of $63.7 million. These results underscore the company's robust financial performance in the early stages of the fiscal year.

The positive variance in earnings and revenue figures provides critical data for investors assessing Vericel's financial health. While specific analyst reactions to these results are not detailed in the available context, the company's ability to beat forecasts may influence future market assessments. These developments offer investors significant insights into Vericel's current financial standing and operational momentum.

For those evaluating investment opportunities in VCEL, ProPicks AI analyzes the stock alongside thousands of other companies using over 100 financial metrics. This approach looks beyond popularity to assess fundamentals, momentum, and valuation, identifying stocks with favorable risk-reward profiles based on current data. Notable past winners identified through this methodology include Super Micro Computer and AppLovin.

Risks

  • The article does not detail specific analyst reactions to the recent earnings beat, leaving the market's long-term sentiment and valuation adjustments uncertain.
  • While the stock is near a 52-week high, the reliance on automated trading plans for insider transactions introduces standard execution risks inherent to pre-arranged sale schedules.
  • The discrepancy between the current stock price and the estimated fair value of $52 indicates potential volatility or re-rating risks as the market adjusts to the company's financial performance.

More from Insider Trading

Eos Energy CLO Executes $88K Stock Sale Under Pre-Arranged Plan Jun 30, 2026 Eos Energy CAO Sumeet Puri Executes $51,702 Stock Sale Under Pre-Arranged Plan Jun 30, 2026 Eos Energy CAO Michelle Buczkowski Executes $67,323 Share Sale Under Pre-Existing Plan Jun 30, 2026 OneMain Holdings Executive Executes Pre-Arranged Share Sale Amid Mixed Q1 Results Jun 30, 2026 Axon Enterprise CEO Executes $5 Million Share Sale Under Pre-Arranged Plan Jun 30, 2026