Insider Trading February 2, 2026

Mentor Capital CEO Makes Small Direct Purchases; Audit Firm Change Announced

Billingsley Chester increases stake with modest buys while company confirms new independent auditor after prior firm's acquisition

By Maya Rios MNTR
Mentor Capital CEO Makes Small Direct Purchases; Audit Firm Change Announced
MNTR

Mentor Capital, Inc. (OTC: MNTR) Chief Executive Officer Billingsley Chester reported two small open-market purchases of common stock across late January and early February 2026 that together total $178. Separately, the company disclosed a change in its independent registered public accounting firm to Cherry Bekaert following the acquisition of its prior auditor.

Key Points

  • CEO Billingsley Chester purchased a total of 2,000 common shares in two transactions on January 29, 2026 and February 2, 2026, for a combined $178.
  • After the purchases, Chester directly owns 3,169,296 common shares, plus 47,274 Series D Warrants exercisable at $0.02 (expiring 2038) and 11 Series Q Preferred Shares convertible into 2,592,159 common shares.
  • Mentor Capital engaged Cherry Bekaert as its independent registered public accounting firm effective January 13, following Cherry Bekaert LLP's acquisition of the company’s prior auditor, Spicer Jeffries LLP; the audit committee and board approved the change.

Mentor Capital, Inc. (OTC: MNTR) reported that Chief Executive Officer Billingsley Chester acquired additional common stock of the company in two separate transactions. Records show that on January 29, 2026, Chester purchased 900 shares at a price of $0.09 per share. He followed that on February 2, 2026 with a purchase of 1,100 shares at $0.0884 per share. The combined dollar amount of those transactions is $178, with the per-share prices falling between $0.0884 and $0.09.

Following these purchases, Chester directly holds 3,169,296 shares of Mentor Capital common stock. In addition to his common shares, filings show he owns 47,274 Series D Warrants, which are exercisable for common stock at an exercise price of $0.02 and expire in 2038. He also holds 11 Series Q Preferred Shares that are convertible into 2,592,159 common shares.

In a separate disclosure tied to a recent SEC filing, Mentor Capital announced a change in its independent registered public accounting firm. Effective January 13, the company engaged Cherry Bekaert as its independent auditor. The engagement follows the acquisition of Mentor Capital's previous auditor, Spicer Jeffries LLP, by Cherry Bekaert LLP. Mentor Capital's audit committee and board of directors approved the engagement.

The company characterized the auditor transition as a response to the acquisition of Spicer Jeffries by Cherry Bekaert. Mentor Capital noted the change in its public filings but did not provide additional particulars about potential effects on its financial operations or reporting processes. The announcement stands as a formal update to the company's auditing arrangements rather than a statement about forthcoming operational or financial adjustments.

The reported insider purchases are modest in dollar terms, and the auditor appointment reflects an administrative change following the consolidation of accounting firms. The SEC filing provided the timeline and share counts described above; the company has not issued further commentary on either the insider transactions or the auditor engagement.

Risks

  • Limited disclosure on how the auditor transition might affect financial reporting or audit timelines - impacts company financial controls and reporting processes.
  • Insider purchases are small in value and may not meaningfully alter market perception or liquidity - impacts investor evaluation of insider activity within microcap equities.

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