A Vaxcyte Executive Just Cashed Options Struck at $5.35. Here's What Long-Term Investors Should Know
Key Points
The transactions represented a combined value of about $378,000 based on weighted average prices of $61.12 per share.
Jim Wassil traded shares equal to 4% of the stake held before the filing.
The disposition involved 2,705 shares withheld for tax obligations and the exercise and sale of 2,250 options under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.
- 10 stocks we like better than Vaxcyte ›
Jim Wassil, Chief Operating Officer of Vaxcyte, Inc. (NASDAQ:PCVX), reported the sale of 6,182 shares of common stock on August 31 and September 1, totaling $378,000, according to an SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summary
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Transaction value | ~$378,000 |
| Shares sold (directly held) | 6,182 |
| Post-transaction shares (directly held) | 153,609 |
| Post-transaction value | ~$9.46 million |
Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($61.12); post-transaction value based on the September 2 market close ($61.58).
Key questions
- What was the impact of the derivative transactions?
Wassil exercised 2,250 options at an exercise price of $5.35 per share, representing a significant discount to the weighted average execution price of $61.12. These shares were sold immediately as part of the total disposition. - How much of the trading volume was non-discretionary?
A portion of the activity involved 2,705 shares surrendered to the company to cover tax withholding obligations realized upon the vesting of restricted stock units. The remaining open-market sales were executed under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on December 9, 2025. - What is the current status of the insider's equity position?
Following these transactions, Jim Wassil maintains direct ownership of 153,609 shares of common stock, which represents a 0.11% ownership interest in the company. The insider also holds 66,648 derivative securities. - How does the current stock price compare to the transaction level?
Shares of Vaxcyte were priced at $60.81 as of the September 1 market close, which is 0.51% below the weighted average price of $61.12 achieved during the reported transactions.
Company Overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Share Price (as of market close 2026-09-01) | $60.81 |
| Market Capitalization | $9.0 billion |
| Net Income (TTM) | -$1.1 billion |
| One Year Share Price Change | +95% |
Company Snapshot
- Vaxcyte is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing innovative protein-based vaccines to prevent and manage bacterial infectious diseases, with its lead candidate VAX-24, a 24-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine currently in Phase 1/2 clinical trials.
- The company operates a development-stage business model centered on advancing proprietary vaccine candidates through clinical trials with the objective of eventual commercialization and licensing partnerships with established pharmaceutical entities.
- Vaxcyte's primary target markets include healthcare systems, public health agencies, and pharmaceutical partners seeking next-generation vaccines to address unmet medical needs in infectious disease prevention, particularly in immunocompromised and elderly populations.
Vaxcyte, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology enterprise headquartered in San Carlos with 507 employees, focused on developing next-generation protein-based vaccines addressing significant gaps in infectious disease prevention. The company's strategic approach leverages advanced conjugate vaccine technology to create multi-valent formulations with enhanced immunogenicity and broader pathogen coverage compared to existing therapeutic options. With a market capitalization of $9.0 billion and a one-year share price appreciation of 95%, Vaxcyte represents investor confidence in its clinical pipeline and the substantial market opportunity within the global vaccine sector.
What this transaction means for investors
Wassil exercised 2,250 options struck at $5.35 and sold the shares along with the rest as part of a grant that predates most of what Vaxcyte has become. He scheduled the open-market portion under a plan adopted December 9, 2025, and had 2,705 shares withheld for taxes on vesting stock, leaving 153,609 shares plus 66,648 exercisable options.
Wassil runs operations, which at Vaxcyte means building the manufacturing base for a vaccine that isn't yet approved. Research and development spending hit $267.9 million in the second quarter against $194.2 million a year earlier, and the company attributed the increase partly to manufacturing activities supporting potential future commercial launches. Vaxcyte also needs a lot-to-lot consistency study, the trial proving it can make the same vaccine batch after batch, as the last Phase 3 piece before it can file with the FDA. Vaxcyte must wait to file for approval once that study finishes and the OPUS-2 and OPUS-3 results come in during the first half of 2027.
Should you buy stock in Vaxcyte right now?
Before you buy stock in Vaxcyte, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vaxcyte wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $421,997!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,413,876!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 978% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 213% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 8, 2026.
Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Recommended Articles
