Aeva Technologies' CEO Sold 488,000 Shares Worth $6.3 Million

Soroush Salehian Dardashti, Chief Executive Officer of Aeva Technologies (NASDAQ:AEVA), directly sold 488,160 shares for a total of approximately $6.3 million in multiple open-market transactions on Jan. 2, 2026, as disclosed in the SEC Form 4 filing.

Transaction summary

Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price ($12.96); post-transaction value based on Jan. 2, 2026 market close ($12.96).

Key questions

• How significant was this sale relative to Dardashti's previous insider transactions?
  This was Dardashti's largest single direct sale to date, exceeding his historical median sell size of 200,000 shares for recent transactions and representing more than double the median percentage of holdings typically sold per trade (4.26% median vs. 11.61% in this event).
• What impact does this transaction have on Dardashti's ownership in Aeva Technologies?
  The sale reduced his direct holdings from 2,319,359 to 1,831,199 shares, while indirect holdings of 1,884,808 shares held by trust remain intact.
• Does the transaction indicate a shift in disposition cadence or reflect declining available share capacity?
  Given that Dardashti's total holdings have declined by 64.88% since March 2025, the large size of this sale reflects both a high cadence of selling activity over the past year and a narrowing pool of shares remaining for future dispositions.
• How did the transaction price compare to Aeva Technologies' recent trading levels?
  The shares were sold at around $12.96 per share; this was below the Jan. 2, 2026 market open of $13.44 and above the close of $12.75, while as of Jan. 10, 2026, the stock was priced at $19.87, representing a 342.54% one-year total return as of the transaction date.

Company overview

* 1-year performance calculated using Jan. 2, 2026 as the reference date.

Company snapshot

• Offers 4D LiDAR-on-chip products based on frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) sensing technology, serving applications in automated driving, consumer electronics, health, industrial automation, and security.
• Business model centers on developing and licensing proprietary LiDAR-on-chip platforms for integration into advanced sensing systems.
• Serves automotive, consumer electronics, and industrial automation markets seeking high-resolution, real-time perception solutions.

Aeva Technologies develops frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) sensing technology for high-resolution, real-time 4D sensing across various industries. The company’s proprietary LiDAR-on-chip platform is designed for automated driving and other advanced applications, positioning it as a key player in next-generation perception systems.

What this transaction means for investors

Dardashti probably wishes he had held the 488,160 shares he recently reported selling just a little longer. Aeva Technologies' stock price has risen by 56% since Jan. 2, 2026.

After watching Aeva Technologies' stock rise by over 150% during the 12 months leading up to the transaction date, Dardashti's sale seems like more of an attempt to lock in some gains than an attempt to exit a troublesome investment. After completing the transactions, he still held over 3.7 million shares.

Shortly following Dardashti's sale, Aeva Technologies' stock soared in response to a deal with Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA). Nvidia has selected Aeva's integrated frequency modulated continuous wave 4D LiDAR technology for the NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion autonomous vehicle reference platform.

The integration with the autonomous vehicle platform expands Aeva's role as a core LiDAR sensor supplier to heaps of commercial vehicle manufacturers that have selected Nvidia's autonomous vehicle architecture. More recently, Aeva introduced the industry's first wide-view, short-range 4D LiDAR sensor for physical artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

Glossary

Insider transaction: A trade of a company's securities by its executives, directors, or major shareholders.

Direct ownership: Shares held personally by an individual, not through trusts or other entities.

Indirect holdings: Shares owned through another entity, such as a trust, rather than held personally.

SEC Form 4: A required filing that discloses insider trades of company stock by officers, directors, or major shareholders.

Disposition: The act of selling or otherwise transferring ownership of an asset or security.

Open-market transaction: Buying or selling securities on a public exchange, rather than through private arrangements.

Weighted average purchase price: The average price paid per share, adjusted for the number of shares in each transaction.

Trust: A legal arrangement where assets are managed by one party for the benefit of another.

LiDAR: A technology that uses laser light to measure distances and create detailed 3D maps of environments.

FMCW (frequency modulated continuous wave): A sensing technology that measures distance and velocity using modulated laser signals.

Total return: The investment's price change plus all dividends and distributions, assuming those payouts are reinvested.

TTM: The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.

Cory Renauer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.