Ziff Davis' General Counsel Sold Over 4,000 Company Shares. What Does That Mean for Investors?
Key Points
4,347 shares sold for a transaction value of ~$199,000 at around $45.75 per share on May 28, 2026.
The sale represented 15.09% of Rossen's direct holdings and total equity position at the time.
All shares disposed were from direct ownership; 2,000 shares remain held indirectly via The Jeremy and Gina Rossen Family Trust.
Rossen retains 24,462 shares (direct and indirect) in Common Stock, supporting ongoing exposure.
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Jeremy Rossen, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, reported the sale of 4,347 shares of Ziff Davis (NASDAQ:ZD) for a total of ~$199,000 on May 28, 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summary
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Shares sold (direct) | 4,347 |
| Transaction value | ~$199,000 |
| Post-transaction shares (direct) | 22,462 |
| Post-transaction shares (indirect) | 2,000 |
| Post-transaction value (direct ownership) | ~$1.0 million |
Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 reported price ($45.75); post-transaction value based on the transaction date closing price.
Key questions
- What proportion of Rossen's Ziff Davis holdings were sold in this transaction?
The sale accounted for 17.8% of his combined direct and indirect position as of the transaction date. - Did this activity affect Rossen's indirect holdings or only his direct stake?
Only directly held shares were disposed; the 2,000 shares held indirectly through The Jeremy and Gina Rossen Family Trust remain unchanged. - What is Rossen's remaining exposure to Ziff Davis following the transaction?
Post-sale, Rossen retains 22,462 shares directly and 2,000 shares indirectly, for a total of 24,462 shares in Common Stock, maintaining a meaningful ongoing exposure to the company.
Company overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Revenue (TTM) | $1.45 billion |
| Net income (TTM) | $45.38 million |
| Employees | 3,800 |
| 1-year price change | 41.60% |
* 1-year performance as of May 28, 2026.
Company snapshot
- Ziff Davis operates a portfolio of digital media properties and cloud-based subscription services, including IGN, PCMag, RetailMeNot, Speedtest, and various health and wellness platforms.
- It generates revenue primarily through digital advertising, affiliate marketing, e-commerce, and recurring subscription fees for cybersecurity and marketing technology solutions.
- The company serves a global customer base of consumers, businesses, and advertisers across technology, entertainment, shopping, and healthcare verticals.
Ziff Davis operates at scale in the digital media and cloud-based services landscape, leveraging a diverse portfolio of high-traffic web properties and subscription platforms.
The company’s dual-segment strategy — digital media and cybersecurity/martech — enables multiple revenue streams and cross-vertical reach. Its competitive advantage lies in its well-known brands, international footprint, and ability to monetize both consumer and enterprise audiences through technology-driven solutions.
What this transaction means for investors
Ziff Davis General Counsel Jeremy Rossen’s May 28 sale of company shares came at a time when the stock was up. Shares rose in March to a 52-week high of $50.55 after the company announced it was selling its connectivity division for $1.2 billion in cash.
This windfall is significant since the transaction alone nearly equaled the company’s June 4 market cap of $1.7 billion. It seems Rossen’s sale was capitalizing on the elevated share price. He still retained over 22,000 shares after the disposition, suggesting he is not in a rush to eliminate his holdings. So this transaction isn’t necessarily a cause for investor concern.
Ziff Davis announced first-quarter revenue of $267.6 million for its continuing operations, which represents a 2% year-over-year decline. It also reported a Q1 net loss of $0.8 million, a substantial decline from net income of $9.8 million in the prior year. The company is engaging with outside advisors to evaluate how to return the operations to growth, and as a result, has deferred providing 2026 guidance.
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Robert Izquierdo 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.
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