Insider Trading April 10, 2026 05:26 PM

Crinetics Exec Executes $3.4M Stock Sale, Exercises Options Ahead of Exit

Chief Development and Operating Officer sells shares under 10b5-1 plan while exercising options; company posts stronger-than-expected Q4 and advances regulatory filing in Brazil

By Nina Shah CRNX
Crinetics Exec Executes $3.4M Stock Sale, Exercises Options Ahead of Exit
CRNX

Jeff E. Knight, Chief Development & Operating Officer of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (CRNX), sold 85,163 shares on April 8, 2026 under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan for $3.415 million and exercised options to acquire 78,434 shares for $1.758 million the same day. The company reported better-than-expected Q4 2025 results and has filed a Marketing Authorization Application in Brazil for Palsonify. Knight has announced his resignation effective April 10, 2026; Citizens lowered its price target but kept a Market Outperform rating.

Key Points

  • Jeff E. Knight sold 85,163 Crinetics shares on April 8, 2026 for an average of $40.10, totaling $3,415,036; he also exercised options for 78,434 shares the same day for $1,758,818.
  • Crinetics reported stronger-than-expected Q4 2025 results with EPS of -$1.29 versus a forecast of -$1.34 and revenue of $6.1 million versus an expected $4 million.
  • The company submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to Brazil’s health regulator for Palsonify, supported by 18 clinical trials including two successful Phase 3 trials; Knight is scheduled to resign effective April 10, 2026.

Jeff E. Knight, Chief Development & Operating Officer at Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: CRNX), completed a notable set of transactions on April 8, 2026. Knight sold 85,163 shares of the company's common stock at an average price of $40.10 per share, producing proceeds of $3,415,036. The executed sale fell within a trading range of $40.00 to $40.34 on that date.

Concurrently, Knight exercised stock options to acquire 78,434 shares of Crinetics common stock. Those option exercises carried exercise prices between $19.64 and $23.98 and resulted in a total outlay of $1,758,818.

The publicly disclosed sales were carried out automatically under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan that Knight adopted on December 12, 2025. After these transactions were completed, Knight directly held 105,289 shares of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals.


These insider moves come as the company released its fourth-quarter results for 2025, which beat consensus expectations. Crinetics reported an earnings per share (EPS) of -$1.29 for the quarter, outpacing the forecasted -$1.34. Revenue for Q4 was $6.1 million, also above the anticipated $4 million.

On the regulatory front, Crinetics has submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency for Palsonify, an oral treatment intended for acromegaly. The submission is supported by data from 18 clinical trials, including two successful Phase 3 studies.

Separately, Crinetics announced that Knight will step down from his role as Chief Development and Operating Officer effective April 10, 2026. The company stated that his resignation is not the result of any disagreements with management or the board.


Market analysis and analyst activity provide additional context. InvestingPro's evaluation indicates that Crinetics' stock currently appears overvalued relative to its Fair Value estimate; the platform notes the company is valued at approximately $4.12 billion and offers supplementary ProTips and a comprehensive Pro Research Report on the shares.

Meanwhile, Citizens reduced its price target for Crinetics from $105 to $96 but retained a Market Outperform rating. That adjustment followed early launch metrics for Palsonify, with the bank citing physician expectations for significant uptake in the U.S. market as part of the rationale behind its revised estimate.

The sequence of insider sales, option exercises, regulatory filing activity, quarterly results and analyst re-rating provides multiple data points for investors monitoring Crinetics. Each item is factual and disclosed by the company, and all timing and amounts above reflect the company filings and published analyst commentary.

Risks

  • Leadership transition risk - Jeff Knight's resignation effective April 10, 2026 introduces near-term management change at the company, which could affect ongoing development and operational continuity.
  • Valuation risk - InvestingPro analysis indicates the stock appears overvalued relative to its Fair Value estimate, presenting potential downside if market expectations adjust.
  • Regulatory and commercialization risk - The submission of a Marketing Authorization Application to Brazil's regulator signals a regulatory review process; approval outcomes and subsequent market adoption for Palsonify remain to be determined.

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