Insider Trading February 19, 2026

Exelixis Director Sells $4.68M in Stock After Exercising Options

Director Julie Smith liquidates 106,539 shares following option exercises while company posts Q4 2025 EPS beat amid a slight revenue miss

By Nina Shah EXEL
Exelixis Director Sells $4.68M in Stock After Exercising Options
EXEL

Julie Smith, a director at Exelixis, executed option exercises that converted into 106,539 shares of the company's common stock and subsequently sold those shares on February 17-18, 2026, realizing proceeds of about $4.68 million. The option exercises cost a combined $2,060,953. These transactions occurred as Exelixis reported a fourth-quarter 2025 earnings beat on EPS but a modest revenue shortfall versus expectations, and as analysts adjusted price targets and reiterated positive views on the company’s oncology asset.

Key Points

  • Exelixis director Julie Smith exercised options and sold 106,539 shares on February 17-18, 2026, for approximately $4.68 million in proceeds.
  • The option exercises cost $2,060,953, with exercise prices between $18.19 and $21.69 and sale prices between $43.33 and $44.50; Smith now directly holds 20,590 shares, including 9,812 RSU-related shares.
  • Exelixis posted Q4 2025 EPS of $0.97, beating estimates of $0.80, while revenues missed slightly at $598.66 million versus expected $604.56 million; analysts adjusted targets and maintained favorable ratings amid optimism for the company’s oncology candidate.

Julie Smith, serving on the board of Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL), completed a series of option exercises and immediate open-market sales that together amounted to 106,539 shares of the company’s common stock. The transactions took place on February 17 and 18, 2026, and generated approximately $4.68 million in gross proceeds, with sale prices ranging from $43.33 to $44.50 per share.

The stock dispositions followed the exercise of options to acquire the same 106,539 shares at a total exercise cost of $2,060,953. The individual option exercise prices ranged from $18.19 to $21.69 per share.

Transaction details by date and tranche are as follows:

  • On February 17, Smith exercised options to purchase 42,422 shares at an exercise price of $18.19 and sold those 42,422 shares at $43.33.
  • On February 18, she exercised options to acquire 44,087 shares at $19.39 and 20,030 shares at $21.69. Following those exercises, she sold the 44,087 shares at $44.50 and the 20,030 shares at $44.30.

At the time of the reported transactions, Exelixis shares were trading at $44.16. The company’s stock has rallied over the past year, gaining 26% during that period.

An analysis noted that Exelixis appears to be trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.01, a valuation that was characterized as presenting upside relative to peers. The same analytical resource also lists additional research content and tips on the company.

After these option exercises and sales, Smith retains direct ownership of 20,590 shares of Exelixis common stock. That holding includes 9,812 shares that remain subject to issuance upon the vesting of restricted stock units.


Corporate results released for the fourth quarter of 2025 show Exelixis reported earnings per share of $0.97, exceeding analyst expectations of $0.80 by 21.25%. Revenue for the quarter came in at $598.66 million, slightly below the consensus projection of $604.56 million.

Market reactions among sell-side analysts included a price-target move and reaffirmations. H.C. Wainwright raised its price target on Exelixis from $52 to $54 and maintained a Buy rating, attributing the EPS outperformance chiefly to lower-than-expected tax expenses. Separately, Citizens reiterated a Market Outperform rating and kept a $50 price target, highlighting optimism about Exelixis’s oncology candidate zanzalintinib, including commentary relating to its potential in metastatic colorectal cancer discussed at ESMO 2025.

The sequence of option exercises, share sales, recent quarterly results and analyst commentary together form the immediate observable developments regarding Exelixis. The disclosures show both management and market activity during a period of mixed operational signals: a clear EPS beat accompanied by a modest revenue shortfall and ongoing analyst scrutiny of the company’s lead therapeutic program.

Risks

  • Revenue for Q4 2025 fell short of consensus estimates, creating potential near-term revenue uncertainty for the company and investor sentiment in the biotech sector.
  • Analyst expectations and price targets vary even after the EPS beat, indicating differing assessments among sell-side firms which may contribute to volatility in the healthcare and capital markets.
  • The public filings do not specify motives behind the director’s option exercises and sales, leaving ambiguity about whether the transactions reflect personal liquidity needs or other factors unrelated to company fundamentals; this uncertainty can affect perceptions in equity markets.

More from Insider Trading

Sonoco Packaging Executive Disposes Small Stake as Company Outlines Multi-Year Earnings Goals Feb 20, 2026 Bank of the James Director Adds $20,412 in Shares; Co-Founder Retires After Long Tenure Feb 20, 2026 Rogers Corp Director Disposes of 8,000 Shares; Stock Near Yearly High After Strong Quarter Feb 20, 2026 Nicolet Bankshares Director Executes Stock Sales and Option Exercise Totaling Over $2 Million Feb 20, 2026 CME Group Director Disposes $91,770 in Shares as Company Advances New Products Feb 20, 2026