Insider Trading March 20, 2026

Upwork CEO Disposes of Shares as Company Advances Buyback and Posts Solid Q4 Results

Hayden Brown sold roughly $292,000 of stock on the same day she exercised restricted stock units; board greenlights new $300 million repurchase authorization

By Nina Shah UPWK
Upwork CEO Disposes of Shares as Company Advances Buyback and Posts Solid Q4 Results
UPWK

Upwork President and CEO Hayden Brown sold 23,745 shares of the company's common stock on March 18, 2026, receiving about $292,343 from those transactions, while also exercising restricted stock units that converted into 46,410 shares the same day. The stock is trading near its 52-week low, and recent corporate moves include matched-or-better-than-guidance Q4 2025 results, analyst price-target cuts that retained Buy ratings, a fresh $300 million repurchase program and the announced departure of the company’s GM of Marketplace with a separation package.

Key Points

  • CEO Hayden Brown sold 23,745 shares on March 18, 2026, at an average of $12.3118 per share, raising about $292,343; she also exercised restricted stock units that converted into 46,410 shares the same day.
  • Upwork reported Q4 2025 revenue and adjusted EBITDA that met or slightly exceeded the high end of guidance; Goldman Sachs and UBS cut price targets to $27 and $23 but kept Buy ratings.
  • Board approved a new $300 million share repurchase program, increasing total authorization to $600 million since November 2023; the company repurchased over 9 million shares for $136 million in 2025.

Upwork Inc. reported a flurry of insider activity and corporate actions on March 18, 2026, as President and Chief Executive Officer Hayden Brown both sold and acquired company stock and the board expanded share-repurchase capacity.

Insider transactions

On March 18, 2026, Brown sold 23,745 shares of Upwork common stock at an average sale price of $12.3118 per share, generating proceeds of approximately $292,343. The disposals occurred across multiple transactions with execution prices ranging from $12.13 to $12.52. That same day she exercised restricted stock units that resulted in the acquisition of 46,410 shares of Upwork common stock.

The market price at the time of reporting was $11.28, a level close to the security's 52-week low of $11.13.


Valuation and third-party commentary

An InvestingPro analysis referenced alongside the filings indicates the shares appear undervalued at current levels and notes a set of 15 additional ProTips available to subscribers, including commentary on the company’s strong financial health score. The InvestingPro note was presented as part of the reporting on the insider activity and valuation perspective.


Financial performance and capital allocation

Upwork disclosed fourth-quarter 2025 results in which revenue and adjusted EBITDA met or slightly exceeded the top end of the company's guidance. Following the release, analysts at Goldman Sachs and UBS reduced their price targets for the company to $27 and $23, respectively, though both firms maintained Buy ratings.

Concurrently, Upwork’s board approved a new $300 million share repurchase program. That authorization raises total buyback capacity to $600 million since November 2023. The company previously deployed $136 million in 2025 to repurchase more than 9 million shares.


Leadership change

Separately, Upwork announced the resignation of David T. Bottoms, who served as GM of Marketplace. Under a separation agreement, Mr. Bottoms will remain with the company through April 3 and will receive a lump-sum payment equal to twelve months of his base salary, plus reimbursement for COBRA insurance premiums for up to twelve months.

Taken together, the insider transactions, analyst moves, expanded repurchase plan and an executive departure illustrate a company navigating shareholder-return initiatives and leadership transitions while reporting quarterly results that met internal guidance.

Risks

  • Share price sensitivity - the stock was trading near its 52-week low at $11.28, which signals potential volatility for equity investors.
  • Analyst reassessments - despite maintained Buy ratings, lowered price targets from Goldman Sachs and UBS introduce uncertainty about near-term upside.
  • Leadership transition - the resignation of the GM of Marketplace and related separation terms could create short-term disruption in the marketplace segment.

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