Tesla Director Exercises Options at $15 and Sells at $415 — A 2,668% Gain Netting $10.7M

Tesla Director Turns $1.2M in Options Into $10.7M in a Single Session

Tesla (TSLA) board director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson exercised 80,000 stock options at $14.99 per share and immediately sold 25,731 shares at prices between $412.46 and $418.89 on February 25, 2026. The spread between exercise price and sale price represents a 2,668% gain — turning $1.2 million in option costs into $10.7 million in sale proceeds.

After the transactions, Wilson-Thompson holds 19,669 TSLA shares, down from 45,320 before the sales — a 57% reduction in her position.

Transaction Breakdown

Action	Shares	Price	Est. Value	Shares After
Option Exercise (M)	40,000	$14.99	—	45,400
Option Exercise (M)	40,000	$14.99	—	80,948
Sell (S)	7,501	$414.85	$3,111,790	33,042
Sell (S)	6,825	$415.86	$2,838,258	26,217
Sell (S)	4,777	$413.95	$1,977,449	40,543
Sell (S)	3,148	$416.82	$1,312,162	23,069
Sell (S)	2,960	$417.52	$1,235,847	20,109
Sell (S)	440	$418.89	$184,311	19,669
Sell (S)	80	$412.46	$32,997	45,320

Total sold: 25,731 shares at ~$415 average = $10,692,814

A Prolific Seller

Wilson-Thompson’s career selling at Tesla totals $198.7 million against just $92,261 in purchases. As a board director (not an operating executive), her compensation is almost entirely equity-based, and periodic liquidation is expected. However, cutting her position by 57% in a single day is a significant reduction.

The $14.99 exercise price suggests these options were granted years ago when Tesla traded at a fraction of its current price. With TSLA at $415, these grants are deep in the money and likely approaching expiration — exercise-and-sell is the rational move.

What to Watch

• Other Tesla insiders: Whether additional board members or executives file Form 4 sales in the coming weeks
• Remaining position: Wilson-Thompson still holds 19,669 shares (~$8.2M at current prices) — any further selling would push her to a minimal position
• Tesla catalysts: Upcoming earnings, product launches, and regulatory developments that could shift the stock
• Institutional positioning: Check TSLA’s institutional holder page for whether major 13F filers are trimming alongside board members