Warren Foust, President and CEO of STAAR Surgical Co (NASDAQ:STAA), filed a Form 4 on August 18, 2026, disclosing multiple equity transactions dated August 14, 2026, including the vesting of performance stock units, tax withholding disposals, and new grants of restricted stock units, stock options, and performance awards.

Key Highlights

  • PSU vesting (annual grant): 7,331 performance stock units from the 2025 PSU Program vested on August 14, 2026; 3,730 shares were withheld to satisfy taxes.
  • PSU vesting (expanded role): 3,666 PSUs tied to Foust's expanded role as President and Chief Operating Officer vested on the same date; 1,865 shares were withheld for taxes.
  • New RSU grant: 22,493 restricted stock units were granted on August 14, 2026, vesting one-third on the first anniversary and the remaining two-thirds in 24 substantially equal monthly installments thereafter.
  • New stock options: Two time-based options were granted - one for 40,471 shares (three-year vest) and one for 37,962 shares (42-month vest) - both at an exercise price of $26.18 and expiring August 13, 2036.
  • Performance options: Two performance stock options were granted - one for 131,830 shares and one for 123,659 shares - both at $26.18, subject to stock-price hurdles of $50.00, $75.00, and $100.00 per share, with a performance period ending no later than August 13, 2036.
  • Resulting direct ownership: Following all reported transactions, Foust directly beneficially owned 95,816 shares of common stock, according to the filing.

STAAR Surgical CEO Foust Receives Annual Equity Package, PSUs Settle

According to the filing, Warren Foust, who serves as President and CEO of STAAR Surgical Co, reported six transactions in Table I and seven entries in Table II on August 14, 2026. The Table I activity reflects the settlement and partial tax-withholding disposal of two tranches of performance stock units previously awarded under the company's 2025 Performance Stock Award Program. The filing notes that the number of shares earned in each tranche "was determined upon certification by the Compensation Committee based on achievement of applicable performance goals," and that the original grants were exempt under Rule 16b-3(d) and had not been previously reported.

The filing also discloses that Foust received a new package of equity awards on the same date. These include 22,493 RSUs, each representing the right to receive one share of common stock upon vesting. In addition, two time-based stock options were granted: 40,471 shares exercisable under a three-year schedule and 37,962 shares exercisable over 42 months, with the latter's first vesting milestone set at the 18-month anniversary of the grant date. All options carry an exercise price of $26.18 and an expiration date of August 13, 2036.

Two performance stock options were also granted: one covering 131,830 shares and another covering 123,659 shares. The filing states that vesting for both is "subject to achievement of stock-price hurdles of $50.00, $75.00 and $100.00 per share," with a performance period ending on the earlier of a change in control or the 10-year anniversary of the grant date. The two performance options differ in their time-vesting schedules, with one beginning on the first anniversary and the other on the 18-month anniversary of the grant date.

What Was Disclosed

The Form 4 filed August 18, 2026, covers equity transactions by STAAR Surgical's President and CEO on August 14, 2026, including settlement of PSUs, tax-related share withholdings, and new grants of RSUs, time-based options, and performance options.