Glaukos Director Offloads Fifteen Thousand Shares, Generating Nearly $2 Million in January Transaction

Marc Stapley, a board director at Glaukos Corporation (NYSE: GKOS), completed a significant stock sale on January 22, 2026, when he converted fifteen thousand shares from exercised stock options and immediately sold them in the open market. The transaction, valued at approximately $1.9 million based on a weighted average price of $127.71 per share, marks one of the more substantial insider dispositions from company leadership in recent months.

This fifteen-thousand-share sale represents a material reduction in Stapley’s direct ownership stake at the ophthalmic medical device maker. Prior to the transaction, he held 52,449 shares; afterward, his direct holdings fell to 37,449 shares, worth roughly $4.71 million at the closing price of $125.90 on the transaction date. The sale accounted for 28.60% of his direct holdings, leaving him with no outstanding stock options going forward.

The Transaction Structure and Historical Context

The fifteen thousand shares disposed represented a derivative transaction in which stock options were converted into shares and immediately liquidated through direct market sale, as disclosed in the SEC Form 4 filing. This execution method distinguishes the transaction from typical market-based selling activity and reflects Stapley’s use of a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan—a pre-arranged schedule that allows corporate insiders to set up transactions for future execution dates without regard to material non-public information timing concerns.

Compared to Stapley’s typical administrative dispositions, this sale is notably larger. Since May 2024, his median single transaction involved approximately 6,250 shares, making the current fifteen-thousand-share sale roughly double the historical average. The transaction reduced his proportional stake in Glaukos to 0.07% of all outstanding shares, reflecting a meaningful shift in his direct equity position at the $6.85 billion market-cap company.

Company Performance and Market Position

Glaukos operates in the specialized ophthalmic medical device sector, offering therapies focused on glaucoma and related eye conditions. The company serves ophthalmologists and healthcare institutions across the United States and internationally, with a particular focus on treatments for mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma patients.

Despite its market leadership in eye care innovation, Glaukos has faced profitability headwinds. With trailing twelve-month revenue of $469.82 million, the company posted a net loss of $87.61 million—continuing a pattern of negative earnings that has persisted for over five years. Glaukos’ stock performance reflected this challenge, declining approximately 25% throughout 2025. However, momentum shifted in early 2026, with shares gaining 4.3% in January alone, signaling renewed investor optimism.

FDA Approval Catalyst and Forward Outlook

A key catalyst for recent price strength emerged on January 28, 2026—just days after Stapley’s share sale—when Glaukos announced FDA approval for re-administration of one of its signature supplements to help glaucoma patients manage their condition. The approval allows physicians to re-administer the supplement multiple times depending on individual patient corneal conditions, expanding treatment flexibility and potential repeat-dosing revenue streams.

This regulatory milestone positions Glaukos as a continued force in a pharmaceutical market experiencing strong demand for eye health solutions. The approval may provide near-term support for share valuations, though longer-term investor scrutiny will likely remain focused on the company’s path to sustainable profitability. For now, the combination of insider stock activity, regulatory approval, and modest share price recovery suggests a company navigating a transitional phase in its market development.