good-pal: the reason they excercised the options was to lower their tax basis on them, since they assumed the price would be higher post abbott p.r and thus they would have a huge, immediate tax liability. you have to remember that these guys don't take a salary, yet they have immediate tax obligations when they excercise (without any offsetting income until they actually sell the shares).
so, when people whine about the officers selling shares, i wonder how else you expect them to pay the 6-figures tax liability they incur on themselves just by excercising nqso's.
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