Intel CEO Brian Krzanich exercised and sold stock options worth $39 million amid reports the company's chip is vunerable to hackers, The Wall Street Journal reports.
On Nov. 29, Mr. Krzanich sold and exercised 644,135 options and sold another 245,743 shares he already owned, Bloomberg reports, citing filings. The sale lowered Mr. Krzanich's overall holdings by roughly 50 percent to the minimum number of shares required under Intel's ownership policies.
Mr. Krzanich's sales were part of a pre-arranged stock plan, according to Intel. However, some securities lawyers predict the large transaction likely faces U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission scrutiny.
While executives can pre-arrange the number of shares to sell at a pre-determined date, Mr. Krzanich's latest sale mirrored reports that its chips have security flaws. Intel shares tumbled on the news, Bloomberg reports.
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