How do RSUs work when company goes public?

You don’t exercise RSUs, unlike stock options. Once the RSU vesting conditions have been met, the shares are delivered to you. While RSUs in public companies typically have just one vesting requirement (e.g. length of employment from time of grant), RSUs in private companies have “double-trigger” vesting.

Where do shares for RSU come from?

An RSU is a promise from your employer to give you shares of the company’s stock (or the cash equivalent) on a future date if certain restrictions are met. Unlike with stock options, with RSUs you don’t have to pay anything to get the stock.

How do companies give RSU?

What are Restricted Stock Units (RSU)? A restricted stock unit is a form of compensation for employees, where the employing company presents one or more of its stocks to the person in question. The beneficiary is free to sell this stock whenever he/she wants if the same is not within its vesting period.

What happens to RSUs when you go public?

1. A service-based requirement: You must work at the company for a certain period of time in order to pass vesting dates. A liquidity event: This means the company goes public, either through a traditional IPO or a direct listing. Once both conditions have been met, any vested RSUs you own will turn into actual shares.

Is an RSU the same as a share?

Stock options are when a company gives an employee the ability to purchase stock at a predetermined price at a given time. Conversely, RSUs are grants of stock that a company gives to an employee without any purchase. Employees get these either as shares or a cash equivalent.

How do RSU work for private companies?

​Definition​ Restricted stock units (RSUs) refer to an agreement by a company to issue an employee shares of stock or the cash value of shares of stock on a future date. Each unit represents one share of stock or the cash value of one share of stock that the employee will receive in the future.

Do public companies give RSU?

Restricted stock units (RSUs) the most common type of equity compensation and are typically offered after a private company goes public or reaches a more stable valuation. Like stock options, RSUs vest over time, but unlike stock options, you don’t have to buy them.