What is the current market price of ENGN relative to the $3.79 exercise price, and does this indicate immediate upside or upside potential for option holders? | ENGN (Aug 06, 2025) | Candlesense
ENGN

What is the current market price of ENGN relative to the $3.79 exercise price, and does this indicate immediate upside or upside potential for option holders?

Answer

The press release you quoted tells us that enGene Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ENGN) granted three new employees non‑qualified stock options (NSOs) to buy 93,200 shares at an exercise price of $3.79 per share.

To decide whether those options have immediate upside (i.e., are “in‑the‑money” today) or only upside potential (i.e., are “out‑of‑the‑money” today but could become valuable if the stock rises), we need to compare the current market price of ENGN with the $3.79 strike price.

1. What is the current market price of ENGN?

The news release does not disclose the current trading price of ENGN.

Because the release was published on 2025‑08‑04, the most reliable way to obtain the price is to look up the latest quote on a real‑time market data source (e.g., Bloomberg, Reuters, Yahoo Finance, Nasdaq.com, or a brokerage platform) as of the moment you are checking.

If you do not have a live feed, you can still get a recent closing price by:

Source How to find the price
Nasdaq.com – search “ENGN” and view the “Quote” page.
Yahoo Finance – ticker “ENGN” → “Summary” tab → “Previous Close”.
Google Finance – type “ENGN stock” in the search bar.
Brokerage app – look up the ticker in your watchlist.

Example (illustrative only):

If the latest closing price shown on Nasdaq.com is $4.12, that would be the “current market price” for the purpose of this analysis. You must replace the placeholder with the actual figure you see at the time of reading.

2. How to interpret the price relative to the $3.79 strike

Current Market Price Relation to $3.79 Implication for the option holders
> $3.79 (e.g., $4.12) In‑the‑money The options already have immediate intrinsic value. If the holder exercised today, they would receive a share worth $4.12 by paying $3.79, netting $0.33 per share (ignoring taxes, transaction costs, and any vesting restrictions). This represents instant upside.
= $3.79 At‑the‑money No intrinsic value yet; the option’s value consists solely of time value (the chance the stock will rise before expiration). The holder has potential upside but no immediate gain.
< $3.79 (e.g., $3.45) Out‑of‑the‑money Exercising now would be a loss (pay $3.79 for a share worth $3.45). The options have upside potential only – they could become valuable if ENGN’s price climbs above $3.79 before the options expire.

3. What “upside” really means for these NSOs

Factor Why it matters
Intrinsic value = Current price – Exercise price. If positive, the option is “in‑the‑money” and has immediate upside.
Time value Even if out‑of‑the‑money today, the option may still be worth something because the market expects the stock could rise before expiration. The longer the time to expiration, the higher the time value.
Expiration date The press release does not state the term of the options (typical NSO grants are 5‑10 years). A longer horizon gives more room for the stock to exceed $3.79.
Vesting schedule If the options vest over several years, the holder cannot exercise until vesting is complete, which may delay any upside realization.
Tax considerations NSOs are taxed at ordinary‑income rates on the spread (Current price – $3.79) at exercise. A large upside could trigger a sizable tax bill.
Liquidity & market depth ENGN is a small‑cap, clinical‑stage biotech. Low daily volume can cause price swings that affect the speed at which the stock moves above the strike.

4. Bottom‑line answer (template you can fill in)

Current market price of ENGN: [Insert the latest price you retrieve from a real‑time source]

Comparison to $3.79 strike: [Higher / equal / lower]

Implication:

- If higher, the options have immediate upside (they are already in‑the‑money).

- If equal, they are at‑the‑money – no intrinsic upside yet, only time value.

- If lower, they are out‑of‑the‑money – only upside potential if the share price climbs above $3.79 before expiration.

5. How to monitor the situation going forward

  1. Track ENGN’s price regularly (daily close, intraday moves).
  2. Watch for catalysts – e.g., trial data releases, partnership announcements, or regulatory updates that could push the stock higher.
  3. Review the option grant details (expiration, vesting) once the full filing (e.g., Form 8‑K) is available, as those terms affect the realistic upside timeline.
  4. Consider the tax impact of exercising NSOs, especially if the spread is sizable.

6. Quick checklist for the option holder

✅ Item
1 Get the latest ENGN price (real‑time source).
2 Determine in‑the‑money vs. out‑of‑the‑money by comparing to $3.79.
3 Review the option’s expiration and vesting schedule (usually disclosed in the 8‑K filing).
4 Estimate tax liability if you plan to exercise now (spread × number of shares).
5 Plan a timeline for exercising based on price forecasts, tax planning, and personal cash needs.

7. Final statement (ready to copy‑paste)

Based on the information in the press release, the exercise price of the newly‑granted ENGN options is $3.79 per share. To know whether the options have immediate upside, you must compare this strike price to ENGN’s current market price, which is not provided in the release. Retrieve the latest ENGN quote from a reliable market data source: if the price is above $3.79, the options are already in‑the‑money and offer immediate upside; if it is at $3.79 they are at‑the‑money with no intrinsic gain; and if it is below $3.79 they are out‑of‑the‑money, meaning only upside potential exists if the stock rises above $3.79 before the options expire.

Insert the actual price you find and complete the comparison as shown above.

Other Questions About This News

How does this grant compare in size and terms to recent equity awards made by peer biotech and gene‑therapy companies? How will the issuance of 93,200 non‑qualified stock options affect the company’s share dilution and earnings per share? Are there any restrictions on the transfer or resale of the shares acquired through the options that could impact liquidity? When do the options vest and what is the schedule for potential exercise or sale by the new employees? What is the total compensation expense expected from these inducement awards and how will it be reflected in upcoming financial statements? Will the option grants have any impact on the company’s compliance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) or other regulatory considerations? How might the market perceive the grant of non‑qualified stock options—does it suggest confidence in future valuation growth? What is the likelihood that the option holders will exercise and sell shares in the near term, potentially adding selling pressure? Could the new hires and their equity awards signify a strategic shift or acceleration in the company’s R&D pipeline?