Press Release · APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.

Applied Optoelectronics Announces Equity Grants To Employees Under Inducement Plan

Nov 6, 2026, 7:00 AM ESTNASDAQAAOI

Distributed by Insights Emerge · Originally issued via PR Newswire

Key points

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAOI) announced on Nov. 6, 2026 that the Compensation Committee of its Board of Directors granted inducement awards for 1,346 shares of common stock to 3 new employees under its 2023 Equity Inducement Plan. The awards have a grant date of November 2, 2026 and consist of restricted stock units vesting over four years.

The Compensation Committee granted inducement awards for 1,346 shares of common stock to 3 new employees.
The grant date was November 2, 2026.
The awards were made under the Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. 2023 Equity Inducement Plan, pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).
The awards are restricted stock units that vest over a four-year period, subject to the employee's continued service.

The disclosure concerns three new employees of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc., who received restricted stock unit awards as an inducement to join the company. The release states the Inducement Plan is used only for individuals not previously employed by the company, or following a bona fide period of non-employment, under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

Automated summary prepared by Insights Emerge from the release below, which follows as issued.

SUGAR LAND, Texas, Nov. 6, 2026 — Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAOI), a leading provider of advanced optical and HFC networking products that power AI, today announced that the Compensation Committee of its Board of Directors granted inducement awards for 1,346 shares of common stock to 3 new employees, with a grant date of November 2, 2026, pursuant to the Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. 2023 Equity Inducement Plan (the "Inducement Plan").

The Inducement Plan is used exclusively for the grant of equity awards to individuals who were not previously employees of Applied Optoelectronics, or following a bona fide period of non-employment, as an inducement material to such individuals' entering into employment with Applied Optoelectronics, pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The inducement awards are comprised of restricted stock units which vest over a four-year period, subject to the employee's continued service on the applicable vesting dates. The restricted stock units are subject to the terms and conditions of the Inducement Plan and restricted stock unit agreements covering the grants.

SOURCE APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.

About Applied Optoelectronics

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced optical and HFC networking products that serve as the critical building blocks for AI datacenters, CATV and broadband fiber access networks worldwide. AOI supplies these critical infrastructure products to tier-one customers across cloud computing, CATV broadband, telecommunications, and FTTH markets. The company has R&D facilities in Atlanta, GA, and engineering and manufacturing facilities at its corporate headquarters in Sugar Land, TX, as well as in Taipei, Taiwan and Ningbo, China. For additional information, visit www.ao-inc.com.