When you're sitting on millions of dollars worth of stock that's been on a tear, sometimes you take some chips off the table. That's exactly what Kimbal Musk just did with his Tesla Inc. (TSLA) holdings.

The Transaction Details

Kimbal Musk, who sits on Tesla's board and happens to be Elon Musk's brother, unloaded 56,820 shares of Tesla common stock on December 9, according to a recent SEC filing. The shares sold at a weighted average price of $450.66, with individual transactions ranging from $450.44 to $450.90, netting him approximately $25.6 million.

But that's not all. The filing also revealed that Kimbal donated 15,242 shares to a donor-advised fund. Based on the execution price of his sold shares, that charitable contribution comes in at around $6.8 million.

Even after moving more than $32 million worth of stock, Kimbal isn't exactly running low on Tesla shares. He still holds 1,376,373 shares directly, a significant stake in the electric vehicle maker.

The Strategy Behind the Moves

The timing makes sense. Tesla's stock has been surging, and the company currently trades at a price-to-earnings ratio exceeding 300. Kimbal, who's known for regular trading activity and accurate predictions on Tesla's stock performance, picked a pretty opportune moment to cash in.

The donor-advised fund donation is a smart tax move that wealthy investors often use. It allows Kimbal to claim the tax deduction for the charitable contribution immediately while retaining flexibility to distribute the funds to specific charities over time. Think of it as a charitable checking account that gives you the tax break upfront.

This whole maneuver shows how insiders with large positions navigate their holdings, balancing personal liquidity needs, tax planning, and philanthropic goals all at once.