Did Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) Insiders Sell Shares?

We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. On the other hand, we'd be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS).

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.'

Check out our latest analysis for Advanced Drainage Systems

Advanced Drainage Systems Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Executive Vice President of Engineering & Business Development, Ronald Vitarelli, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$64k worth of shares at a price of US$25.47 each. That means that even when the share price was below the current price of US$32.08, an insider wanted to cash in some shares. When an insider sells below the current price, it suggests that they considered that lower price to be fair. That makes us wonder what they think of the (higher) recent valuation. However, while insider selling is sometimes discouraging, it's only a weak signal. It is worth noting that this sale was only 7.6% of Ronald Vitarelli's holding.

In the last twelve months insiders netted US$79k for 3100 shares sold. Insiders in Advanced Drainage Systems didn't buy any shares in the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

Does Advanced Drainage Systems Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Advanced Drainage Systems insiders own 16% of the company, currently worth about US$298m based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Advanced Drainage Systems Tell Us?

The fact that there have been no Advanced Drainage Systems insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. It's great to see high levels of insider ownership, but looking back at the last year, we don't gain confidence from the Advanced Drainage Systems insiders selling. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for Advanced Drainage Systems.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.