We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Universal Display Corporation (NASDAQ:OLED).
What Is Insider Selling?
Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock in the company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.
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. As Peter Lynch said, ‘insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.
See our latest analysis for Universal Display
Universal Display Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Independent Director, Lawrence Lacerte, sold US$6.2m worth of shares at a price of US$209 per share. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$176. We generally don’t like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn’t a major concern, though it’s hardly a good sign.
In the last year Universal Display insiders didn’t buy any company stock. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!
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Universal Display Insiders Are Selling The Stock
The last three months saw significant insider selling at Universal Display. In total, Independent Director Lawrence Lacerte dumped US$4.0m worth of shares in that time, and we didn’t record any purchases whatsoever. Overall this makes us a bit cautious, but it’s not the be all and end all.
Insider Ownership of Universal Display
For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Universal Display insiders own 9.3% of the company, currently worth about US$773m based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.
What Might The Insider Transactions At Universal Display Tell Us?
An insider hasn’t bought Universal Display stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. And there weren’t any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. On the plus side, Universal Display makes money, and is growing profits. While insiders do own a lot of shares in the company (which is good), our analysis of their transactions doesn’t make us feel confident about the company. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.
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.
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.
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