Stock Analysis

Vice President of Operations Services Kristin Stathis Just Sold A Bunch Of Shares In Portland General Electric Company (NYSE:POR)

NYSE:POR
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Anyone interested in Portland General Electric Company (NYSE:POR) should probably be aware that the Vice President of Operations Services, Kristin Stathis, recently divested US$231k worth of shares in the company, at an average price of US$57.87 each. That sale was 35.5% of their holding, so it does make us raise an eyebrow.

View our latest analysis for Portland General Electric

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The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Portland General Electric

Notably, that recent sale by Vice President of Operations Services Kristin Stathis was not the only time they sold Portland General Electric shares this year. Earlier in the year, they fetched US$57.87 per share in a -US$231.5k sale. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$56.98. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern.

We note that in the last year insiders divested 7901 shares for a total of US$433k. Insiders in Portland General Electric 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. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

NYSE:POR Recent Insider Trading, September 6th 2019
NYSE:POR Recent Insider Trading, September 6th 2019

Insider Ownership of Portland General Electric

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. It appears that Portland General Electric insiders own 0.7% of the company, worth about US$34m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Portland General Electric Insiders?

Insiders haven't bought Portland General Electric 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. But since Portland General Electric is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. So we'd only buy after careful consideration. 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.

But note: Portland General Electric may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.

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.

About NYSE:POR

Portland General Electric

An integrated electric utility company, engages in the generation, wholesale purchase, transmission, distribution, and retail sale of electricity in the state of Oregon.

Solid track record established dividend payer.

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