Helia Group CEO, MD & Director Pauline Blight-Johnston Sells 30% Of Holding

We'd be surprised if Helia Group Limited (ASX:HLI) shareholders haven't noticed that the CEO, MD & Director, Pauline Blight-Johnston, recently sold AU$298k worth of stock at AU$4.27 per share. The eyebrow raising move amounted to a reduction of 30% in their holding.

Check out our latest analysis for Helia Group

Helia Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent sale by Pauline Blight-Johnston was the biggest sale of Helia Group shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. It's of some comfort that this sale was conducted at a price well above the current share price, which is AU$3.55. So it may not tell us anything about how insiders feel about the current share price.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 91.74k shares worth AU$283k. But insiders sold 76.09k shares worth AU$326k. In total, Helia Group insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insider Ownership

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that Helia Group insiders own 1.5% of the company, worth about AU$16m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Do The Helia Group Insider Transactions Indicate?

Insiders sold Helia Group shares recently, but they didn't buy any. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. But it is good to see that Helia Group is growing earnings. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. We'd practice some caution before buying! In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Helia Group. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Helia Group (2 are a bit concerning) you should be aware of.

Of course Helia Group may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality 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 of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.