Stock Analysis

Have Insiders Sold Equitable Group Inc. (TSE:EQB) Shares Recently?

TSX:EQB
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Investors may wish to note that the Independent Chairman of the Board of Equitable Group Inc., David Malcolm LeGresley, recently netted CA$78k from selling stock, receiving an average price of CA$156. However we note that the sale only shrunk their holding by 2.9%.

See our latest analysis for Equitable Group

Equitable Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The insider, Eric Beutel, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for CA$630k worth of shares at a price of CA$140 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of CA$154. As a general rule we consider it to be discouraging when insiders are selling below the current price, because it suggests they were happy with a lower valuation. Please do note, however, that sellers may have a variety of reasons for selling, so we don't know for sure what they think of the stock price. This single sale was just 16% of Eric Beutel's stake.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid CA$104k for 785.00 shares. But they sold 32.43k shares for CA$3.7m. In total, Equitable Group insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

insider-trading-volume
TSX:EQB Insider Trading Volume August 16th 2021

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Insider Ownership of Equitable Group

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Equitable Group insiders own about CA$543m worth of shares (which is 21% of the company). 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 Equitable Group Tell Us?

The stark truth for Equitable Group is that there has been more insider selling than insider buying in the last three months. And our longer term analysis of insider transactions didn't bring confidence, either. On the plus side, Equitable Group makes money, and is growing profits. The company boasts high insider ownership, but we're a little hesitant, given the history of share sales. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Equitable Group. To that end, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Equitable Group (including 1 which is a bit unpleasant).

Of course Equitable 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, but not derivative transactions.

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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.
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