Did Sandstorm Gold Ltd. (TSE:SSL) Insiders Sell Shares?

We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Sandstorm Gold Ltd. (TSE:SSL).

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 on the market. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.

We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own company’s stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'.

View our latest analysis for Sandstorm Gold

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Sandstorm Gold

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when Chief Financial Officer Erfan Kazemi sold CA$2.3m worth of shares at a price of CA$7.15 per share. That means that even when the share price was below the current price of CA$7.78, an insider wanted to cash in some shares. While sellers have a variety of reasons for selling, this isn't particularly great to see. As a general rule we consider it to be discouraging when insiders are selling below the current price. It is worth noting that this sale was 99% of Erfan Kazemi's holding.

All up, insiders sold more shares in Sandstorm Gold than they bought, over the last year. They sold for an average price of about US$6.51. It's not too encouraging to see that insiders have sold at below the current price. Of course, the sales could be motivated for a multitude of reasons, so we shouldn't jump to conclusions. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this freelist of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Sandstorm Gold Insiders Are Selling The Stock

Over the last three months, we've seen significant insider selling at Sandstorm Gold. Specifically, Erfan Kazemi ditched US$2.3m worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. This may suggest that some insiders think that the shares are not cheap.

Insider Ownership

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by 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. Sandstorm Gold insiders own about CA$22m worth of shares. That equates to 1.6% of the company. 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 Sandstorm Gold Insider Transactions Indicate?

An insider sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. So we'd only buy after careful consideration. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREEreport showing analyst forecasts for Sandstorm Gold.

Of course Sandstorm Gold may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this freecollection of high quality companies.

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.