We wouldn't blame Greggs plc (LON:GRG) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Roger Whiteside, the CEO & Director recently netted about UK£615k selling shares at an average price of UK£21.95. That's a big disposal, and it decreased their holding size by 13%, which is notable but not too bad.
View our latest analysis for Greggs
Greggs Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
Notably, that recent sale by Roger Whiteside is the biggest insider sale of Greggs shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of UK£20.92. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. 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.
Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 15.88k shares worth UK£252k. On the other hand they divested 28.01k shares, for UK£615k. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!
If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.
Does Greggs Boast High Insider Ownership?
Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Our data indicates that Greggs insiders own about UK£5.7m worth of shares (which is 0.3% of the company). Whilst better than nothing, we're not overly impressed by these holdings.
So What Does This Data Suggest About Greggs Insiders?
An insider hasn't bought Greggs stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. Insiders own relatively few shares in the company, and when you consider the sales, we're not particularly excited about the stock. So we'd only buy after very careful consideration. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Greggs, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity 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.
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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. 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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About LSE:GRG
Adequate balance sheet average dividend payer.
