Adyen N.V. (AMS:ADYEN) insiders sold €52m worth of stock last year which shareholders may not want to overlook

While it’s been a great week for Adyen N.V. (AMS:ADYEN) shareholders after stock gained 13%, they should consider it with a grain of salt. Even though stock prices were relatively low, insiders elected to sell €52m worth of stock in the last year, which could indicate some expected downturn.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

Check out our latest analysis for Adyen

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Adyen

The COO & Member of Management Board Kamran Zaki made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for €16m worth of shares at a price of €2,405 each. That means that even when the share price was higher than €1,841 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. It is encouraging to see an insider paid above the current price for shares, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was Kamran Zaki. Notably Kamran Zaki was also the biggest seller.

In total, Adyen insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. They sold for an average price of about €1,773. We don't gain confidence from insider selling below the recent share price. But we wouldn't put too much weight on the insider selling. 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!

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insider Ownership of Adyen

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. 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's great to see that Adyen insiders own 8.0% of the company, worth about €4.5b. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Adyen Insiders?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Adyen shares in the last quarter. It's heartening that insiders own plenty of stock, but we'd like to see more insider buying, since the last year of Adyen insider transactions don't fill us with confidence. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Adyen you should know about.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting 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.