Don't Ignore The Insider Selling In Esquire Financial Holdings

We wouldn't blame Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESQ) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Selig Zises, the Independent Director recently netted about US$1.1m selling shares at an average price of US$49.83. However, that sale only accounted for 8.3% of their holding, so arguably it doesn't say much about their conviction.

View our latest analysis for Esquire Financial Holdings

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Esquire Financial Holdings

In fact, the recent sale by Selig Zises was the biggest sale of Esquire Financial Holdings shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$49.66. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. In this case, the big sale took place at around the current price, so it's not too bad (but it's still not a positive).

All up, insiders sold more shares in Esquire Financial Holdings 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!

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 Of Esquire Financial Holdings

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. Insiders own 18% of Esquire Financial Holdings shares, worth about US$71m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Esquire Financial Holdings Tell Us?

Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. Zooming out, the longer term picture doesn't give us much comfort. But it is good to see that Esquire Financial Holdings is growing earnings. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. We'd practice some caution before buying! Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Esquire Financial Holdings, 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 of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

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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.