FS Bancorp Insiders Make Handsome Sum Selling Stock At US$29.40 Per Share

Despite the fact that FS Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSBW) stock rose 10% last week, insiders who sold US$256k worth of stock in the previous 12 months are likely to be better off. Holding on to stock would have meant their investment would be worth less now than it was at the time of sale. Thus selling at an average price of US$29.40, which is higher than the current price, may have been the best decision.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

View our latest analysis for FS Bancorp

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At FS Bancorp

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the insider, Robert Fuller, sold US$144k worth of shares at a price of US$28.54 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of US$36.70. When an insider sells below the current price, it suggests that they considered that lower price to be fair. That makes us wonder what they think of the (higher) recent valuation. While insider selling is not a positive sign, we can't be sure if it does mean insiders think the shares are fully valued, so it's only a weak sign. We note that the biggest single sale was only 26% of Robert Fuller's holding. The only individual insider seller over the last year was Robert Fuller.

Robert Fuller sold a total of 8.70k shares over the year at an average price of US$29.40. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

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

Does FS Bancorp 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. It appears that FS Bancorp insiders own 9.8% of the company, worth about US$28m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About FS Bancorp Insiders?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded FS Bancorp shares in the last quarter. Still, the insider transactions at FS Bancorp in the last 12 months are not very heartening. But we do like the fact that insiders own a fair chunk of the company. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in FS Bancorp, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

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 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.