This Insider Has Just Sold Shares In Hingham Institution for Savings (NASDAQ:HIFS)

We'd be surprised if Hingham Institution for Savings (NASDAQ:HIFS) shareholders haven't noticed that the Director, Julio Hernando, recently sold US$165k worth of stock at US$347 per share. However, the silver lining is that the sale only reduced their total holding by 0.5%, so we're hesitant to read anything much into it, on its own.

See our latest analysis for Hingham Institution for Savings

Hingham Institution for Savings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Independent Director, Scott Moser, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$400k worth of shares at a price of US$364 each. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$343. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 1.30k shares worth US$434k. But insiders sold 8.19k shares worth US$2.9m. Over the last year we saw more insider selling of Hingham Institution for Savings shares, than buying. The average sell price was around US$351. It's not too encouraging to see that insiders have sold at below the current price. But we wouldn't put too much weight on the insider selling. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

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

Insider Ownership

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It's great to see that Hingham Institution for Savings insiders own 18% of the company, worth about US$130m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

So What Do The Hingham Institution for Savings Insider Transactions Indicate?

Unfortunately, there has been more insider selling of Hingham Institution for Savings stock, than buying, in the last three months. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. But since Hingham Institution for Savings is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Hingham Institution for Savings you should be aware of.

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.