Bullish Zions Bancorporation National Association Insiders Loaded Up On US$3.03m Of Stock

Over the last year, a good number of insiders have significantly increased their holdings in Zions Bancorporation, National Association (NASDAQ:ZION). This is encouraging because it indicates that insiders are more optimistic about the company's prospects.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

See our latest analysis for Zions Bancorporation National Association

Zions Bancorporation National Association Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when President Scott McLean bought US$1.0m worth of shares at a price of US$27.44 per share. Even though the purchase was made at a significantly lower price than the recent price (US$42.98), we still think insider buying is a positive. While it does suggest insiders consider the stock undervalued at lower prices, this transaction doesn't tell us much about what they think of current prices.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$3.0m for 118.60k shares. But they sold 19.43k shares for US$799k. In total, Zions Bancorporation National Association insiders bought more than they sold over the last year. 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!

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Zions Bancorporation National Association Insiders Are Selling The Stock

There was substantially more insider selling, than buying, of Zions Bancorporation National Association shares over the last three months. We note insiders cashed in US$745k worth of shares. Meanwhile Chairman & CEO Harris Simmons bought US$295k worth. Because the selling vastly outweighs the buying, we'd say this is a somewhat bearish sign.

Does Zions Bancorporation National Association Boast High Insider Ownership?

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with 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. Zions Bancorporation National Association insiders own about US$128m worth of shares (which is 2.0% of the company). 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 Zions Bancorporation National Association Insiders?

Unfortunately, there has been more insider selling of Zions Bancorporation National Association stock, than buying, in the last three months. In contrast, they appear keener if you look at the last twelve months. On top of that, insiders own a significant portion of the company. So we're not too bothered by recent selling. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Zions Bancorporation National Association. At Simply Wall St, we found 1 warning sign for Zions Bancorporation National Association that deserve your attention before buying any shares.

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.