This Insider Has Just Sold Shares In Equity Bancshares

We'd be surprised if Equity Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE:EQBK) shareholders haven't noticed that the Executive VP & COO, Julie Huber, recently sold US$156k worth of stock at US$39.10 per share. However, the silver lining is that the sale only reduced their total holding by 8.1%, so we're hesitant to read anything much into it, on its own.

We've discovered 1 warning sign about Equity Bancshares. View them for free.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Equity Bancshares

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Independent Director Leon Borck bought US$249k worth of shares at a price of US$44.50 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of US$39.79. 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. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 18.26k shares worth US$770k. But they sold 15.28k shares for US$628k. In the last twelve months there was more buying than selling by Equity Bancshares insiders. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

See our latest analysis for Equity Bancshares

Equity Bancshares is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find small cap companies at attractive valuations, this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insider Ownership Of Equity Bancshares

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Equity Bancshares insiders own about US$41m worth of shares. That equates to 5.9% of the company. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Do The Equity Bancshares Insider Transactions Indicate?

Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. But we take heart from prior transactions. And insiders do own shares. So we're not overly bothered by recent selling. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Equity Bancshares 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 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.