Stock Analysis

An Insider At Plug Power Lowered Their Holding Recently

NasdaqCM:PLUG
Source: Shutterstock

Insiders were net sellers of Plug Power Inc.'s (NASDAQ:PLUG ) stock during the past year. That is, insiders sold more stock than they bought.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

View our latest analysis for Plug Power

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Plug Power

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by the Executive VP & GM of Material Handling, Jose Crespo, for US$230k worth of shares, at about US$7.20 per share. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. It's of some comfort that this sale was conducted at a price well above the current share price, which is US$3.59. So it may not shed much light on insider confidence at current levels. Jose Crespo was the only individual insider to sell shares in the last twelve months.

You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

insider-trading-volume
NasdaqCM:PLUG Insider Trading Volume March 22nd 2024

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

Does Plug Power Boast High Insider Ownership?

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It appears that Plug Power insiders own 0.8% of the company, worth about US$20m. 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 Do The Plug Power Insider Transactions Indicate?

The fact that there have been no Plug Power insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. Our analysis of Plug Power insider transactions leaves us cautious. But we do like the fact that insiders own a fair chunk of the company. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Plug Power (1 is potentially serious) you should be aware of.

But note: Plug Power may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE 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.

Valuation is complex, but we're helping make it simple.

Find out whether Plug Power is potentially over or undervalued by checking out our comprehensive analysis, which includes fair value estimates, risks and warnings, dividends, insider transactions and financial health.

View the Free Analysis

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.