Have Insiders Been Selling NVR, Inc. (NYSE:NVR) Shares?

We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. On the other hand, we'd be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in NVR, Inc. (NYSE:NVR).

What Is Insider Selling?

It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.

View our latest analysis for NVR

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At NVR

The Chairman of the Board, Dwight Schar, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$39m worth of shares at a price of US$3,437 each. That means that even when the share price was below the current price of US$3,922, an insider wanted to cash in some shares. We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling, especially if they did so below the current price, because it implies that they considered a lower price to be reasonable. Please do note, however, that sellers may have a variety of reasons for selling, so we don't know for sure what they think of the stock price. We note that the biggest single sale was only 22% of Dwight Schar's holding.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$428k for 145.00 shares. But insiders sold 17091 shares worth US$59m. Over the last year we saw more insider selling of NVR shares, than buying. The average sell price was around US$3,457. We don't gain confidence from insider selling below the recent share price. Of course, the sales could be motivated for a multitude of reasons, so we shouldn't jump to conclusions. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

I will like NVR better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

NVR Insiders Are Selling The Stock

The last three months saw significant insider selling at NVR. Specifically, Senior VP & COO Paul Praylo ditched US$488k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. In light of this it's hard to argue that all the insiders think that the shares are a bargain.

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. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. NVR insiders own 2.7% of the company, currently worth about US$386m based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At NVR Tell Us?

An insider hasn't bought NVR stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. On the plus side, NVR makes money, and is growing profits. While insiders do own a lot of shares in the company (which is good), our analysis of their transactions doesn't make us feel confident about the company. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.

But note: NVR 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, but not derivative transactions.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

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