Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ:JACK) insiders got a good deal: Sold stock currently worth US$91.18 at US$105 over the past year

Jack in the Box Inc.'s (NASDAQ:JACK) stock rose 3.9% last week, but insiders who sold US$454k worth of stock over the last year are probably in a more advantageous position. Selling at an average price of US$105, which is higher than the current price, may have been the wisest decision for these insiders as their investment would have been worth less now than when they sold.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

View our latest analysis for Jack in the Box

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Jack in the Box

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Senior VP & Chief Supply Chain Officer, Dean Gordon, sold US$301k worth of shares at a price of US$100 per share. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$91.18. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn't a major concern, though it's hardly a good sign.

Over the last year we saw more insider selling of Jack in the Box shares, than buying. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

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

Insider Ownership

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that Jack in the Box insiders own 0.7% of the company, worth about US$14m. 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 Does This Data Suggest About Jack in the Box Insiders?

There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. We don't take much encouragement from the transactions by Jack in the Box insiders. The modest level of insider ownership is, at least, some comfort. 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. When we did our research, we found 3 warning signs for Jack in the Box (2 are a bit unpleasant!) that we believe deserve your full attention.

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.