Executive VP of Markets & Global Head of Execution Services Stephen Cavoli Just Sold A Bunch Of Shares In Virtu Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIRT)

We wouldn't blame Virtu Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIRT) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Stephen Cavoli, the Executive VP of Markets & Global Head of Execution Services recently netted about US$2.6m selling shares at an average price of US$29.10. That diminished their holding by a very significant 55%, which arguably implies a strong desire to reallocate capital.

Check out our latest analysis for Virtu Financial

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Virtu Financial

Notably, that recent sale by Stephen Cavoli is the biggest insider sale of Virtu Financial shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$27.56. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. In this case, the big sale took place at around the current price, so it's not too bad (but it's still not a positive).

All up, insiders sold more shares in Virtu Financial than they bought, 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!

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

Does Virtu Financial Boast High Insider Ownership?

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Virtu Financial insiders own about US$56m worth of shares. That equates to 1.2% of the company. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Virtu Financial Tell Us?

Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And our longer term analysis of insider transactions didn't bring confidence, either. While insiders do own shares, they don't own a heap, and they have been selling. We'd practice some caution before buying! 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. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Virtu Financial you should know about.

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, 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.