Independent Director Of Cohen & Steers Sold 39% Of Their Shares

Some Cohen & Steers, Inc. (NYSE:CNS) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Independent Director, Richard Simon, recently sold a substantial US$564k worth of stock at a price of US$80.61 per share. That's a big disposal, and it decreased their holding size by 39%, which is notable but not too bad.

Check out our latest analysis for Cohen & Steers

Cohen & Steers Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent sale by Independent Director Richard Simon was not the only time they sold Cohen & Steers shares this year. They previously made an even bigger sale of -US$718k worth of shares at a price of US$71.81 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of US$81.00. As a general rule we consider it to be discouraging when insiders are selling below the current price, because it suggests they were happy with a lower valuation. While insider selling is not a positive sign, we can't be sure if it does mean insiders think the shares are fully valued, so it's only a weak sign. We note that the biggest single sale was only 37% of Richard Simon's holding.

In the last year Cohen & Steers insiders didn't buy any company stock. 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!

If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: Most of them are flying under the radar).

Does Cohen & Steers Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Cohen & Steers insiders own about US$2.0b worth of shares (which is 47% of the company). Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Cohen & Steers Tell Us?

Insiders haven't bought Cohen & Steers stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. 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. 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. To assist with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Cohen & Steers.

But note: Cohen & Steers 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.

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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.

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