Did Starwood Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:STWD) Insiders Sell Shares?

It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. 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 we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Starwood Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:STWD).

What Is Insider Selling?

Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock in the company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.

View our latest analysis for Starwood Property Trust

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Starwood Property Trust

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the COO, General Counsel, Andrew Sossen, sold US$713k worth of shares at a price of US$23.75 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (US$24.66). When an insider sells below the current price, it suggests that they considered that lower price to be fair. That makes us wonder what they think of the (higher) recent 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. This single sale was just 19% of Andrew Sossen's stake.

Starwood Property Trust insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by 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!

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

Insider Ownership of Starwood Property Trust

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Starwood Property Trust insiders own 2.9% of the company, currently worth about US$201m based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.

So What Do The Starwood Property Trust Insider Transactions Indicate?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Starwood Property Trust shares in the last quarter. While we feel good about high insider ownership of Starwood Property Trust, we can't say the same about the selling of shares. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Starwood Property Trust, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

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.

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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