Trade Alert: Executive VP & COO Of Helix Energy Solutions Group Scott Sparks Has Sold Stock

Some Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE:HLX) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Executive VP & COO, Scott Sparks, recently sold a substantial US$1.7m worth of stock at a price of US$9.87 per share. Probably the most concerning element of the whole transaction is that the disposal amounted to 60% of their entire holding.

See our latest analysis for Helix Energy Solutions Group

Helix Energy Solutions Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The President, Owen Kratz, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$3.7m worth of shares at a price of US$11.83 each. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. The good news is that this large sale was at well above current price of US$9.24. So it may not tell us anything about how insiders feel about the current share price.

Insiders in Helix Energy Solutions Group didn't buy any shares in the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

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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. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Helix Energy Solutions Group insiders own about US$88m worth of shares. That equates to 6.0% of the company. 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 Helix Energy Solutions Group Insiders?

Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And even if we look at the last year, we didn't see any purchases. While insiders do own shares, they don't own a heap, and they have been selling. We'd practice some caution before buying! While it's good to be aware of 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. While conducting our analysis, we found that Helix Energy Solutions Group has 3 warning signs and it would be unwise to ignore these.

But note: Helix Energy Solutions Group 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.