Have OptiNose Insiders Been Selling Stock?

We'd be surprised if OptiNose, Inc. (NASDAQ:OPTN) shareholders haven't noticed that the CEO & Director, Ramy Mahmoud, recently sold US$127k worth of stock at US$1.14 per share. The eyebrow raising move amounted to a reduction of 23% in their holding.

See our latest analysis for OptiNose

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At OptiNose

In fact, the recent sale by Ramy Mahmoud was the biggest sale of OptiNose shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$1.06. 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.

OptiNose insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. 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 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).

Insider Ownership

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. From our data, it seems that OptiNose insiders own 6.2% of the company, worth about US$9.8m. We do generally prefer see higher levels of insider ownership.

What Might The Insider Transactions At OptiNose Tell Us?

Insiders sold OptiNose shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. When you combine this with the relatively low insider ownership, we are very cautious about the stock. We'd certainly 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. For example, OptiNose has 4 warning signs (and 1 which is concerning) we think 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 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