More money in the bank for insiders who divested US$10m worth of National Storage Affiliates Trust (NYSE:NSA) shares last year

Even though National Storage Affiliates Trust (NYSE:NSA) stock gained 8.2% last week, insiders who sold US$10m worth of stock over the past year are probably better off. Selling at an average price of US$60.71, which is higher than the current price might have been the right call as holding on to stock would have meant their investment would be worth less now than it was at the time of sale.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

See our latest analysis for National Storage Affiliates Trust

National Storage Affiliates Trust Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Executive Chairman, Arlen Nordhagen, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$10m worth of shares at a price of US$60.71 each. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. The good news is that this large sale was at well above current price of US$44.58. So it may not shed much light on insider confidence at current levels. Arlen Nordhagen was the only individual insider to sell over the last year.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$6.1m for 159.10k shares. But insiders sold 170.00k shares worth US$10m. 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 are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Insiders At National Storage Affiliates Trust Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last three months, we've seen significant insider buying at National Storage Affiliates Trust. Overall, two insiders shelled out US$3.4m for shares in the company -- and none sold. This makes one think the business has some good points.

Insider Ownership Of National Storage Affiliates Trust

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It's great to see that National Storage Affiliates Trust insiders own 5.5% of the company, worth about US$315m. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About National Storage Affiliates Trust Insiders?

The recent insider purchases are heartening. However, the longer term transactions are not so encouraging. The recent buying by some insiders , along with high insider ownership, suggest that National Storage Affiliates Trust insiders are fairly aligned, and optimistic. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing National Storage Affiliates Trust. Our analysis shows 2 warning signs for National Storage Affiliates Trust (1 is potentially serious!) and we strongly recommend you look at these before investing.

But note: National Storage Affiliates Trust 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, but not derivative transactions.

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

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.