Multiple insiders sold Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEIS) stock in the last year, which isn't a good sign for investors

Quite a few Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEIS) insiders sold their shares over the past year, which may be a cause for concern. When analyzing insider transactions, it is usually more valuable to know whether insiders are buying versus knowing if they are selling, as the latter sends an ambiguous message. However, if numerous insiders are selling, shareholders should investigate more.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

See our latest analysis for Advanced Energy Industries

Advanced Energy Industries Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Independent Director, Tina Donikowski, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$171k worth of shares at a price of US$94.27 each. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$92.02. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. In this case, the big sale took place at around the current price, so it's not too bad (but it's still not a positive).

Insiders in Advanced Energy Industries 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. 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: insiders have been buying them).

Does Advanced Energy Industries Boast High Insider Ownership?

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It appears that Advanced Energy Industries insiders own 1.3% of the company, worth about US$43m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Advanced Energy Industries Tell Us?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Advanced Energy Industries shares in the last quarter. Still, the insider transactions at Advanced Energy Industries in the last 12 months are not very heartening. But we do like the fact that insiders own a fair chunk of the company. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Advanced Energy Industries, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

Of course Advanced Energy Industries may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality 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.

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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.