We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So we’ll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Pure Storage, Inc. (NYSE:PSTG).
What Is Insider Selling?
It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.
We don’t think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. As Peter Lynch said, ‘insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.
Check out our latest analysis for Pure Storage
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Pure Storage
In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Vice Chairman, Scott Dietzen, sold US$8.2m worth of shares at a price of US$20.46 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$18.22. We generally don’t like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. 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. Scott Dietzen was the only individual insider to sell shares in the last twelve months.
You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by 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).
Insider Ownership of Pure Storage
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. Pure Storage insiders own about US$478m worth of shares (which is 10% of the company). 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 Do The Pure Storage Insider Transactions Indicate?
It doesn’t really mean much that no insider has traded Pure Storage shares in the last quarter. It’s great to see high levels of insider ownership, but looking back at the last year, we don’t gain confidence from the Pure Storage insiders selling. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for Pure Storage.
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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