Have Cogent Communications Holdings Insiders Been Selling Stock? \

We wouldn't blame Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CCOI) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Thaddeus Weed, the CFO & Treasurer recently netted about US$650k selling shares at an average price of US$64.96. That's a big disposal, and it decreased their holding size by 14%, which is notable but not too bad.

View our latest analysis for Cogent Communications Holdings

Cogent Communications Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent sale by Thaddeus Weed is the biggest insider sale of Cogent Communications Holdings shares that we've seen in the last year. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$64.00. 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).

Over the last year we saw more insider selling of Cogent Communications Holdings shares, than buying. 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!

I will like Cogent Communications Holdings better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

Insider Ownership

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Cogent Communications Holdings insiders own 12% of the company, currently worth about US$355m based on the recent share price. 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 Cogent Communications Holdings Insiders?

Insiders haven't bought Cogent Communications Holdings stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. And our longer term analysis of insider transactions didn't bring confidence, either. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. Be aware that Cogent Communications Holdings is showing 6 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 3 of those are concerning...

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, 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.