How Much Are C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHRW) Insiders Taking Off The Table?

We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. On the other hand, we'd be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHRW).

What Is Insider Buying?

It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own company’s stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'.

See our latest analysis for C.H. Robinson Worldwide

C.H. Robinson Worldwide Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by Chairman John Wiehoff for US$2.9m worth of shares, at about US$96.45 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$88.33. They might be selling for a variety of reasons, but it's hard to argue this is a bullish sign. We generally tread carefully if insiders have been selling on market, even if they sold slightly above the current price.

We note that in the last year insiders divested 39.84k shares for a total of US$3.8m. All up, insiders sold more shares in C.H. Robinson Worldwide than they bought, over the last year. They sold for an average price of about US$95.25. It's not ideal to see that insiders have sold at around the current price. But we don't put too much weight on the insider selling, since sellers could have personal reasons. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this freelist of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Insiders at C.H. Robinson Worldwide Have Sold Stock Recently

The last quarter saw substantial insider selling of C.H. Robinson Worldwide shares. Specifically, insiders ditched US$704k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. This may suggest that some insiders think that the shares are not cheap.

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. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Insiders own 0.4% of C.H. Robinson Worldwide shares, worth about US$47m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

So What Do The C.H. Robinson Worldwide Insider Transactions Indicate?

Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. On the plus side, C.H. Robinson Worldwide makes money, and is growing profits. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. We'd think twice before buying! Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREEreport showing analyst forecasts for C.H. Robinson Worldwide.

Of course C.H. Robinson Worldwide may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this freecollection of high quality companies.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

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. Thank you for reading.