We note that a Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. (NYSE:HY) insider, Theodore Taplin, recently sold US$58k worth of stock for US$56.79 per share. On the bright side, that's just a small sale and only reduced their holding by 2.5%.

View our latest analysis for Hyster-Yale Materials Handling

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Hyster-Yale Materials Handling

In fact, the recent sale by insider Theodore Taplin was not their only sale of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling shares this year. Earlier in the year, they fetched US$65.25 per share in a -US$159.2k sale. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$56.86. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. 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.

In the last twelve months insiders purchased 16579 shares for US$1.1m. But they sold 8368 for US$480k. Overall, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling insiders were net buyers last year. 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!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insider Ownership of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It's great to see that Hyster-Yale Materials Handling insiders own 23% of the company, worth about US$221m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

So What Do The Hyster-Yale Materials Handling Insider Transactions Indicate?

Insiders haven't bought Hyster-Yale Materials Handling stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. In contrast, they appear keener if you look at the last twelve months. On top of that, insiders own a significant portion of the company. So we're happy to look past recent trading. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for Hyster-Yale Materials Handling.

But note: Hyster-Yale Materials Handling 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.

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.