Insiders probably made the right decision selling US$14m worth of shares earlier this year as American Express Company's (NYSE:AXP)) stock dips by 8.4%.
By selling US$14m worth of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) stock at an average sell price of US$180 over the last year, insiders seemed to have made the most of their holdings. The company’s market cap plunged by US$9.6b after price dropped by 8.4% last week but insiders were able to limit their loss to an extent.
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 American Express
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At American Express
In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Chairman, Stephen Squeri, sold US$8.6m worth of shares at a price of US$178 per share. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. It's of some comfort that this sale was conducted at a price well above the current share price, which is US$140. So it may not tell us anything about how insiders feel about the current share price.
American Express insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!
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 American Express
For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. American Express insiders own 0.1% of the company, currently worth about US$120m based on the recent share price. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.
What Might The Insider Transactions At American Express Tell Us?
The fact that there have been no American Express insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. While we feel good about high insider ownership of American Express, we can't say the same about the selling of shares. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. For example - American Express has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.
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.
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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.
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