Last week, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.'s (NYSE:PNC) stock jumped 5.0%, but insiders who sold US$4.1m worth of stock in over the past year are likely to be in a better position. Holding on to stock would have meant their investment would be worth less now than it was at the time of sale. Thus selling at an average price of US$191, which is higher than the current price, may have been the best decision.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

See our latest analysis for PNC Financial Services Group

PNC Financial Services Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Executive VP and Head of Corporate & Institutional Banking, Michael Lyons, sold US$1.0m worth of shares at a price of US$183 per share. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold 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$159. So it is hard to draw any strong conclusion from it.

In total, PNC Financial Services Group insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insiders At PNC Financial Services Group Have Sold Stock Recently

The last quarter saw substantial insider selling of PNC Financial Services Group shares. Specifically, Executive VP and Head of Corporate & Institutional Banking Michael Lyons ditched US$584k 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 Of PNC Financial Services Group

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. It's great to see that PNC Financial Services Group insiders own 0.3% of the company, worth about US$224m. 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 PNC Financial Services Group Insider Transactions Indicate?

An insider hasn't bought PNC Financial Services Group stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. While insiders do own a lot of shares in the company (which is good), our analysis of their transactions doesn't make us feel confident about the company. 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. To assist with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of PNC Financial Services Group.

But note: PNC Financial Services Group 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.

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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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