Have Insiders Been Selling FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE:FCN) Shares This Year?
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We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE:FCN).
Do Insider Transactions Matter?
It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.
We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.'
View our latest analysis for FTI Consulting
FTI Consulting Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by the Independent Director, Nicholas Fanandakis, for US$940k worth of shares, at about US$69.52 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (US$92.99). When an insider sells below the current price, it suggests that they considered that lower price to be fair. That makes us wonder what they think of the (higher) recent valuation. While insider selling is not a positive sign, we can't be sure if it does mean insiders think the shares are fully valued, so it's only a weak sign. It is worth noting that this sale was only 40.4% of Nicholas Fanandakis's holding.
We note that in the last year insiders divested 56599 shares for a total of US$4.1m. FTI Consulting insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!
For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.
FTI Consulting Insiders Are Selling The Stock
The last three months saw significant insider selling at FTI Consulting. Specifically, Non-Executive Chairman Gerard Holthaus ditched US$867k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. Overall this makes us a bit cautious, but it's not the be all and end all.
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. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 1.7% of FTI Consulting shares, worth about US$60m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.
So What Does This Data Suggest About FTI Consulting Insiders?
An insider hasn't bought FTI Consulting stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. But since FTI Consulting is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. While insiders do own shares, they don't own a heap, and they have been selling. We'd think twice before buying! Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in FTI Consulting, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
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.
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