How Many Emmis Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:EMMS) Shares Have Insiders Sold, In The Last Year?
It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Emmis Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:EMMS).
What Is Insider Selling?
It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.
Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. 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.
Check out our latest analysis for Emmis Communications
Emmis Communications Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by the Chairman of the Board, Jeffrey Smulyan, for US$231k worth of shares, at about US$5.58 per share. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$4.71. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern.
Over the last year, we note insiders sold 90000 shares worth US$474k. In the last year Emmis Communications insiders didn't buy any company stock. 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!
I will like Emmis Communications better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.
Insider Ownership of Emmis Communications
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. Emmis Communications insiders own about US$11m worth of shares. That equates to 18% of the company. 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 Does This Data Suggest About Emmis Communications Insiders?
The fact that there have been no Emmis Communications insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. Our analysis of Emmis Communications insider transactions leaves us cautious. The modest level of insider ownership is, at least, some comfort. To put this in context, take a look at how a company has performed in the past. You can access this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
Of course Emmis Communications may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality 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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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.
