How Many Insiders Sold Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ICPT) Shares?
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We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. 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 Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ICPT).
What Is Insider Selling?
It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.
We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. 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.'
View our latest analysis for Intercept Pharmaceuticals
Intercept Pharmaceuticals Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by President of International Lisa Bright for US$557k worth of shares, at about US$113 per share. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$112. While their view may have changed since the sale, this is not a particularly positive fact. Arguably, insider selling at around current prices should give us reason to reflect on whether the stock is fully valued at the moment.
In the last twelve months insiders purchased 16.80k shares for US$1.1m. But they sold 11.26k for US$1.3m. Over the last year we saw more insider selling of Intercept Pharmaceuticals shares, than buying. They sold for an average price of about US$112. It's not particularly great to see insiders were selling shares at below recent prices. Since insiders sell for many reasons, we wouldn't put too much weight on it. 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!
If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).
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. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It appears that Intercept Pharmaceuticals insiders own 2.6% of the company, worth about US$87m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.
So What Does This Data Suggest About Intercept Pharmaceuticals Insiders?
The fact that there have been no Intercept Pharmaceuticals insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. Our analysis of Intercept Pharmaceuticals insider transactions leaves us cautious. But it's good to see that insiders own shares in the company. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.
Of course Intercept Pharmaceuticals may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.
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.
