Have Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE:SF) Insiders Been Selling Their Stock?
We note that a Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE:SF) insider, Allen Brautigam, recently sold US$60k worth of stock for US$59.63 per share. On the bright side, that's just a small sale and only reduced their holding by 3.1%.
See our latest analysis for Stifel Financial
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Stifel Financial
The Independent Director, James Oates, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$1.2m worth of shares at a price of US$58.61 each. That means that even when the share price was below the current price of US$60.83, an insider wanted to cash in some shares. We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling, especially if they did so below the current price, because it implies that they considered a lower price to be reasonable. However, while insider selling is sometimes discouraging, it's only a weak signal. It is worth noting that this sale was 53% of James Oates's holding.
Over the last year we saw more insider selling of Stifel Financial shares, than buying. 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!
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Does Stifel Financial Boast High Insider Ownership?
Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Stifel Financial insiders own 3.8% of the company, currently worth about US$158m based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.
So What Does This Data Suggest About Stifel Financial Insiders?
Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. But it is good to see that Stifel Financial is growing earnings. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Stifel Financial, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
Of course Stifel Financial 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.
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.
