Yahoo Finance Exxon Mobil Insiders Sold US$2.2m Of Shares Suggesting Hesitancy
Many Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) insiders ditched their stock over the past year, which may be of interest to the company's shareholders. When evaluating insider transactions, knowing whether insiders are buying is usually more beneficial than knowing whether they are selling, as the latter can be open to many interpretations. However, if numerous insiders are selling, shareholders should investigate more.
Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.
See our latest analysis for Exxon Mobil
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Exxon Mobil
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by insider Maria Jelescu-Dreyfus for US$2.0m worth of shares, at about US$109 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is US$115. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. While we always like to see insider buying, it's less meaningful if the purchases were made at much lower prices, as the opportunity they saw may have passed. The good news for Exxon Mobil share holders is that an insider was buying at near the current price. Maria Jelescu-Dreyfus was the only individual insider to buy shares in the last twelve months.
Over the last year we saw more insider selling of Exxon Mobil shares, than buying. 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!
If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: Most of them are flying under the radar).
Exxon Mobil Insiders Bought Stock Recently
Over the last three months, we've seen significantly more insider buying, than insider selling, at Exxon Mobil. insider Maria Jelescu-Dreyfus spent US$2.0m on stock. But insider Darrin Talley sold shares worth US$289k. We think insiders may be optimistic about the future, since insiders have been net buyers of shares.
Does Exxon Mobil Boast High Insider Ownership?
Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Exxon Mobil insiders own 0.08% of the company, currently worth about US$373m 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 Exxon Mobil Insiders?
The recent insider purchase is heartening. But we can't say the same for the transactions over the last 12 months. Overall, we'd prefer see a more sustained buying from directors, but with a significant insider holding and more recent purchases, Exxon Mobil insiders are reasonably well aligned, and optimistic for the future. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. You'd be interested to know, that we found 1 warning sign for Exxon Mobil and we suggest you have a look.
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. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.
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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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