Yahoo Finance Independent Director Theodore Leonsis Just Sold A Bunch Of Shares In American Express Company (NYSE:AXP)
Some American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Independent Director, Theodore Leonsis, recently sold a whopping US$980k worth of stock at a price of US$116 per share. That's a big dump, and it decreased their holding size by 42%, which is notable but not too bad.
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The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At American Express
In fact, the recent sale by Theodore Leonsis was the biggest sale of American Express shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even slightly below the current price of US$118. 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. We note that the biggest single sale was only 42%of Theodore Leonsis's holding.
Over the last year, we note insiders sold 10864 shares worth US$1.2m. American Express 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. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!
If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.
Insider Ownership of American Express
Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. American Express insiders own 0.3% of the company, currently worth about US$250m based on the recent share price. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.
So What Does This Data Suggest About American Express Insiders?
An insider sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And even if we look to the last year, we didn't see any purchases. But since American Express is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. While insiders do own a lot of shares in the company (which is good), our analysis of their transactions doesn't make us feel confident about 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, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting 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.
