Yahoo Finance Insiders at Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) sold US$26m worth of stock, possibly indicating weakness in the future
In the last year, many Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) insiders sold a substantial stake in the company which may have sparked shareholders' attention. Knowing whether insiders are buying is usually more helpful when evaluating insider transactions, as insider selling can have various explanations. However, if numerous insiders are selling, shareholders should investigate more.
While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.
See our latest analysis for Blackstone
Blackstone Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Chief Legal Officer, John Finley, sold US$5.4m worth of shares at a price of US$108 per share. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. It's of some comfort that this sale was conducted at a price well above the current share price, which is US$88.10. So it may not shed much light on insider confidence at current levels.
In the last twelve months insiders purchased 22.87k shares for US$2.5m. On the other hand they divested 205.02k shares, for US$26m. Over the last year we saw more insider selling of Blackstone shares, than buying. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and 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!
If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).
Blackstone Insiders Are Selling The Stock
Over the last three months, we've seen notably more insider selling, than insider buying, at Blackstone. In that time, Chief Legal Officer John Finley dumped US$5.4m worth of shares. On the other hand we note insider Ruth Porat bought US$14k worth of shares. Since the selling really does outweigh the buying, we'd say that these transactions may suggest that some insiders feel the shares are not cheap.
Insider Ownership
For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Blackstone insiders own about US$154m worth of shares (which is 0.1% of the company). Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.
What Might The Insider Transactions At Blackstone Tell Us?
Unfortunately, there has been more insider selling of Blackstone stock, than buying, in the last three months. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Blackstone. To that end, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Blackstone (including 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable).
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, but not derivative transactions.
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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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