We wouldn't blame Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Lisa Earnhardt, the Executive VP & Group President of Medical Devices recently netted about US$2.4m selling shares at an average price of US$106. That sale reduced their total holding by 27% which is hardly insignificant, but far from the worst we've seen.

Abbott Laboratories Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Independent Director, Daniel Starks, sold US$5.7m worth of shares at a price of US$114 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$105. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn't a major concern, though it's hardly a good sign.

Insiders in Abbott Laboratories didn't buy any shares in the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

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Does Abbott Laboratories Boast High 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. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Abbott Laboratories insiders own 0.5% of the company, currently worth about US$965m based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

So What Do The Abbott Laboratories Insider Transactions Indicate?

Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And even if we look at the last year, we didn't see any purchases. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Abbott Laboratories you should know about.

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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.