Over the past year, many Oceaneering International, Inc. (NYSE:OII) insiders sold a significant stake in the company which may have piqued investors' interest.   Knowing whether insiders are buying is usually more helpful when evaluating insider transactions, as insider selling can have various explanations.  However, shareholders should take a deeper look if several insiders are selling stock over a specific time period.    

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing,  we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

Oceaneering International Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Senior VP & CFO, Alan Curtis, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$821k worth of shares at a price of US$26.48 each.   While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price.  The good news is that this large sale was at well above current price of US$21.75.  So it is hard to draw any strong conclusion from it.  

In the last year Oceaneering International insiders didn't buy any company stock.    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!

NYSE:OII Insider Trading Volume June 4th 2024

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of small cap stocks that are not only being bought by insiders but also have attractive valuations.

Insiders At Oceaneering International Have Sold Stock Recently  

Over the last three months, we've seen significant insider selling at Oceaneering International.  Specifically,   Independent Non-Executive Director  Karen Beachy  ditched US$156k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever.  Overall this makes us a bit cautious, but it's not the be all and end all.  

Insider Ownership Of Oceaneering International

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders.  I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company.   Oceaneering International insiders own about US$40m worth of shares. That equates to 1.7% of the company.  We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.  

What Might The Insider Transactions At Oceaneering International Tell Us?

An insider  sold Oceaneering International shares recently, but they didn't buy any.     And even if we look at the last year, we didn't see any purchases.    But since Oceaneering International is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this.    While insiders do own shares, they don't own a heap, and they have been selling.  So we'd only buy after careful consideration.      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 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.