We wouldn't blame Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. (NYSE:EXPD) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Mark Emmert, the Independent Director recently netted about US$1.0m selling shares at an average price of US$124. That sale reduced their total holding by 37% which is hardly insignificant, but far from the worst we've seen.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Expeditors International of Washington

In fact, the recent sale by Mark Emmert was the biggest sale of Expeditors International of Washington shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. That means that even when the share price was slightly below the current price of US$125, an insider wanted to cash in some shares. We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling, especially if they did so below the current price, because it implies that they considered a lower price to be reasonable. 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 37% of Mark Emmert's holding.

In the last year Expeditors International of Washington insiders didn't buy any company stock. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and 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!

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Does Expeditors International of Washington Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It's great to see that Expeditors International of Washington insiders own 0.7% of the company, worth about US$130m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Expeditors International of Washington Tell Us?

Insiders haven't bought Expeditors International of Washington stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. And even if we look at the last year, we didn't see any purchases. The company boasts high insider ownership, but we're a little hesitant, given the history of share sales. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Expeditors International of Washington. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Expeditors International of Washington you should be aware of.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com