Multiple insiders secured a larger position in Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:ZBRA) shares over the last 12 months. This is reassuring as this suggests that insiders have increased optimism about the company's prospects.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Zebra Technologies

The Chair of the Board Anders Gustafsson made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$1.0m worth of shares at a price of US$249 each. Even though the purchase was made at a significantly lower price than the recent price (US$310), we still think insider buying is a positive. Because it occurred at a lower valuation, it doesn't tell us much about whether insiders might find today's price attractive.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$2.1m for 8.80k shares. But they sold 4.29k shares for US$1.2m. Overall, Zebra Technologies insiders were net buyers during 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!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. If investing in lesser known companies is your style, you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insiders At Zebra Technologies Have Sold Stock Recently

The last quarter saw substantial insider selling of Zebra Technologies shares. Specifically, Chief Strategy Officer Michael Cho ditched US$408k 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

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. Zebra Technologies insiders own about US$108m worth of shares (which is 0.7% of the company). 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 Zebra Technologies Tell Us?

An insider sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. In contrast, they appear keener if you look at the last twelve months. And insider ownership remains quite considerable. So we're not too bothered by recent selling. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. Our analysis shows 2 warning signs for Zebra Technologies (1 is significant!) and we strongly recommend you look at these before investing.

But note: Zebra Technologies may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE 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 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