Some Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Executive VP & Chief Legal Officer, Peter Sadowski, recently sold a substantial US$1.1m worth of stock at a price of US$57.34 per share. However, that sale only accounted for 7.8% of their holding, so arguably it doesn't say much about their conviction.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Fidelity National Financial

The Executive VP & CFO, Anthony Park, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$4.3m worth of shares at a price of US$50.82 each. That means that even when the share price was below the current price of US$57.40, 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. It is worth noting that this sale was only 19% of Anthony Park's holding.

Fidelity National Financial insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

I will like Fidelity National Financial better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of undervalued and small cap stocks with considerable, recent, insider buying.

Insider Ownership

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It's great to see that Fidelity National Financial insiders own 4.9% of the company, worth about US$763m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Fidelity National Financial Insiders?

Insiders sold Fidelity National Financial shares recently, but they didn't buy any. Looking to the last twelve months, our data doesn't show any insider buying. But it is good to see that Fidelity National Financial is growing earnings. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. While it's good to be aware of 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. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with Fidelity National Financial and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

But note: Fidelity National Financial 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.