Celsius Holdings, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:CELH) stock rose 14% last week, but insiders who sold US$65m worth of stock over the last year are probably in a more advantageous position. Selling at an average price of US$66.12, which is higher than the current price might have been the right call as holding on to stock would have meant their investment would be worth less now than it was at the time of sale.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Celsius Holdings

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the President, John Fieldly, sold US$16m worth of shares at a price of US$52.41 per share. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. It's of some comfort that this sale was conducted at a price well above the current share price, which is US$29.31. So it is hard to draw any strong conclusion from it.

Insiders in Celsius Holdings didn't buy any shares in the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

For those who like to find hidden gems this free list of small cap companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insider Ownership

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Celsius Holdings insiders own 8.0% of the company, currently worth about US$549m based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Celsius Holdings Tell Us?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Celsius Holdings shares in the last quarter. It's great to see high levels of insider ownership, but looking back over the last year, we don't gain confidence from the Celsius Holdings insiders selling. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Celsius Holdings, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

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.