Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOPE) shareholders may have reason to be concerned, as several insiders sold their shares over the past year. When analyzing insider transactions, it is usually more valuable to know whether insiders are buying versus knowing if they are selling, as the latter sends an ambiguous message. However, if numerous insiders are selling, shareholders should investigate more.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

See our latest analysis for Grand Canyon Education

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Grand Canyon Education

The Senior VP, Lori Browning, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$282k worth of shares at a price of US$113 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of US$127. 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 15% of Lori Browning's holding.

Grand Canyon Education insiders didn't buy any shares over 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!

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Insiders At Grand Canyon Education Have Sold Stock Recently

The last three months saw significant insider selling at Grand Canyon Education. In total, Independent Director Jack Henry dumped US$200k 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 Grand Canyon Education

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. Insiders own 2.1% of Grand Canyon Education shares, worth about US$80m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Grand Canyon Education Tell Us?

An insider hasn't bought Grand Canyon Education stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. On the plus side, Grand Canyon Education makes money, and is growing profits. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. We're in no rush to buy! Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Grand Canyon Education, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

But note: Grand Canyon Education 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.