A number of Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEIS) insiders sold their shares in the last year, which may have raised concerns among investors. Knowing whether insiders are buying is usually more helpful when evaluating insider transactions, as insider selling can have various explanations. However, when multiple insiders sell stock over a specific duration, shareholders should take notice as that could possibly be a red flag.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

Advanced Energy Industries Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Executive VP & CFO, Paul Oldham, sold US$384k worth of shares at a price of US$100.00 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (US$104). When an insider sells below the current price, it suggests that they considered that lower price to be fair. That makes us wonder what they think of the (higher) recent valuation. 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 17% of Paul Oldham's holding.

Advanced Energy Industries insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. 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!

I will like Advanced Energy Industries better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

Does Advanced Energy Industries Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 0.7% of Advanced Energy Industries shares, worth about US$30m. 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 Advanced Energy Industries Tell Us?

The fact that there have been no Advanced Energy Industries insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. We don't take much encouragement from the transactions by Advanced Energy Industries insiders. The modest level of insider ownership is, at least, some comfort. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Advanced Energy Industries, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

But note: Advanced Energy Industries 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.