Some Cohen & Steers, Inc. (NYSE:CNS) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Executive VP & Head of Global Distribution, Daniel Charles, recently sold a substantial US$712k worth of stock at a price of US$104 per share. Probably the most concerning element of the whole transaction is that the disposal amounted to 53% of their entire holding.

Cohen & Steers Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Executive VP, Francis Poli, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$1.4m worth of shares at a price of US$94.62 each. That means that even when the share price was below the current price of US$101, 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 Francis Poli's holding.

In the last year Cohen & Steers insiders didn't buy any company stock. 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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Insider Ownership

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It's great to see that Cohen & Steers insiders own 46% of the company, worth about US$2.4b. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Cohen & Steers Insiders?

Insiders sold Cohen & Steers shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. But it is good to see that Cohen & Steers is growing earnings. While insiders do own a lot of shares in the company (which is good), our analysis of their transactions doesn't make us feel confident about the company. 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. To assist with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Cohen & Steers.

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.