Anyone interested in Genesco Inc. (NYSE:GCO) should probably be aware that the Senior VP and President of Johnston & Murphy Group, Daniel Ewoldsen, recently divested US$171k worth of shares in the company, at an average price of US$42.68 each. On the bright side, that sale was only 8.8% of their holding, so we doubt it's very meaningful, on its own.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Genesco

Notably, that recent sale by Daniel Ewoldsen is the biggest insider sale of Genesco shares that we've seen in the last year. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$40.68. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn't a major concern, though it's hardly a good sign.

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!

I will like Genesco 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

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Genesco insiders own about US$44m worth of shares. That equates to 8.9% of the company. 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 Genesco Tell Us?

An insider hasn't bought Genesco 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. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. So we'd only buy after careful consideration. 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. To that end, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Genesco (including 1 which is a bit unpleasant).

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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