In the last year, many MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MKTX) insiders sold a substantial stake in the company which may have sparked shareholders' attention. When evaluating insider transactions, knowing whether insiders are buying versus if they selling is usually more beneficial, as the latter can be open to many interpretations. However, if numerous insiders are selling, shareholders should investigate more.

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.

See our latest analysis for MarketAxess Holdings

MarketAxess Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by CEO & Director Christopher Concannon for US$1.0m worth of shares, at about US$241 per share. Although we like to see insider buying, we note that this large purchase was at significantly below the recent price of US$279. Because the shares were purchased at a lower price, this particular buy doesn't tell us much about how insiders feel about the current share price.

In total, MarketAxess Holdings insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

MarketAxess Holdings Insiders Are Selling The Stock

The last quarter saw substantial insider selling of MarketAxess Holdings shares. In total, Chief Revenue Officer Kevin McPherson dumped US$475k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. In light of this it's hard to argue that all the insiders think that the shares are a bargain.

Insider Ownership

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. MarketAxess Holdings insiders own about US$201m worth of shares (which is 1.9% of the company). I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At MarketAxess Holdings Tell Us?

An insider sold MarketAxess Holdings shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And our longer term analysis of insider transactions didn't bring confidence, either. But since MarketAxess Holdings is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity 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.