Some ASGN Incorporated (NYSE:ASGN) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the President, Randolph Blazer, recently sold a substantial US$731k worth of stock at a price of US$94.31 per share. However, it's crucial to note that they remain very much invested in the stock and that sale only reduced their holding by 6.7%.
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At ASGN
The CEO & Director, Theodore Hanson, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$3.0m worth of shares at a price of US$85.54 each. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (US$97.44). As a general rule we consider it to be discouraging when insiders are selling below the current price, because it suggests they were happy with a lower valuation. However, while insider selling is sometimes discouraging, it's only a weak signal. This single sale was just 10% of Theodore Hanson's stake.
ASGN insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!
For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.
Insider Ownership Of ASGN
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. It's great to see that ASGN insiders own 3.7% of the company, worth about US$166m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.
What Might The Insider Transactions At ASGN Tell Us?
Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. The company boasts high insider ownership, but we're a little hesitant, given the history of share sales. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing ASGN. For example - ASGN has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.
But note: ASGN 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.