The fact that multiple Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) insiders offloaded a considerable amount of shares over the past year could have raised some eyebrows amongst investors. When analyzing insider transactions, it is usually more valuable to know whether insiders are buying versus knowing if they are selling, as the latter sends an ambiguous message. However, shareholders should take a deeper look if several insiders are selling stock over a specific time period.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Dolby Laboratories

The Senior VP & Chief Marketing Officer, Todd Pendleton, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$1.0m worth of shares at a price of US$81.69 each. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$79.23. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern.

Dolby Laboratories 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!

For those who like to find hidden gems this free list of small cap companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Dolby Laboratories Insiders Are Selling The Stock

Over the last three months, we've seen a bit of insider selling at Dolby Laboratories. Executive VP Andy Sherman sold just US$23k worth of shares in that time. Neither the lack of buying nor the presence of selling is heartening. But the amount sold isn't enough for us to put any weight on it.

Insider Ownership Of Dolby Laboratories

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. It appears that Dolby Laboratories insiders own 0.5% of the company, worth about US$40m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Dolby Laboratories Insiders?

We did not see any insider buying in the last three months, but we did see selling. However, the sales are not big enough to concern us at all. Recent insider selling makes us a little nervous, in light of the broader picture of Dolby Laboratories insider transactions. But it's good to see that insiders own shares in the company. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Dolby Laboratories, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

Of course Dolby Laboratories may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality 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.