We'd be surprised if Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:ORN) shareholders haven't noticed that the Independent Chairman, Austin Shanfelter, recently sold US$146k worth of stock at US$4.86 per share. On the bright side, that sale was only 6.0% of their holding, so we doubt it's very meaningful, on its own.

Check out our latest analysis for Orion Group Holdings

Orion Group Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent sale by Austin Shanfelter is the biggest insider sale of Orion Group Holdings 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$4.80. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. In this case, the big sale took place at around the current price, so it's not too bad (but it's still not a positive).

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 22.00k shares worth US$97k. But they sold 60.00k shares for US$288k. Austin Shanfelter ditched 60.00k shares over the year. The average price per share was US$4.81. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Does Orion Group Holdings Boast High Insider Ownership?

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. Insiders own 10% of Orion Group Holdings shares, worth about US$17m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Do The Orion Group Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate?

An insider sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And our longer term analysis of insider transactions didn't bring confidence, either. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. We're in no rush to buy! While we like knowing 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. You'd be interested to know, that we found 2 warning signs for Orion Group Holdings and we suggest you have a look.

Of course Orion Group Holdings 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.