We note that a Byrna Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:BYRN) insider, Victor Eng, recently sold US$93k worth of stock for US$10.00 per share. It wasn't a huge sale, but it did reduce their holding by 18%. This does not instill confidence.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Byrna Technologies

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by the Chief Technology Officer, Andre Buys, for US$245k worth of shares, at about US$3.58 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (US$10.03). We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling, especially if they did so below the current price, because it implies that they considered a lower price to be reasonable. While insider selling is not a positive sign, we can't be sure if it does mean insiders think the shares are fully valued, so it's only a weak sign. It is worth noting that this sale was only 21% of Andre Buys's holding.

In the last twelve months insiders purchased 82.14k shares for US$230k. But insiders sold 105.46k shares worth US$577k. All up, insiders sold more shares in Byrna Technologies than they bought, over the last year. The average sell price was around US$5.47. It's not particularly great to see insiders were selling shares at below recent prices. Of course, the sales could be motivated for a multitude of reasons, so we shouldn't jump to conclusions. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

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Does Byrna Technologies Boast High 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. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Byrna Technologies insiders own about US$41m worth of shares. That equates to 19% 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.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Byrna Technologies Insiders?

An insider sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. We're in no rush to buy! So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 3 warning signs with Byrna Technologies and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

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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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.