Anyone interested in Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY) should probably be aware that a company insider, Ludmila Smolyansky, recently divested US$180k worth of shares in the company, at an average price of US$12.30 each. However, the silver lining is that the sale only reduced their total holding by 1.3%, so we're hesitant to read anything much into it, on its own.
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Lifeway Foods
Notably, that recent sale by insider Ludmila Smolyansky was not the only time they sold Lifeway Foods shares this year. Earlier in the year, they fetched US$21.64 per share in a -US$741k sale. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. It's of some comfort that this sale was conducted at a price well above the current share price, which is US$12.08. So it may not shed much light on insider confidence at current levels.
Lifeway Foods insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. 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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Insider Ownership
I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Lifeway Foods insiders own about US$73m worth of shares (which is 41% of the company). This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.
So What Does This Data Suggest About Lifeway Foods Insiders?
Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. On the plus side, Lifeway Foods makes money, and is growing profits. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Lifeway Foods. At Simply Wall St, we found 2 warning signs for Lifeway Foods that deserve your attention before buying any shares.
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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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com