We wouldn't blame IES Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:IESC) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Todd Cleveland, the Independent Director recently netted about US$3.2m selling shares at an average price of US$115. That sale reduced their total holding by 22% which is hardly insignificant, but far from the worst we've seen.

IES Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent sale by Todd Cleveland is the biggest insider sale of IES Holdings shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$114. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern.

In the last year IES Holdings insiders didn't buy any company stock. 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!

I will like IES Holdings better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

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 2.3% of IES Holdings shares, worth about US$54m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At IES Holdings Tell Us?

Insiders sold IES Holdings shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And even if we look at the last year, we didn't see any purchases. On the plus side, IES Holdings makes money, and is growing profits. While insiders do own shares, they don't own a heap, and they have been selling. We'd practice some caution before buying! In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing IES Holdings. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with IES Holdings and understanding this 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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