Multiple insiders secured a larger position in Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:ZBRA) shares over the last 12 months. This is reassuring as this suggests that insiders have increased optimism about the company's prospects.
Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Zebra Technologies
In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Executive Chair Anders Gustafsson bought US$1.0m worth of shares at a price of US$249 per share. We do like to see buying, but this purchase was made at well below the current price of US$297. While it does suggest insiders consider the stock undervalued at lower prices, this transaction doesn't tell us much about what they think of current prices.
Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 8.80k shares worth US$2.1m. But insiders sold 3.01k shares worth US$819k. Overall, Zebra Technologies insiders were net buyers during the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!
There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).
Zebra Technologies Insiders Are Selling The Stock
The last three months saw significant insider selling at Zebra Technologies. Specifically, insiders ditched US$819k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. This may suggest that some insiders think that the shares are not cheap.
Does Zebra Technologies Boast High Insider Ownership?
Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Zebra Technologies insiders own about US$93m worth of shares. That equates to 0.6% of the company. 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 Zebra Technologies Insiders?
Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. On the other hand, the insider transactions over the last year are encouraging. We like that insiders own a fair amount of the company. So the recent selling doesn't worry us too much. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Zebra Technologies. To help with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in Zebra Technologies.
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.