This Insider Has Just Sold Shares In Kirby
Some Kirby Corporation (NYSE:KEX) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the CEO & Director, David Grzebinski, recently sold a substantial US$2.6m worth of stock at a price of US$141 per share. That sale reduced their total holding by 19% which is hardly insignificant, but far from the worst we've seen.
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Kirby
Notably, that recent sale by David Grzebinski is the biggest insider sale of Kirby shares that we've seen in the last year. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. It's of some comfort that this sale was conducted at a price well above the current share price, which is US$121. So it may not tell us anything about how insiders feel about the current share price.
In the last year Kirby insiders didn't buy any company stock. 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!
See our latest analysis for Kirby
I will like Kirby better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of undervalued and small cap stocks with considerable, recent, insider buying.
Insider Ownership Of Kirby
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. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that Kirby insiders own 0.6% of the company, worth about US$37m. 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 Kirby Insiders?
An insider sold Kirby shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. But it is good to see that Kirby is growing earnings. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. We'd practice some caution before buying! So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with Kirby and understanding this should be part of your investment process.
But note: Kirby may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.
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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.