We note that the Fluent, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLNT) Independent Director, David Graff, recently sold US$75k worth of stock for US$3.00 per share. That might not be a huge sum but it was 75% of their personal holding, so we find it a little discouraging.
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Fluent
Notably, that recent sale by David Graff is the biggest insider sale of Fluent shares that we've seen in the last year. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of US$3.35. 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 75% of David Graff's holding.
Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$33k for 14.13k shares. But insiders sold 54.12k shares worth US$150k. Over the last year we saw more insider selling of Fluent shares, than buying. They sold for an average price of about US$2.78. It's not too encouraging to see that insiders have sold at below the current price. Since insiders sell for many reasons, we wouldn't put too much weight on it. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!
View our latest analysis for Fluent
I will like Fluent 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
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. It's great to see that Fluent insiders own 48% of the company, worth about US$50m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.
What Might The Insider Transactions At Fluent Tell Us?
The insider sales have outweighed the insider buying, at Fluent, in the last three months. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. The company boasts high insider ownership, but we're a little hesitant, given the history of share sales. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Fluent. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Fluent (including 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable).
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.