Anyone interested in Helmerich & Payne, Inc. (NYSE:HP) should probably be aware that the Senior VP of Corporate Services and Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, Cara Hair, recently divested US$494k worth of shares in the company, at an average price of US$44.27 each. However, the silver lining is that the sale only reduced their total holding by 7.6%, so we're hesitant to read anything much into it, on its own.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Helmerich & Payne

In fact, the recent sale by Senior VP of Corporate Services and Chief Legal & Compliance Officer Cara Hair was not their only sale of Helmerich & Payne shares this year. They previously made an even bigger sale of -US$2.2m worth of shares at a price of US$36.62 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (US$43.76). When an insider sells below the current price, it suggests that they considered that lower price to be fair. That makes us wonder what they think of the (higher) recent valuation. However, while insider selling is sometimes discouraging, it's only a weak signal. We note that the biggest single sale was only 25% of Cara Hair's holding.

Helmerich & Payne 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 want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

For those who like to find hidden gems this free list of small cap companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insider Ownership Of Helmerich & Payne

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It's great to see that Helmerich & Payne insiders own 4.0% of the company, worth about US$176m. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Helmerich & Payne Tell Us?

Insiders sold Helmerich & Payne shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. At Simply Wall St, we've found that Helmerich & Payne has 3 warning signs (1 is potentially serious!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

But note: Helmerich & Payne 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.

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.