We wouldn't blame Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:ATLC) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Jeffrey Howard, the President recently netted about US$1.1m selling shares at an average price of US$109. However, it's crucial to note that they remain very much invested in the stock and that sale only reduced their holding by 1.5%.

Atlanticus Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent sale by Jeffrey Howard was the biggest sale of Atlanticus Holdings shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$104. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. In this case, the big sale took place at around the current price, so it's not too bad (but it's still not a positive).

Insiders in Atlanticus Holdings didn't buy any shares in the last year. 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!

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

Does Atlanticus Holdings Boast High Insider Ownership?

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It's great to see that Atlanticus Holdings insiders own 63% of the company, worth about US$972m. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.

So What Do The Atlanticus Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate?

Insiders haven't bought Atlanticus Holdings stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. Looking to the last twelve months, our data doesn't show any insider buying. But since Atlanticus Holdings is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. The company boasts high insider ownership, but we're a little hesitant, given the history of share sales. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing.

But note: Atlanticus Holdings 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.