We wouldn't blame Medpace Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:MEDP) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Susan Burwig, a company insider, recently netted about US$4.5m selling shares at an average price of US$600. That's a big disposal, and it decreased their holding size by 11%, which is notable but not too bad.

Medpace Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the CEO, President & Chairman, August Troendle, sold US$62m worth of shares at a price of US$616 per share. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$578. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern.

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

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Insider Ownership Of Medpace Holdings

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Medpace Holdings insiders own about US$3.2b worth of shares (which is 20% of the company). This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

So What Do The Medpace Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate?

Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. But since Medpace Holdings is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. 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. For example - Medpace Holdings has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

Of course Medpace Holdings may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality 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.

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.