We'd be surprised if Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE:VTOL) shareholders haven't noticed that the Chief Operating Officer of Offshore Energy Services, Stuart Stavley, recently sold US$472k worth of stock at US$46.20 per share. That sale was 17% of their holding, so it does make us raise an eyebrow.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Bristow Group

The President, Christopher Bradshaw, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$3.2m worth of shares at a price of US$47.51 each. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$45.29. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn't a major concern, though it's hardly a good sign.

Insiders in Bristow Group didn't buy any shares in the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

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Insider Ownership Of Bristow Group

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company 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. Insiders own 3.1% of Bristow Group shares, worth about US$42m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

So What Do The Bristow Group Insider Transactions Indicate?

Insiders haven't bought Bristow Group 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. While insiders do own shares, they don't own a heap, and they have been selling. So we'd only buy after careful consideration. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company.

Of course Bristow Group 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.