We'd be surprised if Proficient Auto Logistics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PAL) shareholders haven't noticed that the Chairman & CEO, Richard O'Dell, recently sold US$308k worth of stock at US$5.06 per share. However, the silver lining is that the sale only reduced their total holding by 6.1%, so we're hesitant to read anything much into it, on its own.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Proficient Auto Logistics

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the insider, John Skiadas, sold US$415k worth of shares at a price of US$7.37 per share. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. The silver lining is that this sell-down took place above the latest price (US$5.10). So it may not shed much light on insider confidence at current levels.

In total, Proficient Auto Logistics insiders sold more than they bought over 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!

I will like Proficient Auto Logistics better if I see some big insider buys.

Does Proficient Auto Logistics Boast High Insider Ownership?

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Insiders own 14% of Proficient Auto Logistics shares, worth about US$19m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Do The Proficient Auto Logistics Insider Transactions Indicate?

Unfortunately, there has been more insider selling of Proficient Auto Logistics stock, than buying, in the last three months. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. So we'd only buy after careful consideration. 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.

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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.