We'd be surprised if Sierra Bancorp (NASDAQ:BSRR) shareholders haven't noticed that the Executive VP & Chief Credit Officer, Hugh Boyle, recently sold US$382k worth of stock at US$38.21 per share. The eyebrow raising move amounted to a reduction of 31% in their holding.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Sierra Bancorp

Notably, that recent sale by Hugh Boyle is the biggest insider sale of Sierra Bancorp shares that we've seen in the last year. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$37.98. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern.

In total, Sierra Bancorp 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 Sierra Bancorp better if I see some big insider buys.

Insider Ownership

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 appears that Sierra Bancorp insiders own 11% of the company, worth about US$54m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Sierra Bancorp Tell Us?

An insider hasn't bought Sierra Bancorp stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. On the plus side, Sierra Bancorp makes money, and is growing profits. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. We'd practice some caution before buying! So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company.

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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.