We wouldn't blame Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Marianne Johnson, the Executive Chairman recently netted about US$6.5m selling shares at an average price of US$64.69. However, it's crucial to note that they remain very much invested in the stock and that sale only reduced their holding by 1.3%.

See our latest analysis for Boyd Gaming

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Boyd Gaming

The Chairman Emeritus, William Boyd, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$14m worth of shares at a price of US$67.70 each. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$62.66. 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.

In the last year Boyd Gaming insiders didn't buy any company stock. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

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. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Boyd Gaming insiders own about US$1.5b worth of shares (which is 25% of the company). 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 Boyd Gaming Insider Transactions Indicate?

Insiders haven't bought Boyd Gaming stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. But it is good to see that Boyd Gaming is growing earnings. While insiders do own a lot of shares in the company (which is good), our analysis of their transactions doesn't make us feel confident about the company. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. For example, Boyd Gaming has 3 warning signs (and 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) we think you should know about.

But note: Boyd Gaming 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.