We note that the Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEBK) Independent Director, Robert Abernethy, recently sold US$50k worth of stock for US$41.75 per share. However we note that the sale only shrunk their holding by 1.9%.

Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent sale by Robert Abernethy is the biggest insider sale of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina shares that we've seen in the last year. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of US$43.02. When an insider sells below the current price, it suggests that they considered that lower price to be fair. That makes us wonder what they think of the (higher) recent valuation. However, while insider selling is sometimes discouraging, it's only a weak signal. This single sale was just 1.9% of Robert Abernethy's stake.

Insiders in Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina 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!

I will like Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina better if I see some big insider buys.

Does Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina Boast High Insider Ownership?

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by 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. Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina insiders own about US$25m worth of shares. That equates to 11% of the company. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

So What Do The Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina 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. On the plus side, Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina makes money, and is growing profits. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. 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.

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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.