We wouldn't blame Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (NYSE:PNW) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Jacob Tetlow, the Executive VP & Chief Operating Officer of APS recently netted about US$650k selling shares at an average price of US$99.00. That's a big disposal, and it decreased their holding size by 42%, which is notable but not too bad.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Pinnacle West Capital

Notably, that recent sale by Jacob Tetlow is the biggest insider sale of Pinnacle West Capital shares that we've seen in the last year. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$98.40. 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.

Jacob Tetlow ditched 13.06k shares over the year. The average price per share was US$95.70. 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

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 0.3% of Pinnacle West Capital shares, worth about US$38m. 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 Pinnacle West Capital Tell Us?

An insider sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. Looking to the last twelve months, our data doesn't show any insider buying. On the plus side, Pinnacle West Capital makes money, and is growing profits. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. We're in no rush to buy! In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Pinnacle West Capital.

Of course Pinnacle West Capital 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.