We'd be surprised if First Commonwealth Financial Corporation (NYSE:FCF) shareholders haven't noticed that the Executive VP, Jane Grebenc, recently sold US$351k worth of stock at US$18.85 per share. That sale was 10% of their holding, so it does make us raise an eyebrow.

First Commonwealth Financial Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent sale by Jane Grebenc was the biggest sale of First Commonwealth Financial shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$18.38. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn't a major concern, though it's hardly a good sign.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 15.92k shares worth US$263k. But insiders sold 40.20k shares worth US$732k. Over the last year we saw more insider selling of First Commonwealth Financial shares, than buying. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

I will like First Commonwealth Financial better if I see some big insider buys.

Insider Ownership

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company 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. Insiders own 2.3% of First Commonwealth Financial shares, worth about US$44m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About First Commonwealth Financial Insiders?

The stark truth for First Commonwealth Financial is that there has been more insider selling than insider buying in the last three months. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. But since First Commonwealth Financial is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. We'd practice some caution before buying! In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing First Commonwealth Financial.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting 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.