We note that the NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCSM) Independent Director, Valerie Mitchell, recently sold US$76k worth of stock for US$30.13 per share. That might not be a huge sum but it was 100% of their personal holding, so we find it a little discouraging.

NCS Multistage Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent sale by Valerie Mitchell is the biggest insider sale of NCS Multistage Holdings shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (US$33.88). As a general rule we consider it to be discouraging when insiders are selling below the current price, because it suggests they were happy with a lower valuation. While insider selling is not a positive sign, we can't be sure if it does mean insiders think the shares are fully valued, so it's only a weak sign. We note that the biggest single sale was 100% of Valerie Mitchell's holding.

Valerie Mitchell divested 4.06k shares over the last 12 months at an average price of US$29.41. 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!

If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: Most of them are flying under the radar).

Insider Ownership Of NCS Multistage Holdings

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 10% of NCS Multistage Holdings shares, worth about US$8.1m, according to our data. Whilst better than nothing, we're not overly impressed by these holdings.

What Might The Insider Transactions At NCS Multistage Holdings Tell Us?

An insider sold NCS Multistage Holdings shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And even if we look at the last year, we didn't see any purchases. When you consider that most companies have higher levels of insider ownership, we're a little wary. We'd certainly practice some caution before buying! While it's good to be aware of 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. While conducting our analysis, we found that NCS Multistage Holdings has 3 warning signs and it would be unwise to ignore them.

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.