Some ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Independent Director, Anita Sands, recently sold a substantial US$1.5m worth of stock at a price of US$90.14 per share. That sale reduced their total holding by 37% which is hardly insignificant, but far from the worst we've seen.

ServiceNow Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent sale by Anita Sands was the biggest sale of ServiceNow shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of US$102. 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. 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. This single sale was just 37% of Anita Sands's stake.

In the last year ServiceNow insiders didn't buy any company stock. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, 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).

Does ServiceNow Boast High Insider Ownership?

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. ServiceNow insiders own 0.2% of the company, currently worth about US$188m based on the recent share price. 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 ServiceNow Insider Transactions Indicate?

Insiders sold ServiceNow shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. On the plus side, ServiceNow makes money, and is growing profits. The company boasts high insider ownership, but we're a little hesitant, given the history of share sales. Of course, the future is what matters most.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity 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.