Some Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (NASDAQ:SBLK) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Independent Director, Nikolaos Karellis, recently sold a substantial US$539k worth of stock at a price of US$26.96 per share. Probably the most concerning element of the whole transaction is that the disposal amounted to 100% of their entire holding.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Star Bulk Carriers

Notably, that recent sale by Nikolaos Karellis is the biggest insider sale of Star Bulk Carriers shares that we've seen in the last year. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even slightly below the current price of US$27.15. We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling, especially if they did so below the current price, because it implies that they considered a lower price to be reasonable. 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. It is worth noting that this sale was 100% of Nikolaos Karellis's holding.

Insiders in Star Bulk Carriers 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 click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

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 Star Bulk Carriers

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Star Bulk Carriers insiders own 20% of the company, currently worth about US$606m based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Star Bulk Carriers Insiders?

Insiders sold Star Bulk Carriers shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. The company boasts high insider ownership, but we're a little hesitant, given the history of share sales. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Star Bulk Carriers.

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.