Some Escalade, Incorporated (NASDAQ:ESCA) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Lead Independent Director, Edward Williams, recently sold a substantial US$693k worth of stock at a price of US$20.98 per share. However, it's crucial to note that they remain very much invested in the stock and that sale only reduced their holding by 7.3%.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Escalade

Notably, that recent sale by Edward Williams is the biggest insider sale of Escalade shares that we've seen in the last year. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$20.07. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. In this case, the big sale took place at around the current price, so it's not too bad (but it's still not a positive).

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

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It appears that Escalade insiders own 29% of the company, worth about US$81m. 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 Escalade Tell Us?

Insiders sold Escalade shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And even if we look at the last year, we didn't see any purchases. But it is good to see that Escalade is growing earnings. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. We'd 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.

Of course Escalade 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.