Some The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited (NYSE:NTB) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Chairman & CEO, Michael Collins, recently sold a substantial US$13m worth of stock at a price of US$61.59 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 Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son

In fact, the recent sale by Michael Collins was the biggest sale of Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son 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$58.61. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. 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).

In total, Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

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 Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son insiders own about US$39m worth of shares. That equates to 1.7% of the company. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Tell Us?

The insider sales have outweighed the insider buying, at Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son, in the last three months. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. On the plus side, Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son makes money, and is growing profits. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. We're in no rush to buy! So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company.T. Butterfield & Son that deserve your attention before buying any shares.

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.