Anyone interested in Mammoth Energy Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:TUSK) should probably be aware that the Independent Director, Arthur Smith, recently divested US$163k worth of shares in the company, at an average price of US$2.51 each. That sale was 35% of their holding, so it does make us raise an eyebrow.

Our free stock report includes 2 warning signs investors should be aware of before investing in Mammoth Energy Services. Read for free now.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Mammoth Energy Services

In fact, the recent sale by Arthur Smith was the biggest sale of Mammoth Energy Services shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$2.40. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern.

All up, insiders sold more shares in Mammoth Energy Services 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!

I will like Mammoth Energy Services better if I see some big insider buys.

Insider Ownership

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. From looking at our data, insiders own US$3.3m worth of Mammoth Energy Services stock, about 2.7% of the company. I generally like to see higher levels of ownership.

So What Do The Mammoth Energy Services Insider Transactions Indicate?

An insider sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. Zooming out, the longer term picture doesn't give us much comfort. Insiders own relatively few shares in the company, and when you consider the sales, we're not particularly excited about the stock. So we'd only buy after very careful consideration. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. To assist with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Mammoth Energy Services.

Of course Mammoth Energy Services 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.