Yahoo Finance Are Insiders Selling Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ:FITB) Stock?
It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ:FITB).
What Is Insider Selling?
It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.
Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own company’s stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'.
View our latest analysis for Fifth Third Bancorp
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Fifth Third Bancorp
The Executive VP & Chief Risk Officer, Frank Forrest, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$686k worth of shares at a price of US$26.37 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of US$27.33. 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 only 29% of Frank Forrest's holding.
All up, insiders sold more shares in Fifth Third Bancorp than they bought, over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!
If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.
Fifth Third Bancorp Insiders Bought Stock Recently
Over the last quarter, Fifth Third Bancorp insiders have spent a meaningful amount on shares. insider B. Bayh spent US$104k on stock, and there wasn't any selling. This could be interpreted as suggesting a positive outlook.
Insider Ownership
Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Insiders own 0.3% of Fifth Third Bancorp shares, worth about US$54m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.
So What Do The Fifth Third Bancorp Insider Transactions Indicate?
It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. However, the longer term transactions are not so encouraging. We don't take much heart from transactions by Fifth Third Bancorp insiders over the last year. But they own a reasonable amount of the company, and there was some buying recently. So they seem pretty well aligned, overall. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.
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, but not derivative transactions.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
