Many Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE:AMP) insiders ditched their stock over the past year, which may be of interest to the company’s shareholders. Knowing whether insiders are buying is usually more helpful when evaluating insider transactions, as insider selling can have various explanations. However, when multiple insiders sell stock over a specific duration, shareholders should take notice as that could possibly be a red flag.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

View our latest analysis for Ameriprise Financial

Ameriprise Financial Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Chairman & CEO, James Cracchiolo, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$8.9m worth of shares at a price of US$409 each. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (US$446). As a general rule we consider it to be discouraging when insiders are selling below the current price, because it suggests they were happy with a lower valuation. Please do note, however, that sellers may have a variety of reasons for selling, so we don’t know for sure what they think of the stock price. This single sale was just 12% of James Cracchiolo’s stake.

In the last year Ameriprise Financial insiders didn’t buy any company stock. 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!

For those who like to find hidden gems this free list of small cap companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insiders At Ameriprise Financial Have Sold Stock Recently

The last three months saw significant insider selling at Ameriprise Financial. Specifically, Presiding Independent Director Robert Sharpe ditched US$657k worth of shares in that time, and we didn’t record any purchases whatsoever. In light of this it’s hard to argue that all the insiders think that the shares are a bargain.

Insider Ownership Of Ameriprise Financial

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. 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 0.2% of Ameriprise Financial shares, worth about US$78m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

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What Might The Insider Transactions At Ameriprise Financial Tell Us?

An insider sold Ameriprise Financial shares recently, but they didn’t buy any. And there weren’t any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. But since Ameriprise Financial is profitable and growing, we’re not too worried by this. While insiders do own shares, they don’t own a heap, and they have been selling. So we’d only buy after careful consideration. 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 Ameriprise Financial 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.

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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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com