Selling US$2.4m worth of Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVID) stock at high prices would have gotten insiders a handsome reward

Despite the fact that Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVID) stock rose 9.0% last week, insiders who sold US$2.4m worth of stock in the previous 12 months are likely to be better off. Holding on to stock would have meant their investment would be worth less now than it was at the time of sale. Thus selling at an average price of US$29.66, which is higher than the current price, may have been the best decision.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

Before we look at these insider transactions though, you might like to know that our analysis indicates that AVID is potentially undervalued!

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Avid Technology

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Chief Revenue Officer & Senior VP, Tom J. Cordiner, sold US$674k worth of shares at a price of US$34.54 per share. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. The good news is that this large sale was at well above current price of US$26.39. So it is hard to draw any strong conclusion from it.

In the last year Avid Technology insiders didn't buy any company stock. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and 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.

Avid Technology Insiders Are Selling The Stock

Over the last three months, we've seen significant insider selling at Avid Technology. In total, Chief Revenue Officer & Senior VP Tom J. Cordiner sold US$254k 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.

Does Avid Technology 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. Avid Technology insiders own about US$91m worth of shares. That equates to 7.7% of the company. 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 Avid Technology Tell Us?

An insider sold Avid Technology shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. But since Avid Technology is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. So we'd only buy after careful consideration. While we like knowing 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. At Simply Wall St, we've found that Avid Technology has 3 warning signs (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

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.

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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.

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