Independent Director Craig Conway Sold A Bunch Of Shares In Salesforce

We wouldn't blame Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Craig Conway, the Independent Director recently netted about US$1.2m selling shares at an average price of US$261. That's a big disposal, and it decreased their holding size by 45%, which is notable but not too bad.

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Salesforce Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent sale by Craig Conway was the biggest sale of Salesforce 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$249. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn't a major concern, though it's hardly a good sign.

In the last twelve months insiders purchased 7.08k shares for US$1.5m. On the other hand they divested 8.39k shares, for US$2.1m. Over the last year we saw more insider selling of Salesforce shares, than buying. The average sell price was around US$250. It's not particularly great to see insiders were selling shares at below recent prices. But we wouldn't put too much weight on the insider selling. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

See our latest analysis for Salesforce

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Does Salesforce Boast High Insider Ownership?

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It's great to see that Salesforce insiders own 3.0% of the company, worth about US$6.3b. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

So What Do The Salesforce Insider Transactions Indicate?

An insider sold Salesforce shares recently, but they didn't buy any. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. On the plus side, Salesforce makes money, and is growing profits. While insiders do own a lot of shares in the company (which is good), our analysis of their transactions doesn't make us feel confident about the company. While it's good to be aware of 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. To assist with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Salesforce.

But note: Salesforce may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE 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.

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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.