Have Keysight Technologies Insiders Been Selling Stock?

We wouldn't blame Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:KEYS) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Satish Dhanasekaran, the President recently netted about US$1.1m selling shares at an average price of US$364. That sale reduced their total holding by 12% which is hardly insignificant, but far from the worst we've seen.

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The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Keysight Technologies

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by the Non-Executive Chair, Ronald Nersesian, for US$5.9m worth of shares, at about US$197 per share. That means that even when the share price was below the current price of US$381, an insider wanted to cash in some shares. 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. 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 13% of Ronald Nersesian's holding.

Insiders in Keysight Technologies didn't buy any shares in the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

See our latest analysis for Keysight Technologies

I will like Keysight Technologies better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of undervalued and small cap stocks with considerable, recent, insider buying.

Does Keysight Technologies Boast High Insider Ownership?

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Keysight Technologies insiders own 0.5% of the company, currently worth about US$324m based on the recent share price. 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 Does This Data Suggest About Keysight Technologies Insiders?

Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. On the plus side, Keysight Technologies makes money, and is growing profits. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. 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. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Keysight Technologies you should be aware of.

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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.