Anyone interested in Portland General Electric Company (NYSE:POR) should probably be aware that the VP of Information Technology & Chief Information Officer, John Kochavatr, recently divested US$107k worth of shares in the company, at an average price of US$53.72 each. The eyebrow raising move amounted to a reduction of 12% in their holding.
Portland General Electric Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
The Senior Vice President of Advanced Energy Delivery, Larry Bekkedahl, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$265k worth of shares at a price of US$51.87 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of US$53.59. 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. We note that the biggest single sale was only 39% of Larry Bekkedahl's holding.
Over the last year we saw more insider selling of Portland General Electric shares, than buying. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!
If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).
Does Portland General Electric Boast High Insider Ownership?
Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It appears that Portland General Electric insiders own 0.6% of the company, worth about US$31m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.
So What Does This Data Suggest About Portland General Electric Insiders?
We note a that there has been a bit of insider buying recently (but no selling). That said, the purchases were not large. We're a little cautious about the insider selling at Portland General Electric. But it's good to see that insiders own shares in the company. 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. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Portland General Electric (1 is a bit concerning) you should be aware of.
Of course Portland General Electric 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, but not derivative transactions.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
