We wouldn't blame AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Shanti Gupta, the EVP & COO recently netted about US$2.1m selling shares at an average price of US$25.83. That's a big disposal, and it decreased their holding size by 29%, which is notable but not too bad.
AST SpaceMobile Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
In fact, the recent sale by Shanti Gupta was the biggest sale of AST SpaceMobile shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$23.84. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. In this case, the big sale took place at around the current price, so it's not too bad (but it's still not a positive).
In total, AST SpaceMobile insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. 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.
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. Insiders own 0.6% of AST SpaceMobile shares, worth about US$41m. 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 AST SpaceMobile Insiders?
The insider sales have outweighed the insider buying, at AST SpaceMobile, in the last three months. Zooming out, the longer term picture doesn't give us much comfort. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. So we'd only buy after careful consideration. 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 help with this, we've discovered 4 warning signs (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in AST SpaceMobile.
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 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.