Some Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACLS) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Executive Chairperson, Mary Puma, recently sold a substantial US$2.7m worth of stock at a price of US$125 per share. However, it's crucial to note that they remain very much invested in the stock and that sale only reduced their holding by 8.1%.

Check out our latest analysis for Axcelis Technologies

Axcelis Technologies Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent sale by Executive Chairperson Mary Puma was not the only time they sold Axcelis Technologies shares this year. Earlier in the year, they fetched US$126 per share in a -US$3.1m sale. That means that even when the share price was below the current price of US$130, an insider wanted to cash in some shares. When an insider sells below the current price, it suggests that they considered that lower price to be fair. That makes us wonder what they think of the (higher) recent 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 9.1% of Mary Puma's holding.

In the last year Axcelis Technologies insiders didn't buy any company stock. 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!

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Does Axcelis Technologies Boast High Insider Ownership?

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It appears that Axcelis Technologies insiders own 1.5% of the company, worth about US$63m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Axcelis Technologies Insiders?

Insiders sold Axcelis Technologies shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And even if we look at the last year, we didn't see any purchases. On the plus side, Axcelis Technologies makes money, and is growing profits. While insiders do own shares, they don't own a heap, and they have been selling. We'd practice some caution before buying! So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Axcelis 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, 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.