From what we can see, insiders were net sellers in Community Bank System, Inc.'s (NYSE:CBU ) during the past 12 months. That is, insiders sold the stock in greater numbers than they purchased it.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

Community Bank System Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Independent Director, Sally Steele, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$499k worth of shares at a price of US$53.05 each. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. The good news is that this large sale was at well above current price of US$43.22. So it may not shed much light on insider confidence at current levels. Sally Steele was the only individual insider to sell over the last year.

In the last twelve months insiders purchased 6.71k shares for US$287k. But they sold 12.90k shares for US$669k. Sally Steele divested 12.90k shares over the last 12 months at an average price of US$51.89. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insiders At Community Bank System Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last three months, we've seen a bit of insider buying at Community Bank System. President Dimitar Karaivanov purchased US$44k worth of shares in that period. We like it when there are only buyers, and no sellers. However, in this case the amount invested recently is quite small.

Does Community Bank System Boast High Insider Ownership?

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that Community Bank System insiders own 1.2% of the company, worth about US$28m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Community Bank System Tell Us?

Our data shows a little insider buying, but no selling, in the last three months. The net investment is not enough to encourage us much. Our analysis of Community Bank System insider transactions leaves us cautious. But it's good to see that insiders own shares in the company. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Community Bank System, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

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.