Some Algoma Steel Group Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTL) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Director, Michael McQuade, recently sold a substantial US$2.0m worth of stock at a price of US$10.16 per share. That diminished their holding by a very significant 67%, which arguably implies a strong desire to reallocate capital.

Algoma Steel Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent sale by Michael McQuade was the biggest sale of Algoma Steel Group shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$9.76. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn't a major concern, though it's hardly a good sign.

In total, Algoma Steel Group insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

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Insider Ownership Of Algoma Steel Group

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 2.7% of Algoma Steel Group shares, worth about US$28m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Do The Algoma Steel Group Insider Transactions Indicate?

An insider sold Algoma Steel Group shares recently, but they didn't buy any. Zooming out, the longer term picture doesn't give us much comfort. While insiders do own shares, they don't own a heap, and they have been selling. We'd practice some caution before buying! 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. When we did our research, we found 2 warning signs for Algoma Steel Group (1 is concerning!) that we believe deserve your full attention.

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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.