Some Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:LGND) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the Chief Financial Officer, Octavio Espinoza, recently sold a substantial US$575k worth of stock at a price of US$115 per share. That's a big disposal, and it decreased their holding size by 16%, which is notable but not too bad.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Ligand Pharmaceuticals

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by the insider, Matthew Korenberg, for US$2.0m worth of shares, at about US$106 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at below the current price (US$108). As a general rule we consider it to be discouraging when insiders are selling below the current price, because it suggests they were happy with a lower 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. We note that the biggest single sale was only 28% of Matthew Korenberg's holding.

In total, Ligand Pharmaceuticals 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. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of small cap stocks that are not only being bought by insiders but also have attractive valuations.

Does Ligand Pharmaceuticals Boast High Insider Ownership?

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It appears that Ligand Pharmaceuticals insiders own 2.1% of the company, worth about US$42m. 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 Ligand Pharmaceuticals Tell Us?

An insider sold Ligand Pharmaceuticals shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And our longer term analysis of insider transactions didn't bring confidence, either. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. We're in no rush to buy! In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Ligand Pharmaceuticals. For example - Ligand Pharmaceuticals has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

Of course Ligand Pharmaceuticals 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 of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

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.