We wouldn't blame Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:RARE) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Emil Kakkis, the Founder recently netted about US$1.0m selling shares at an average price of US$50.17. However, it's crucial to note that they remain very much invested in the stock and that sale only reduced their holding by 0.7%.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical

Notably, that recent sale by Emil Kakkis is the biggest insider sale of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical shares that we've seen in the last year. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even slightly below the current price of US$50.29. 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. Please do note, however, that sellers may have a variety of reasons for selling, so we don't know for sure what they think of the stock price. This single sale was just 0.7% of Emil Kakkis's stake.

In the last year Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical insiders didn't buy any company stock. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: Most of them are flying under the radar).

Does Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical 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. Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical insiders own 2.9% of the company, currently worth about US$133m based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Insiders?

Insiders haven't bought Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. Looking to the last twelve months, our data doesn't show any insider buying. The company boasts high insider ownership, but we're a little hesitant, given the history of share sales. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. You'd be interested to know, that we found 3 warning signs for Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical and we suggest you have a look.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

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.