We wouldn't blame Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTRA) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Gail Marcus, the Independent Director recently netted about US$1.5m selling shares at an average price of US$160. Probably the most concerning element of the whole transaction is that the disposal amounted to 59% of their entire holding.

Natera Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent sale by Gail Marcus is the biggest insider sale of Natera shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that even when the share price was below the current price of US$164, an insider wanted to cash in some shares. We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling, especially if they did so below the current price, because it implies that they considered a lower price to be reasonable. 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 59% of Gail Marcus's holding.

Insiders in Natera didn't buy any shares in 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!

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Does Natera Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Natera insiders own about US$765m worth of shares (which is 3.5% of the company). Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Natera Tell Us?

Insiders sold Natera shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And even if we look at the last year, we didn't see any purchases. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Natera. To assist with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Natera.

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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.