We wouldn't blame Helia Group Limited (ASX:HLI) shareholders if they were a little worried about the fact that Pauline Blight-Johnston, the CEO, MD & Director recently netted about AU$1.5m selling shares at an average price of AU$6.01. That sale reduced their total holding by 31% which is hardly insignificant, but far from the worst we've seen.

View our latest analysis for Helia Group

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Helia Group

Notably, that recent sale by Pauline Blight-Johnston is the biggest insider sale of Helia Group shares that we've seen in the last year. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of AU$5.93. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid AU$78k for 21.07k shares. But they sold 310.44k shares for AU$1.9m. Pauline Blight-Johnston divested 310.44k shares over the last 12 months at an average price of AU$5.97. 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).

Insider Ownership Of Helia Group

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Helia Group insiders own about AU$29m worth of shares. That equates to 1.8% of the company. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Helia Group Insiders?

An insider sold Helia Group shares recently, but they didn't buy any. Zooming out, the longer term picture doesn't give us much comfort. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. We're in no rush to buy! While it's good to be aware of what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. Be aware that Helia Group is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those doesn't sit too well with us...

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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.

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.