The fact that multiple Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) insiders offloaded a considerable amount of shares over the past year could have raised some eyebrows amongst investors. When analyzing insider transactions, it is usually more valuable to know whether insiders are buying versus knowing if they are selling, as the latter sends an ambiguous message. However, shareholders should take a deeper look if several insiders are selling stock over a specific time period.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

See our latest analysis for Abbott Laboratories

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Abbott Laboratories

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Independent Director, Daniel Starks, sold US$4.7m worth of shares at a price of US$94.33 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of US$114. When an insider sells below the current price, it suggests that they considered that lower price to be fair. That makes us wonder what they think of the (higher) recent 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. We note that the biggest single sale was only 0.7% of Daniel Starks's holding.

In the last year Abbott Laboratories insiders didn't buy any company stock. 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!

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).

Have Abbott Laboratories Insiders Traded Recently?

In the last three months company insider John McCoy divested US$3.1k worth of stock. That is not a lot. Ultimately the overall selling isn't enough to tell us much.

Insider Ownership Of Abbott Laboratories

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. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It's great to see that Abbott Laboratories insiders own 0.5% of the company, worth about US$1.0b. 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 Abbott Laboratories Insiders?

We did not see any insider buying in the last three months, but we did see selling. But given the selling was modest, we're not worried. While we feel good about high insider ownership of Abbott Laboratories, we can't say the same about the selling of shares. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Abbott Laboratories, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting 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.

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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.