Featured below are companies that have experienced recent insider trading activity in the public market through their direct and indirect ownerships, including accounts they have control or direction over.
The list features insider transaction activity; it does not convey total ownership information as an insider may hold numerous accounts.
Keep in mind, when looking at transaction activities by insiders, purchasing activity may reflect perceived value in a security. Selling activity may or may not be related to a stock’s valuation; perhaps an insider needs to raise money for personal reasons. An insider’s total holdings should be considered because a sale may, in context, be insignificant if this person has a large remaining position in the company. I tend to put great weight on insider transaction activity when I see multiple insiders trading a company’s shares or units.
The following four stocks have had recent insider selling activity.
CES Energy Solutions Corp. (CEU-T)
On April 13, quite a few insiders were active sellers in the market. A few trades are highlighted below.
Chairman Kyle Kitagawa exercised his rights and sold the corresponding number of shares (20,605) at a price per share of $6.4055, leaving a closing portfolio balance of 601,898 shares.
Director Michael Stewart exercised his rights, receiving 13,737 shares and sold 6,366 shares at a price per share of $6.4055 with 60,737 shares remaining in his account.
Director Burton Ahrens exercised his rights and sold the corresponding share count (13,737), leaving 53,519 shares in his account.
Director Rodney Carpenter also exercised his rights and sold the corresponding share count (13,737), leaving 74,385 shares in his account.
Director Colin Boyer followed suit, exercising his rights and selling the corresponding share count (13,737), leaving 353,397 shares in his account.
Director John Hooks, however, sold 150,000 shares on April 11, at a price per share of $6.1179, leaving a portfolio balance of over 1.5-million shares.
Crew Energy Inc. (CR-T)
Numerous insiders have been recent sellers in the market, several notable transactions are highlighted below.
Between April 2 and April 18, Chief Financial Officer John Leach exercised his rights, receiving 202,908 shares, and divested a total of 110,000 shares, leaving 707,746 shares in his portfolio.
Between April 2 and April 16, Kurtis Fischer, Vice-President – Planning and Development, exercised his rights receiving 154,649 shares, and sold a total of 76,903 shares, leaving a remaining portfolio balance of 265,432 shares.
Between April 2 and April 16, Jamie Bowman, Vice-President – Marketing and Originations, exercised his rights, receiving 157,148 shares, and sold a total of 72,598 shares with a closing account balance of 258,855 shares.
Between April 2 and April 16, Paul Dever, Vice-President of Government and Stakeholder Relations, exercised his rights, receiving 51,795 shares and sold a total of 25,759 shares. After these transactions, his portfolio held 81,647 shares.
MedReleaf Corp. (LEAF-T)
On April 13, Stephen Arbib, with an ownership position above 10 per cent, sold 32,400 shares for an account in which he has control or direction over at a price per share of $19.50.
On April 13, Ray Leach, with an ownership position above 10 per cent, sold 100,000 shares for an account in which he has indirect ownership at a price per share of $19.40, leaving 10,691,216 shares in the account. On April 6, he sold 41,500 shares in this account at a price per share of $15.4035.
Royal Bank of Canada (RY-T)
On April 20, President and Chief Executive Officer David McKay exercised his options and sold the corresponding number of shares (15,636) at a price per share above $97, leaving 5,873 shares in his account. This has been Mr. McKay’s monthly practice - to exercise his options and divest the corresponding shares in the market.
Similarly, the Chief Human Resources Officer Helena Gottschling exercised her options and sold the corresponding number of shares (1,080) at a price per share of $97.08, leaving a portfolio balance of 1,365 shares. This has also been her monthly practice.
Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE-T)
Between April 11 and April 18, Director John Brussa, sold a total of 55,000 shares, reducing his account’s holdings to 243,654 shares.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story contained incorrect information regarding the share sales of Crew Energy Chairman John Brussa
Jennifer Dowty