Don't Ignore The Fact That This Insider Just Sold Some Shares In Cohu, Inc. (NASDAQ:COHU)

We'd be surprised if Cohu, Inc. (NASDAQ:COHU) shareholders haven't noticed that the Senior Vice President of Global Customer Group, Pascal Rondé, recently sold US$195k worth of stock at US$19.45 per share. The eyebrow raising move amounted to a reduction of 16% in their holding.

View our latest analysis for Cohu

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Cohu

Notably, that recent sale by Pascal Rondé is the biggest insider sale of Cohu shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that even when the share price was slightly below the current price of US$19.71, an insider wanted to cash in some shares. 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. 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. This single sale was just 16% of Pascal Rondé's stake.

In total, Cohu insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Does Cohu Boast High Insider Ownership?

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It appears that Cohu insiders own 2.8% of the company, worth about US$23m. 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 Do The Cohu Insider Transactions Indicate?

An insider sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. We'd think twice before buying! Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for Cohu.

Of course Cohu may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality 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, but not derivative transactions.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.