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Possible bearish signals as CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CME) insiders disposed of US$12m worth of stock

Many CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CME) insiders ditched their stock over the past year, which may be of interest to the company's shareholders. When evaluating insider transactions, knowing whether insiders are buying versus if they selling is usually more beneficial, as the latter can be open to many interpretations. 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, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

See our latest analysis for CME Group

CME Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Independent Director William Shepard bought US$8.3m worth of shares at a price of US$170 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is US$176. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. If someone buys shares at well below current prices, it's a good sign on balance, but keep in mind they may no longer see value. In this case we're pleased to report that the insider bought shares at close to current prices. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was William Shepard.

In total, CME Group insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and 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!

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

CME Group Insiders Bought Stock Recently

There has been significantly more insider buying, than selling, at CME Group, over the last three months. Independent Director William Shepard spent US$8.3m on stock. But we did see insider selling worth US$1.1m. The buying outweighs the selling, which suggests that insiders may believe the company will do well in the future.

Does CME Group Boast High Insider Ownership?

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. CME Group insiders own about US$224m worth of shares (which is 0.4% of the company). This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At CME Group Tell Us?

The recent insider purchase is heartening. However, the longer term transactions are not so encouraging. The recent buying by an insider , along with high insider ownership, suggest that CME Group insiders are fairly aligned, and optimistic. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. For example - CME Group has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

But note: CME Group may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.

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.

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.

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