Insiders Heavily Dump Former High-Flyer Biotech Stock

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By Lee Jackson Published
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One thing all biotech investors know is that if a binary event like clinical data goes wrong on a company relying on one specific product, then the end may not be that far behind. That was one of the events that made news this week on Wall Street, and it was a big play on our insider selling screens.

We cover insider selling every week at 24/7 Wall St., and we like to always remind our readers that just because an individual or 10% institutional owner is selling stock, that is no cause for immediate alarm. Many top executives, and even directors, are compensated with stock and often sell just to diversify or purchase other assets.

Here are the companies that reported notable insider selling this week.

XOMA Corp. (NASDAQ: XOMA) had one of Wall Street’s top biotech investors throw in the towel this past week, and with good reason. Baker Brothers Advisors sold 11 million shares of the stock at $1.09 apiece for a total of $12 million. We covered this story in depth this week at 24/7 Wall St. The shares were trading Friday at $0.97.

Bazaarvoice Inc. (NASDAQ: BV) has a director at the company doing some very serious selling of the stock last week. That director parted with a total of 908,575 shares of the stock at $5.75. The total for the sale came to $5.2 million. The company operates as a network that connects brands and retailers to the voices of people where they shop. The stock was trading on Friday at $5.63.

J.B. Hunt Transportation Services Inc. (NASDAQ: JBHT) had the chairman of the board selling stock last week. The chairman shed 38,860 shares of the company at $82.97 per share. It provides surface transportation and delivery services in the continental United States, Canada and Mexico. The stock was trading on Friday at $82.04, so the timing looks good.

Liberty Tax Inc. (NASDAQ: TAX) had a 10% owner of the company selling shares this past week. Steven Ibbotson, who is also a director at the company, sold 144,395 shares of the stock at prices that ranged from $24.50 to $24.62. The total for the sale came to $3.2 million. The company provides tax preparation services and products in the United States and Canada. The stock was trading on Friday at $26.00, so a substantial amount was left on the table for sure.

ALSO READ: Energy MLPs Have Been Destroyed, Analyst Has 4 to Buy Now

Insider selling continues to be light as many insiders remained locked up as earnings season continues. It is a good bet that as August comes and those windows for executives and 10% owners open back up we will see a big increase in transactions.

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About the Author Lee Jackson →

Lee Jackson has covered Wall Street analysts' equity and debt research and equity strategy daily for 24/7 Wall St. since 2012. His broad and diverse career, which included a stint as the creative services director at the NBC affiliate in Austin, Texas, gives him unique insight into the financial industry and world.

Lee Jackson's journey in the financial industry spans over 30 years, with nearly two decades as an institutional equity salesperson at Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and Morgan Stanley. His career was marked by his presence on the sell side during pivotal Wall Street events, from the dot.com rise and bubble to the Long Term Capital Management debacle, 9/11, and the Great Recession of 2008. This is a testament to his resilience and adaptability in the face of market volatility.

Lee Jackson’s practical financial industry experience, acquired from a career at some of the biggest banks and brokerage firms, is complemented by a lifetime of writing on various platforms. This unique combination allows him to shed light on the intricacies and workings of Wall Street in a way that only someone with deep insider experience and knowledge can. Moreover, his extensive network across Wall Street continues to provide direct access for him and 24/7 Wall St., a privilege few firms enjoy.

Since 2012, Jackson’s work for 24/7 Wall St. has been featured in Barron’s, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Business Insider, TradingView, Real Money, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Benzinga, and other media outlets. He attended the prestigious Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and has a degree in broadcasting from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts.

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