T. Boone Pickens Trade Highlights the Past Week’s Insider Selling

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By Lee Jackson Published
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As has been the case for almost a month now, the market volatility and weakness have pretty much scared off most of the insiders looking to sell while attracting large numbers of insiders looking to buy. This week was no different, as the market continues its post-plunge roller coaster and stocks still to trade in a very sloppy fashion.

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 companies that reported notable insider selling this week.

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ: CLNE) saw a legendary energy investor selling shares this past week. T. Boone Pickens sold a total of 697,800 shares of the stock at prices that ranged from $4.75 to $5.18 apiece. The total for the trade came to a sizable $3.4 million. Clean Energy Fuels provides natural gas as an alternative fuel for vehicle fleets in the United States and Canada. The shares were trading at $4.07 on Friday’s close — shareholders may have been spooked by the Pickens sale.

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ExamWorks Group Inc. (NYSE: EXAM) had its executive chairman selling stock last week. The chairman parted with a total of 247,127 shares at prices that ranged from $33.71 to $34.69 per share. The total for the sale came to a large $6.9 million. The company provides independent medical examinations, peer and bill reviews, Medicare compliance and other related services in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. The stock ended trading on Friday at $31.82, so well-timed indeed.

Ferro Corp. (NYSE: FOE) had a director at the company hit the selling window last week. That director sold a total of 275,000 shares of the stock at prices between $12.10 and $12.30 apiece. The total for the sale came to $3.4 million. The company produces specialty materials in the United States and internationally. The stock closed trading on Friday at $12.24.

HubSpot Inc. (NYSE: HUBS) is a stock that hits our screens again, and last week a director at the company shed 72,197 shares at prices that ranged from $46.11 to $47.18. The total take-home from the sale was $3.4 million. The company provides a cloud-based inbound marketing and sales software platform for businesses in the United States, Ireland and Australia. The shares were at $49.07 as trading concluded on Friday.

Diamondback Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FANG) is a top energy stock that caught some insider selling this past week. A director parted with 47,433 shares at prices between $66.92 and $67.74 per share. The total for the sale came to a tidy $3.2 million. This independent oil and natural gas company focuses on the acquisition, development, exploration and exploitation of onshore oil and natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin in West Texas. Shares ended the week at $66.31.

ALSO READ: The 6 Most Shorted NYSE Stocks

These companies also reported insider selling this past week: Capella Education Co. (NASDAQ: CPLA), LHC Group Inc. (NASDAQ: LHCG), Memorial Resource Development Corp. (NASDAQ: MRD) and White Mountain Insurance Group Ltd. (NYSE: WTM).

The beat goes on for light insider selling during the elevated market volatility. That is a pretty bullish sign for investors concerned about the overall market direction. If insiders are reluctant to sell, they obviously think that the stocks could be going higher.

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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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