Investing

Big Retailer Trades Highlight Insider Selling: TJX Companies, DSW, TD Ameritrade and More

Lee Jackson

Published: December 5, 2015 10:10 am

Last Updated: January 13, 2020 4:25 pm

While the Thanksgiving holiday week was very slow on Wall Street, the momentum is picking up as traders and investors got ready this past week for the final month of trading for 2015. The insiders selling shares have returned, and while the volume still remains lower than insider buying, they moved to the sales desk to take advantage of pockets of market strength.

We cover insider selling every week at 24/7 Wall St., and we like to remind our readers that just because an individual or 10% institutional owner sells 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 past week.

TJX Companies Inc. (NYSE: TJX) had the woman at the top selling stock last week. The CEO Carol Meyrowitz parted with 64,086 shares of the discount retailer at prices between $71.50 and $71.66 per share. The total for the sale came to $4.6 million. The company sells family apparel, including footwear and accessories; home fashions, such as home basics, accent furniture, lamps, rugs, wall decor, decorative accessories, and giftware; and other merchandise. It operates stores under the T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Winners, HomeSense, T.K. Maxx and Sierra Trading Post names, as well as operates e-commerce sites. The stock closed trading on Friday at $70.99.

Natus Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: BABY) also saw its CEO selling shares this past week. James Hawkins sold 57,511 shares of the stock at between $48.80 and $49.34 per share. That netted him some $2.8 million. The company designs, manufactures and markets newborn care and neurology health care products and services worldwide. The stock was trading at $49.98 on Friday’s close.

DSW Inc. (NYSE: DSW) is another popular retailer that also had the CEO selling stock last week. Jay Schottenstein shed 103,307 shares at prices between $23.02 and $24.08. The total for the sale came in at $2.4 million. DSW operates as a branded footwear and accessories retailer in the United States. It offers dress, casual and athletic footwear and accessories under various brands for women, men and kids. DSW also provides handbags, hosiery, jewelry and other accessories. The stock ended last week at $23.67.

Cambrex Corp. (NYSE: CBM) had a director at the firm sell 52,315 shares of the stock this past week at prices that ranged from $52.80 to $55.18 apiece. The total for the sales came in at $2.8 million. Cambrex is a life sciences company that provides various products and services for the development and commercialization of new and generic therapeutics worldwide. The stock ended trading on Friday at $52.56.

TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (NYSE: AMTD) had its chief operating officer parting with shares last week. Marvin Adams sold a block of 69,468 shares at prices between $36.60 and $36.75. The total for the sale came in at $2.5 million. The company provides securities brokerage services and related technology-based financial services to retail investors, traders and independent registered investment advisors in the United States. Shares closed trading on Friday at $36.81.

While better than the Thanksgiving week, recent insider selling volume was still tepid this past week. That also remains a bullish sign for stock investors, when insiders are reluctant to sell at current market levels.