In the last year, many The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:HIG) insiders sold a substantial stake in the company which may have sparked shareholders' attention. Knowing whether insiders are buying is usually more helpful when evaluating insider transactions, as insider selling can have various explanations. However, when multiple insiders sell stock over a specific duration, shareholders should take notice as that could possibly be a red flag.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

See our latest analysis for Hartford Insurance Group

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Hartford Insurance Group

The Executive VP & Chief Risk Officer, Robert Paiano, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$1.5m worth of shares at a price of US$111 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even slightly below the current price of US$111. We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling, especially if they did so below the current price, because it implies that they considered a lower price to be reasonable. However, while insider selling is sometimes discouraging, it's only a weak signal. This single sale was just 34% of Robert Paiano's stake.

Hartford Insurance Group insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

I will like Hartford Insurance Group better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of undervalued and small cap stocks with considerable, recent, insider buying.

Does Hartford Insurance Group Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Hartford Insurance Group insiders own 0.4% of the company, currently worth about US$118m based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Hartford Insurance Group Insiders?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Hartford Insurance Group shares in the last quarter. It's great to see high levels of insider ownership, but looking back over the last year, we don't gain confidence from the Hartford Insurance Group insiders selling. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Hartford Insurance Group, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

But note: Hartford Insurance 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 of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

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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.