From what we can see, insiders were net buyers in Appian Corporation's (NASDAQ:APPN ) during the past 12 months. That is, insiders acquired the stock in greater numbers than they sold it.

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.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Appian

The Independent Director Albert Biddle made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$308k worth of shares at a price of US$28.02 each. That implies that an insider found the current price of US$29.34 per share to be enticing. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. While we always like to see insider buying, it's less meaningful if the purchases were made at much lower prices, as the opportunity they saw may have passed. Happily, the Appian insider decided to buy shares at close to current prices. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was Albert Biddle. We note that Albert Biddle was both the biggest buyer and the biggest seller.

You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

Check out our latest analysis for Appian

Appian is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of under-the-radar companies with insider buying.

Insiders At Appian Have Sold Stock Recently

We have seen a bit of insider selling at Appian, over the last three months. Independent Director Albert Biddle sold just US$33k worth of shares in that time. Neither the lack of buying nor the presence of selling is heartening. But the amount sold isn't enough for us to put any weight on it.

Does Appian Boast High Insider Ownership?

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Appian insiders own about US$936m worth of shares (which is 43% of the company). I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

So What Do The Appian Insider Transactions Indicate?

We did not see any insider buying in the last three months, but we did see selling. But the sales were small, so we're not concerned. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. With high insider ownership and encouraging transactions, it seems like Appian insiders think the business has merit. 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. At Simply Wall St, we found 2 warning signs for Appian that deserve your attention before buying any shares.

Of course Appian may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.

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.