Insider Sells Westlake Chemical's Shares

A Form 4 filing filed with the SEC on Tuesday, March 9 showed that EVP Vinyl Products Buesinger Robert F. sold 7,861 shares of Westlake Chemical Inc WLK at an average price of $95.00. The transaction moved the executive's stake in Westlake Chemical Inc. to 13,299 shares. Westlake Chemical was trading 0.5% higher from the previous closing price.

Why Insider Transactions Are Important?

Insider transactions shouldn't be used primarily to make an investing decision, however an insider transaction can be an important factor in the investing decision.

When an insider buys stock after an important sell off, that can indicate the insider's faith in the success of the organization. Henceforth, if the stock is bought at new highs, it might be because the insider feels that the stock is not overvalued. Insiders who sell stock at new lows could be anticipating some capitulation moment. If the insider sells at new highs, it could point to the intention to "take some profit" and "lock in a gain."

Important Transaction Codes

Wall Street tends to focus on insider transactions which take place in the open market, viewed inside a Form 4 filing via codes P for purchase and S for sale. If the transaction was an open-market transaction, that means that the insider made a conscious decision for the company's stock moving forward.

Transaction codes other than P or S are often viewed with less conviction as they are often not tied to a decision by the exec. As an example, transaction code C indicates the conversion of an option. Transaction code A indicates the insider may have been forced to sell shares in order to receive compensation the exec was promised upon being hired by a company.