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U.S. insider buying share falls to 14.8% in July, lowest in at least 21 years

U.S. insider buying share falls to 14.8% in July, lowest in at least 21 years

The proportion of companies with more insider purchases than sales has dropped 12.0 points since February, pointing to unusually bearish behavior by corporate insiders.

Fact Check
The core figures — 14.8% of companies with net insider buying in July 2026 and the lowest reading in at least 21 years — are consistently reported across The Kobeissi Letter post and the primary MarketWatch/Morningstar and Yahoo Finance reporting, sourced to University of Michigan professor Nejat Seyhun's data. The '12.0 points since February' decline appears in the Kobeissi post; the underlying data (14.8% vs a ~25% 10-year average) supports a bearish, unusually low reading. The 3.2% large-cap net-buying figure is also corroborated. Note the figures are 'through Wednesday' (partial July), consistent with the claim's framing of the July reading being 'on track' for a record low.
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Summary

Corporate insider sentiment in the United States has turned sharply negative in July. Just 14.8% of U.S. companies have logged more insider purchases than sales so far this month, putting the reading on track for its lowest monthly level in at least 21 years. The share has fallen by 12.0 points since February, underscoring how rarely insiders are buying relative to selling. Insider transactions are often watched as a gauge of how executives and directors view their companies’ valuations and near-term prospects, although such activity can also reflect routine diversification or preplanned sales.

Terms & Concepts
  • insider purchases: Stock buys made by company insiders
  • corporate insiders: Executives or directors with company access