Seed Giant Monsanto and Mineral Development Company Witness Intriguing Insider Buying, Plus the Latest Insider Trading Developments at 3 Other Companies

Executives at Strong Performing Independent Oil and Gas Company Sell Shares

Two different insiders at Clayton Williams Energy Inc. (NYSE:CWEI) offloaded shares over the past several trading sessions. Michael L. Pollard, the company’s former Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Finance, discarded 1,100 shares for $88.50 each and 1,000 shares at $91.00 apiece on Monday, as well as 3,900 shares last Thursday at prices ranging from $86.71 to $86.94 per share. After the recent transactions, Mr. Pollard currently holds a direct ownership stake of 20,100 shares. Robert C. Lyon, Vice President of Gas Gathering and Marketing, sold 5,000 shares on Monday at prices that fell in the range of $90.22 to $90.69 per share. Mr. Lyon owns 17,044 shares following the recent sale.

The independent oil and gas company, committed to drilling developmental oil wells in two primary oil-prone regions (the Permian Basin and the Giddings Area), has seen the value of its shares advance by an impressive 202% since the start of the year. In late-August, Clayton Williams Energy Inc. (NYSE:CWEI) announced the closing of a sale of 5.05 million shares to alternative asset manager Ares Management, which generated cash proceeds of $150 million. Simultaneously, the company amended its term loan facility to wave certain restrictions that hindered the company from using proceeds from equity issuances and asset sales for debt reduction and capital expenditures. Ken Fisher’s Fisher Asset Management owns 35,364 shares of Clayton Williams Energy Inc. (NYSE:CWEI) as of September 30.

Board Members at Closed-End Investment Company Offload Shares

Two members of General American Investors Co. Inc. (NYSE:GAM)’s Board discarded some shares this week. To start with, Spencer Davidson, Chairman of Board of Directors, sold 10,619 shares on Monday at $32.59 apiece. The shares were held in various trust funds that collectively own 155,589 shares. Mr. Davidson owns an additional 961,643 shares through Hudson Partnership, of which he is the general partner. Furthermore, board member Arthur G. Altschul Jr. liquidated 1,799 shares on Monday for $32.59 each. Following the recent transactions, Mr. Altschul holds 61,369 shares.

The closed-end investment company has seen the value of its stock gain a little less than 1% this year. General American Investors Co. Inc. (NYSE:GAM) seeks to deliver long-term capital appreciation by investing in companies with above-average growth potential. The value of the company’s net assets per share stood at $37.94 on June 30, well below the stock’s closing share price of $30.82 on that day. John A. Levin’s Levin Capital Strategies was the owner of 24,869 shares of General American Investors Co. Inc. (NYSE:GAM) at the end of the June quarter.

Disclosure: None