Struggling Jewelry Retailer Registers Insider Buying, Plus Insider Selling at 3 Other Companies

Struggling Youth Fashion Retailer Registers More Insider Selling

Kelli D. Molczyk, Vice President of Women’s Merchandising at Buckle Inc. (NYSE:BKE), discarded 4,000 shares last week at a price of $26.71 per share, being the latest executive of the youth fashion retailer to offload shares this week. Kyle L. Hanson, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Vice President, sold 1,000 shares on Tuesday for $26.25 each and 4,400 shares on Wednesday at $26.11 apiece. After the recent transactions, Ms. Hanson holds a direct ownership stake of 21,000 shares.

Buckle Inc. (NYSE:BKE)’s net sales for the three months ended April 30 were $243.54 million, down by a disturbing 10.2% year-over-year. The retailer’s comparable-store net sales plunged by 11.1% year-over-year, reflecting a 9.3% reduction in the number of transactions, a 0.4% decrease in the number of units sold per transaction, as well as a 0.3% decrease in the average retail price per piece of merchandise sold. Fresh same-store sale figures do not spur optimism either. The company’s reported same-store sales for June fell by 10.6% compared to the same month a year earlier. Royce & Associates, founded by Chuck Royce, owned 4.35 million shares of Buckle Inc. (NYSE:BKE) at the end of March.

Insider Selling Increases at Strong Performing Glass Maker

Apogee Enterprises Inc. (NASDAQ:APOG) has witnessed numerous insiders unload shares this month, so let’s have a brief look at the most recent activity. Board member Robert J. Marzec jettisoned 3,000 shares on Monday at prices ranging from $48.00 to $48.05 per share, cutting his ownership to 22,291 shares. Sara L. Hays, another member of the company’s Board, discarded 2,000 shares last Wednesday at prices that fell between $46.54 and $47.46 per share. Following the not-so-distant sale, Ms. Hays currently owns 23,936 shares.

The world leader in certain technologies involving the design and development of value-added glass solutions for enclosing commercial buildings and framing art has seen its shares advance by 10% since the beginning of 2016. Apogee Enterprises Inc. (NASDAQ:APOG)’s net sales for the first quarter of fiscal year 2016 increased by 3.3% year-over-year to $247.88 million. Net sales grew by 4.1% year-over-year on a constant currency basis, partially due to strong performance in the Architectural Framing Systems segment. The glass maker anticipates 10% growth in sales for fiscal 2016, assuming growth in the U.S commercial construction market in the mid-single-digit percentage range. Israel Englander’s Millennium Management owns 257,338 shares of Apogee Enterprises Inc. (NASDAQ:APOG) as of March 31.

Disclosure: None