Three Companies with Prominent Insider Buying and Two Companies Registering Massive Insider Sales

This Energy-Services Holding Company Had President Offload Shares Last Week

Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE)’s President, Mark A. Snell, discarded 50,000 shares on Friday at prices varying from $103.64 to $104.20 per share, cutting his overall holding to 72,908 shares. Sempra Energy operates as an energy-services holding company that develops and operates energy infrastructure, as well as provides gas and electricity services in North and South America. The San Diego-based company has seen its shares advance 11% since the start of the year, which may somewhat justify the insider sale.

Earlier this month, Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) said the estimated cost of a natural gas leak at the Aliso Canyon storage facility near Los Angeles more than doubled to $665 million, of which 70% is reserved for a temporary relocation program as locals have been forced to temporarily relocate due to the biggest natural gas leak in U.S. history. A total of 15% of that figure is reserved for attempts to control the well, stop the leak, stop and reduce emissions, and other related efforts. BlueCrest Capital Management had 11,160 shares of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) in its equity portfolio at the end of March.

Pool Corporation Has Seen Several Executives Offload Shares in Recent Weeks

According to a Monday Form 4 filing, Arthur D. Cook, Group Vice President at Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL), sold 20,454 shares on Thursday at a price of exactly $88.00 per share. After the recent transaction, Mr. Cook continues to own a stake of 75,451 shares. Kenneth G. St. Romain, another Group Vice President at Pool, discarded 22,000 shares in late April at prices that fell between $88.59 and $89.69 per share, which trimmed his ownership to 101,616 shares.

The shares of the wholesale distributor of swimming pool and related backyard products are up 11% year-to-date, extending the one-year market value gain to 35%. Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL)’s net sales for the first quarter grew 14% year-on-year to $515.3 million due to continued strength in consumer discretionary spending and favorable weather. Warmer weather across most seasonal markets have kicked off the pool season earlier-than-expected. Earlier this May, the company’s Board approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.31 per share, which is higher by 19% than the previous quarterly dividend. As a result, Pool Corporation currently boasts a dividend yield of 1.38%. Ken Fisher’s Fisher Asset Management reported ownership of 638,742 shares of Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL) through the latest round of 13Fs.

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