The people who know their companies best are heading for the exits. US corporate insiders sold $77.6 billion worth of shares in the first half of 2026, marking a 20% increase over the same period in 2025 and the second-fastest selling pace in more than two decades.
Meanwhile, insider buying clocked in at just $6.9 billion, hovering barely above a seven-year low.
The numbers paint a bleak picture of executive confidence
January 2026 was the marquee month for insider exits. Nearly 1,000 senior executives reported stock sales, while only 207 were net buyers. That’s the widest sell-to-buy gap in five years, and it’s not even close.
February kept the momentum going. Insider sales at S&P 500 companies alone hit $4.9 billion, dwarfing the $271 million in purchases. In English: for every dollar executives spent buying their own company’s stock, they sold roughly $18 worth.
