Autodesk Stock Insider Trading Activity — A Complete Guide

When evaluating a stock like Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK), one of the lesser‑known but useful data points investors often consider is insider trading activity — meaning the buying and selling of company shares by executives, directors, and other insiders. Though “insider trading” carries a negative connotation in popular media, the legitimate, legal trading activity by insiders is public, regulated, and can provide insight into how those closest to the business view the company’s prospects.

In this guide, we’ll walk through:

What insider trading activity is
Where and how to see it
Recent insider trading at Autodesk
How investors interpret insider buying vs selling
Practical tips for tracking insider activity

Let’s dive in.

What Is Insider Trading Activity?

“Insider trading” refers to trading in a company’s stock by corporate insiders — typically executives, board members, major shareholders, and high‑ranking employees. Because these individuals have deeper knowledge of the company’s operations and future prospects, their trading activity is regulated and transparent.

Important rules include:

Insiders must report transactions to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on forms such as Form 3, Form 4, and Form 5 within a defined period (usually within two business days) after the trade. InsiderTrades
Companies also have internal insider trading policies banning trading on material non‑public information (i.e., true “illegal insider trading”), with penalties including fines and imprisonment. SEC

Legal vs Illegal:

Legal insider trading is when insiders buy or sell shares using public information and properly file required disclosures.
Illegal insider trading involves trading based on material, non‑public information (which is not the kind of activity this article refers to).

Why Insider Trading Matters to Investors

Investors track insider activity because:

Insiders around executives see the business from the inside, giving their trades potential informational value.
Purchases by insiders can signal confidence in the company’s future; selling may be routine or for personal reasons.
Patterns — not single trades — are often what matter most. Investopedia

However, it’s crucial to remember that insider selling is common and not always a negative signal — executives sell for taxes, diversification, or other personal financial reasons. Only unusual or clustered selling can be more meaningful. Investopedia

How and Where to See Insider Trading Data

There are a few key sources for tracking insider trading:

1. SEC EDGAR Database

The definitive source. Insider transactions are reported via Form 4 filings and are publicly accessible:

Visit the SEC’s EDGAR search system and look up “ADSK” or “Autodesk”.
Look for Form 3, 4, or 5 filings which disclose insider holdings and trading. InsiderTrades

2. Financial Market Data Sites

Sites like Nasdaq, Benzinga, MarketBeat, InsiderTrades.com, TickerTracker, and TipRanks compile insider activity for easy viewing.

For example:

Benzinga lists recent trades by executive name, role, shares sold or bought, and trade dates. Benzinga
TickerTracker shows historical insider transactions and values for ADSK. TickerTracker
InsiderTrades.com aggregates buy/sell history by quarter or year. InsiderTrades

3. Brokerage and Research Platforms

Services like TIKR and TrendSpider offer dashboards with insider trade widgets showing buy/sell trends over time. TrendSpider

Insider Trading Activity at Autodesk — Recent Patterns

Looking at public filings and aggregated data, Autodesk’s insider trading activity shows a mix of sells and occasional buys over the past year.

1. Recent Insider Trades

According to insider transaction data aggregated from public sources:

Share Sales by Insiders:

Several Autodesk executives and directors have sold stock throughout 2025.
- Steven M. Blum (EVP & COO) sold 22,420 shares for more than $7 million. TickerTracker
- Ayanna Howard (Director) sold shares on multiple occasions. TickerTracker
- Rebecca Pearce (EVP, Chief People Officer) sold thousands of shares across multiple trades. Benzinga
- Other insiders, including Ruth Ann Keene and Andrew Anagnost, have also sold shares. TickerTracker

These sales are open market or private sales, meaning they occurred on the secondary market at prevailing market prices rather than directly with the company. TickerTracker

Insider Buys:

A notable insider buy occurred when John T. Cahill, a director, purchased 2,000 shares — about a half‑million dollars worth — in March 2025. Nasdaq
However, total insider buying activity tends to be far lower in value and frequency compared to selling over the same time period. InsiderTrades

Aggregate View:

Over the last 24 months, insiders have sold tens of thousands of shares totaling tens of millions in value, while buys are comparatively modest. MarketBeat
Insider ownership remains low percentage‑wise — around 0.15% of total shares outstanding, reflecting typical dilution from employee compensation plans and institutional ownership dominance. InsiderTrades

Interpreting Insider Trading at Autodesk

Selling Isn’t Always Bad

On its own, insider selling does not automatically signal trouble. Investors are often told to watch patterns rather than isolated trades — and insider selling is frequently part of normal financial planning, tax strategies, or scheduled sales under pre‑arranged plans like Rule 10b5‑1 trading programs. Stock Titan

In fact, SEC rules require executives to disclose trades quickly, so rendering their intentions purely based on sales without context can be misleading. SEC

Rule 10b5‑1 Trading Plans

Some insiders sell according to pre‑planned trading arrangements called 10b5‑1 plans designed to avoid accusations of trading on non‑public information. For example, Rebecca Pearce’s large June 2025 sale was executed under such a plan. Stock Titan

These plans let executives sell shares at predetermined intervals regardless of market timing, making those sales less indicative of insider sentiment about near‑term stock direction.

Insider Buying: Stronger Signal

When insiders buy shares with their own money, it can be a stronger signal of confidence. Although less frequent at Autodesk, such transactions — like Cahill’s purchase — are notable because insiders rarely purchase their own stock unless they believe it’s undervalued. Investopedia

Practical Ways to Track Autodesk Insider Activity

If you’re an investor or researcher, here are concrete steps to stay updated:

1. Use SEC EDGAR

Search “ADSK” on SEC’s EDGAR database.
Filter by Form 4 filings to see the latest triggered insider trades. InsiderTrades

2. Subscribe to Alerts

Platforms like TIKR, Benzinga, MarketBeat, and InsiderTrades.com allow notification alerts when insiders trade specific stocks.

3. Look for Patterns

Instead of reacting to single trades, look for:

Multiple insiders buying around the same time
Large purchases or heavy selling clusters
Trades that coincide with corporate catalysts like earnings unlocks or product announcements TIKR.com

4. Combine with Broader Analysis

Insider trades should be just one part of your analysis, complemented by:

Financial performance reports
Analyst ratings and price targets
Macro and sector trends

Limitations and Misinterpretations

It’s critical to understand the limitations of insider activity signals:

Insider selling is common: Executives diversify their portfolios or fund personal expenses — not always a bearish signal. Investopedia
Timing matters: Trades filed close to earnings or other scheduled announcements may be part of planned strategies.
Compensation vs open market trades: Some sales come from exercise of stock options or RSU vesting (compensation events), not genuine strategic selling. InsiderTrades
Low insider ownership: When insiders collectively hold a small portion of total shares, even significant trading can represent normal liquidity rather than directional insight. InsiderTrades

Case Study: 2025 Insider Trading at Autodesk

Here’s a snapshot of insider trading at Autodesk in 2025 that illustrates typical patterns:

Multiple Sales by Top Executives

Steven M. Blum (EVP) sold roughly 22,420 shares, one of the largest open‑market sales reported. TickerTracker
Ayanna Howard (Director) made multiple smaller sales in late 2025. Benzinga
Rebecca Pearce (EVP) also sold in multiple installments, though under a pre‑planned program rather than spontaneous trading. Benzinga

Isolated Insider Buy

John T. Cahill, a director, purchased 2,000 shares (~$534k) — a rare buy compared to the number of sells. Nasdaq

These transactions combined show that insider activity at Autodesk has been weighted toward selling, though much of it appears routine and scheduled rather than indicative of secret negative developments.

Bottom Line: What Insider Activity Means for ADSK Investors

1. Insider selling at Autodesk has significantly outpaced buying, but this alone does not mean management lacks confidence. Much of it reflects compensation events and planned sales. MarketBeat

2. Insider buying, although less frequent, can be a stronger positive signal since insiders rarely purchase shares unless they see value. Investopedia

3. Use insider activity as part of a broader analysis — combine it with financial fundamentals, earnings trends, analyst forecasts, and macro context.

4. Watch for patterns over time, not individual trades — clusters of buys or sells can be more meaningful than isolated transactions. TIKR.com

Conclusion

Insider trading activity for Autodesk gives investors a transparent view into how directors, executives, and other key insiders manage their share positions. While selling activity in 2025 has been more common, much of it appears routine, planned, or compensation‑related. Occasional insider purchases — though fewer — may signal confidence. As part of a complete stock analysis strategy, monitoring insider buys and sells can add an extra layer of insight, especially when aligned with broader corporate developments and financial trends.

Insider trading activity should never be the sole basis for investment decisions, but it can be a valuable signal within a multi‑factor evaluation of Autodesk’s stock prospects.