By the InsiderAlpha research team · Updated Jul 16, 2026 · Sourced from SEC EDGAR filings
Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is the framework that makes insider trading visible. It requires a defined set of corporate insiders to publicly report their holdings and every change in them, and it claws back certain short-term trading profits. Almost every filing InsiderAlpha tracks exists because of Section 16.
Section 16(b) requires insiders to disgorge any profit from a purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) of the company's stock within any six-month window — regardless of whether they actually used inside information. The rule is mechanical and strict, which is why you rarely see an insider buy and then quickly sell: the profit would simply be forfeited to the company.
Because Section 16 forces fast, standardized, public disclosure, outside investors get a near-real-time view of insider conviction. The short-swing rule also means an insider's open-market purchase is a genuine multi-month commitment — they can't flip it without giving back the gains. That's part of why insider buying carries signal.
Browse the latest Section 16 filings → · What is Form 4? →