Several of America’s leading CEOS, including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle’s Safra Catz and JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon, sold a combined $3.9 billion in company stock during the first quarter of 2025, just weeks before President Donald Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement sent markets tumbling. According to data from The Washington Service, the top ten insider sellers offloaded more than 28 million shares across their firms, mitigating the impact of a 4–12% drop in share prices that followed the announcement of the tariffs.
Corporate insiders routinely sell shares under prearranged plans, but the timing of these sales often attracts scrutiny. On April 2, 2025, President Trump unveiled proposals for broad tariff hikes on key trading partners, sparking renewed volatility in U.S. equities. In the immediate aftermath, major indices fell by more than 2% on the day of the announcement, marking one of the sharpest single-session drops this year.
Insider Stock Sales Before Tariffs
In Q1 2025, the ten highest-value insider sellers reported by The Washington Service included:
- Mark Zuckerberg (Meta): Sold 1.1 million shares worth approximately $733.5 million in January and February, when META traded above $600.
- Safra Catz (Oracle): Disposed of 3.8 million shares valued at $705 million.
- Jamie Dimon (JPMorgan Chase): Sold 860,000 shares for $233.8 million under a SEC-approved plan disclosed months earlier.
Collectively, these executives’ sales represented roughly 10% of their firms’ total insider transactions by value.
Executive Perspectives
Jamie Dimon’s office emphasised that his Q1 sales followed a pre-planned schedule and were not influenced by tariff developments. “All transactions were part of an approved plan and executed under SEC rules,” a JPMorgan spokesperson said. Similarly, there is no public evidence that Zuckerberg or Catz accelerated sales in anticipation of the April 2 announcement.
Market Impact
Following Trump’s tariff proposal, shares in the technology and financial sectors led the decline:
- Meta: Down 11% year-to-date, contributing to a roughly $30 billion drop in Zuckerberg’s net worth by mid-April.
- Oracle: Shares fell nearly 19% since January, weighing on Catz’s remaining holdings.
- JPMorgan Chase: Faced a 4% decline, although Dimon had warned that trade tensions could trigger a recession.
Despite the decline, several rivals, such as Yum Brands’ parent, Taco Bell, report better resilience, forecasting mid-single-digit same-store sales growth.
¿Qué es lo Próximo
- SEC Filings: Monitor Q2 insider activity once the markets stabilise following the tariffs.
- Earnings Season: Upcoming reports will reveal whether any companies adjust guidance due to ongoing trade uncertainty.
- Policy Developments: Investors will closely monitor further tariff negotiations and potential exemptions that could help stabilise markets.
Para más Noticias de negocios, check PGN Business Insider.
