Chief executive at WH Smiths Kate Swann has sold 143,275 of her shares in the firm for a total of £801,853.
The disposal of the shares, at 559.66p each, brings her total stake in the company to just over 1.2m, equivalent to 0.77%.
The CEO also purchased 275,493 shares at an undisclosed price, in a move which took her share in the firm up to 0.87%, before the sale which followed soon after.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Swann, who was headhunted from Argos in 2003, has been credited with turning WH Smiths around in recent years through a series of hard-hitting cost-cutting measures which have boosted profits and proved her critics wrong.
WH Smiths has ballooned 12.68% on its share price in the last year, but dropped 2.24% to 545.5p on today's news.
A number of other board members also made transactions, including group finance director Robert Moorhead, who sold 61,414 shares at 559.66p each for a total of £343,710.
Top Director Buys
Metal-Tech (MTT)
Director name: Ms Ariel Rosenberg
Amount purchased: 2,798,448 @ 5.50p
Value: £153,915
Richland Resources Ltd (RLD)
Director name: Mr Ami R Mpungwe
Amount purchased: 338,569 @ 11.50p
Value: £38,935
Richland Resources Ltd (RLD)
Director name: Mr Nicholas T Sibley
Amount purchased: 326,207 @ 11.50p
Value: £37,514
Richland Resources Ltd (RLD)
Director name: Dr Dr Bernard Olivier
Amount purchased: 256,384 @ 11.50p
Value: £29,484
Richland Resources Ltd (RLD)
Director name: Mr Edward F G Nealon
Amount purchased: 223,194 @ 11.50p
Value: £25,667
Richland Resources Ltd (RLD)
Director name: Mr Farai Manyemba
Amount purchased: 128,192 @ 11.50p
Value: £14,742
Top Director Sells
WH Smith (SMWH)
Director name: Ms Kate Swann
Amount sold: 143,275 @ 559.66p
Value: £801,853
WH Smith (SMWH)
Director name: Mr Robert Moorhead
Amount sold: 61,414 @ 559.66p
Value: £343,710
Ricardo (RCDO)
Director name: Mr Dave Shemmans
Amount sold: 32,724 @ 356.50p
Value: £116,661
Ricardo (RCDO)
Director name: Ms Paula Bell
Amount sold: 15,476 @ 356.50p
Value: £55,172
Ricardo (RCDO)
Director name: Mr Mark Garrett
Amount sold: 4,091 @ 356.50p
Value: £14,584
NR
