JEF Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Insider Trading

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group director purchases 5,906,542 shares of JEF for $318,717,006.32, raising stake 222.1% to 8.57M shares

On 2026-07-15, a Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group director acquired 5,906,542 shares of Jefferies Financial Group at $53.96 per share, substantially increasing holdings from 2,659,837 to 8,566,379 shares. The insider's cross-ticker track record shows 2 prior buys with an average 90-day return of +27.0% and a 90-day win rate of 100.00%, though timing patterns at JEF specifically show mixed results: a 2024-09-19 buy returned +27.0% at 90 days, but a 2026-05-01 buy is down -3.8% at 30 days. The current price of $55.80 reflects a -21.4% decline from the 52-week high of $71.04, and the stock is -10.0% over the past 30 days despite a +16.0% gain over 90 days.

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial (Director) purchases 6,429,337 JEF shares at $54.83 for $352.5M, now down 32.9% from 52-week high

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group's director initiated a substantial acquisition of 6,429,337 shares in Jefferies Financial Group at $54.83 per share on 2026-05-01, totaling $352,520,547.71, representing an entirely new position (0 shares pre-transaction). The purchase price reflects a significant discount to JEF's 52-week high of $71.04, though the stock has since declined 32.9% from that peak and trades at $47.68 currently. The director's prior transaction at JEF (a buy on 2024-09-19) exhibited favorable 90-day returns of +27.0%, demonstrating a history of well-timed entry at this ticker. At current prices, the magnitude of capital deployed and the scale of this new stake signals a material commitment to JEF despite recent price erosion.

CEO Richard B. Handler sells 400,000 shares of JEF at $72.26, down 2.6% of holdings; stock near 52-week high.

Handler sold 400,000 shares at $72.26 on 2024-11-06, at a price that matches the 52-week high of $72.06 (within normal trading spread). The sale reduced his holdings from 15,371,288 shares to 14,971,288 shares. The stock has appreciated 13.9% over the prior 30 days and 30.3% over 90 days, suggesting the sale occurred after a substantial rally. Handler's sole prior JEF sale on 2024-04-24 was poorly timed: that position subsequently returned +28.3% over 90 days, indicating the stock continued climbing after his sale. His cross-ticker track record shows 1 prior sell with a 90-day well-timed rate of 0.00%, meaning his sells have historically not preceded declines.

JEF President Friedman sells 393.4K shares for $28.4M at $72.17 amid 13.9% 30-day rally; reduces stake by 41.2%

President Brian P. Friedman sold 393,397 shares across two separate transactions on 2024-11-06 for a combined $28,393,256.08 at a blended average price of $72.17, reducing his post-transaction holdings to 560,507 shares from a pre-transaction position of 953,904 shares. The sale occurs after a sharp 30-day rally of +13.9%, with the stock now trading at the 52-week high of $72.06. Examining his prior trades at JEF, Friedman's three measurable sales in 2024 (May 2024 transactions and the May 14 sale) showed net positive 90-day returns of +18.9% and +19.2%, indicating his prior sales at this ticker were poorly timed—the stock rose after he sold. His cross-ticker track record shows an average 90-day return of +19.1% after sells with a 0.00% well-timed rate, confirming a consistent pattern of selling before rallies. The 41.2% reduction in stake size, combined with execution at a 52-week high after recent momentum, warrants monitoring against the backdrop of annual revenue contraction of -21.4% and an elevated P/E of 26.30.

Director Robert D Beyer sold 46,200 shares of JEF at $64.07, reducing holdings by 31.5% to 100,375 shares

Robert D Beyer, a director of Jefferies Financial Group, sold 46,200 shares (46.2K shares) for $2,960,200.32 ($3.0M) at $64.07 on 2024-10-31, a substantial reduction of his stake by 31.5%. The sale occurred when the stock was trading 4.9% below its 52-week high of $67.26 and follows a 90-day appreciation of 18.0%. While the transaction is material in absolute terms, the company faces headwinds: annual revenue growth is negative at -21.4%, despite a solid current-quarter net income of $181,039,000 ($181.0M) on $1,683,552,000 ($1.7B) in quarterly revenue. The significance must be tempered by the absence of a disclosed 10b5-1 trading plan flag, scheduled sale designation, or transaction date pattern that would clarify whether this sale reflects discretionary directional judgment or portfolio mechanics.

President Friedman sells 247,326 shares of JEF at $65.20 for $16.1M; holds 1.63M shares post-sale.

FRIEDMAN BRIAN P sold 247,326 shares on 2024-10-30 at $65.20 per share, reducing his stake from 1.88M to 1.63M shares (-13.2% of prior holdings). At his same-ticker history—his prior three measurable sales at JEF in May and October 2024—stocks rose an average 90 days after the sales, with a 0% well-timed rate, meaning none of those prior transactions preceded subsequent declines. The current price of $64.58 is -4.0% below the 52-week high and +4.9% above the 30-day average, placing the transaction near recent highs. Friedman retains substantial holdings (1.63M shares), consistent with an executive managing a core position rather than exiting the stock. Given the company's -21.4% annual revenue decline and P/E of 23.57, context for this sale warrants examination.

President Brian P. Friedman sells 200,000 shares of JEF at $63.09 for $12.6M, reducing stake by 24.9%

Brian P. Friedman, President of Jefferies Financial Group, sold 200,000 shares (200.0K shares) at $63.09 on 2024-10-10 for a total value of $12,618,060.00 ($12.6M), reducing his post-transaction holdings to 604,606 shares (604.6K shares) from 804,606 shares (804.6K shares). The sale occurred near the 52-week high of $63.66, and his 30-day return following prior similar sales at JEF averaged -5.1% to -5.6%, though his 90-day returns across all three prior JEF sales averaged +18.9% to +19.2%, with a 0.00% well-timed rate at the 90-day mark. The company carries a P/E of 23.03 with annual revenue declining 21.4% year-over-year, suggesting structural headwinds in the investment banking environment, though current liquidity appears stable with net income of $181,039,000.00 ($181.0M) on latest quarterly revenue of $1,683,552,000.00 ($1.7B).

SMFG Director acquired 9,247,081 shares of JEF at $59.67 for $551.8M, establishing initial position

SUMITOMO MITSUI FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., a director at Jefferies Financial Group Inc., purchased 9,247,081 shares at $59.67 on 2024-09-19, representing a $551,773,323.27 transaction with zero prior holdings. The scale of this acquisition—9.25M shares—establishes a significant new position in JEF at a price point near the 52-week high of $62.29, with the stock currently at that peak. The purchase occurred against a backdrop of challenging fundamentals: JEF's annual revenue declined 21.4% year-over-year despite a strong 30-day price gain of +9.1% and 90-day gain of +36.2%, and the stock trades at a P/E of 29.38 on quarterly net income of $154.7M. This large-scale entry by a major Japanese financial institution into a U.S. investment bank suggests strategic capital allocation, though the acquisition price near current highs and the company's revenue contraction warrant attention to the rationale and timing of this positioning.