Amgen’s 0.04% Drop Clashes with 630M in Trading Volume, Ranking 178th as Insiders and Institutions Diverge

Amgen (AMGN) closed on August 12, 2025, with a 0.04% decline, trading at $288.23. The stock saw a volume of $630 million, ranking 178th in daily trading activity. Recent insider activity includes Charles M. Holley, a director, receiving 147.4517 shares via vested restricted stock units (RSUs) on August 8. Post-transaction, he holds 11,469.6259 shares directly. Meanwhile, the Maryland State Retirement & Pension System reduced its stake by 13.6%, selling 3,948 shares to hold 25,079 shares valued at $7.81 million. Institutional investors like First Pacific Financial and Legacy Investment Solutions LLC increased holdings, with the latter raising its stake by 46.9% in the second quarter.

Amgen’s recent earnings report showed a 9.4% year-over-year revenue increase to $9.18 billion and an EPS of $6.02, exceeding analyst estimates. Despite this, analyst ratings remain mixed, with Wall Street Zen downgrading to "Hold" and Mizuho maintaining a "neutral" stance. Insider sales, such as SVP Rachna Khosla’s 15.52% reduction in her holdings, highlight potential short-term pressure. Institutional ownership now accounts for 76.5% of shares, while insiders hold 0.76%. The stock’s 50-day and 200-day moving averages are $293.23 and $292.71, respectively.

The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day generated a $2,340 profit from 2022 to the present. The maximum drawdown of -15.3% occurred on October 27, 2022, underscoring the strategy’s volatility despite moderate returns. This reflects broader market risks and the need for caution in high-volume trading approaches.