Insider Trading November 14, 2026 01:31 AM

Akamai CEO Leighton Purchases $2.55 Million in Company Stock

The buy comes as shares trade well below their 52-week high, with the company's fourth-quarter guidance falling short of consensus.

By Leila Farooq
Share
Twitter Reddit Facebook LinkedIn
AKAM

F. Thomson Leighton, Chief Executive Officer and director of Akamai Technologies, acquired 30,000 shares of common stock on November 13, 2026, for approximately $2.55 million. The purchase occurred as Akamai shares trade near $85.40, down roughly 48% from their 52-week high of $165.45 and 45% over the past six months. The shares were bought at a weighted-average price of $85.08, with individual prices ranging from $84.69 to $85.55. Following the transaction, Leighton's beneficial ownership includes 2,559,963 shares held indirectly by the F. Thomson Leighton and Bonnie B. Leighton Revocable Trust, 108,358 shares held indirectly through the TBL Foundation, and 97,975 shares held directly. The purchase follows Akamai's third-quarter 2026 results, which surpassed consensus estimates for revenue and non-GAAP earnings per share, but the company guided fourth-quarter revenue and earnings below market expectations. Several analysts have recently adjusted their outlooks on the stock, citing financing concerns, supply issues, and a complex investment cycle. The stock is currently trading close to its Fair Value of $86.06, according to an analysis.

Akamai CEO Leighton Purchases $2.55 Million in Company Stock
AKAM
Summarize with
ChatGPT Perplexity Claude Grok Gemini

Key Points

  • CEO F. Thomson Leighton bought 30,000 Akamai shares for about $2.55 million at a weighted-average price of $85.08, signaling insider confidence amid a sharp stock decline.
  • Akamai's stock is down roughly 48% from its 52-week high and 45% over six months, yet trades near its Fair Value estimate of $86.06, with management aggressively repurchasing shares.
  • The purchase follows mixed quarterly results: third-quarter 2026 revenue and non-GAAP EPS beat consensus, but fourth-quarter guidance came in below expectations, with revenue 3.5% under consensus and earnings about 10% lower.
  • Analyst actions have been varied, including a downgrade from Evercore ISI, price target cuts from RBC Capital, FBN Securities, and KeyBanc, and a reiterated Overweight rating from Piper Sandler.

Akamai Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:AKAM) disclosed that its Chief Executive Officer and director, F. Thomson Leighton, acquired 30,000 shares of common stock on November 13, 2026. The transaction was valued at approximately $2.55 million, according to the filing.

The purchase took place as Akamai's stock trades near $85.40, a level roughly 48% below its 52-week high of $165.45. Over the past six months, the shares have declined 45%. According to an analysis, management has been aggressively buying back shares, and the stock is currently trading close to its Fair Value of $86.06.

The shares were purchased at a weighted-average price of $85.08, with individual prices ranging from $84.69 to $85.55 per share.

Following this transaction, Mr. Leighton's beneficial ownership includes 2,559,963 shares held indirectly by the F. Thomson Leighton and Bonnie B. Leighton Revocable Trust, of which he serves as a trustee. These indirect holdings include 10,481 shares received from a distribution from the David T. Leighton trust. Mr. Leighton disclaims beneficial ownership of shares held by the revocable trust except to the extent of his pecuniary interest. Additionally, he indirectly holds 108,358 shares through the TBL Foundation, where he also serves as a trustee, and directly holds 97,975 shares.

For deeper insights into Akamai's valuation and performance, additional exclusive tips and comprehensive research reports are available covering over 1,400 US equities.

What had investors expected from Akamai before the CEO's purchase? How does AKAM's valuation compare with its peers?

In other recent news, Akamai Technologies reported its third-quarter 2026 financial results, surpassing consensus estimates for both revenue and non-GAAP earnings per share. Despite this positive performance, the company has guided fourth-quarter 2026 revenue and non-GAAP earnings per share below market expectations, with revenue forecasted to be 3.5% below consensus and earnings roughly 10% lower. The company's compute and infrastructure services backlog has grown significantly, reaching over $14 billion in multiyear commitments.

Several analyst firms have adjusted their outlook on Akamai. Evercore ISI downgraded the stock to In Line from Outperform, citing financing concerns and a complex investment cycle. RBC Capital cut its price target to $85 due to supply issues while maintaining a Sector Perform rating. FBN Securities also lowered its price target from $165 to $120, maintaining an Outperform rating, due to a reduced near-term outlook. Meanwhile, Piper Sandler reiterated an Overweight rating, noting delays in the company's CIS targets and a cautious approach to future targets. KeyBanc reduced its price target to $175, citing cloud multiple contraction but raised its estimates for the upcoming years.

The stock closed at $85.40 on November 13, down 1.34% for the day. In after-hours trading, shares rose 1.08% to $86.32.

Risks

  • Akamai's fourth-quarter 2026 revenue and non-GAAP EPS guidance fell below market expectations, with revenue forecasted 3.5% below consensus and earnings roughly 10% lower, which could pressure the stock if results disappoint.
  • Analyst concerns include financing issues, supply problems, delays in CIS targets, and cloud multiple contraction, as reflected in recent downgrades and price target reductions.
  • The stock's significant decline from its 52-week high and recent volatility, including a 1.34% drop on the day of the purchase, highlight ongoing uncertainty in the shares.

More from Insider Trading

NetScout Director John Egan Offloads $951,055 in Stock Over Two Sessions Nov 14, 2026 Estee Lauder Executive Meridith Webster Offloads $467,824 in Company Stock Nov 14, 2026 NexPoint Residential Trust CIO Matt McGraner Purchases $99,930 in Stock Near 52-Week Low Nov 14, 2026 Amdocs Director Shimie Hortig Offloads $381,130 in Shares Across Two Sessions Nov 14, 2026 Mirum Pharmaceuticals Director Laura Brege Offloads $1.33 Million in Shares Nov 14, 2026