An nLIGHT Director Sold Company Shares Worth $1.6 Million. Is Now the Time to Buy or Sell the Stock?

By Robert Izquierdo – Mar 16, 2026 at 7:56PM ESTKey PointsDirector Raymond Link sold 25,404 shares over three days for a total value of ~$1.61 million at a weighted average price of around $63.48 per share.The disposition represented 24.77% of Link's direct holdings, reducing his direct position to 77,172 shares as of March 13, 2026.All shares were disposed of directly, with no indirect or derivative transactions involved.The sale follows a pattern of periodic liquidity, with transaction size reflecting available capacity after prior sales.nLIGHT (LASR +9.46%) Board of Directors member Raymond A. Link reported the sale of 25,404 shares of common stock in multiple open-market transactions from March 11, 2026 through March 13, 2026, for a total consideration of approximately $1.61 million according to the SEC Form 4 filing.Transaction summaryMetricValueShares sold (direct)25,404Transaction value$1.6 millionPost-transaction shares (direct)77,172Post-transaction value (direct ownership)~$4.83 millionTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price ($63.48); post-transaction value based on March 13, 2026 market close ($62.60).Key questionsHow does this sale compare to Raymond Link's previous open-market dispositions?This transaction involved 25,404 shares, which is above the most recent median sale size of 18,982 shares for Link's sell transactions since March of last year, and notably larger than his prior November 2025 sale of 12,560 shares.What proportion of Link's direct holdings was affected?The sale represented 24.77% of his direct common stock position, reducing holdings from 102,576 to 77,172 shares, with no change to indirect or derivative positions.What is the broader market context for this transaction?nLIGHT shares posted a 601.01% total return over the past year (as of March 13, 2026), and the shares sold were priced at a weighted average of around $63.48, near the closing price of $62.60, suggesting the sale captured current market highs without attempting to time a short-term top.Company overviewMetricValuePrice (as of market close March 13, 2026)$63.48Market capitalization$3.49 billionRevenue (TTM)$261.33 million1-year price change601.01%* 1-year performance calculated using March 13, 2026 as the reference date.Company snapshotnLIGHT designs and manufactures semiconductor and fiber lasers, fiber amplifiers, and beam control systems for industrial, microfabrication, and aerospace & defense applications.The company generates revenue through direct product sales and advanced development contracts, serving both commercial and government markets globally.Primary customers include manufacturers in the industrial and microfabrication sectors, as well as defense contractors and government agencies.nLIGHT operates at scale with 800 employees, leveraging advanced photonics technology to deliver high-performance laser solutions. The company’s strategy centers on innovation in laser products and systems for demanding industrial and defense applications, supporting both OEM and end-user customers worldwide.Its vertically integrated manufacturing and strong intellectual property portfolio provide a competitive edge in the semiconductor laser market.What this transaction means for investorsnLIGHT Board of Directors member Raymond Link’s sale of 25,404 company shares across multiple transactions in March was performed as part of a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Link adopted the plan in December of 2025. Insiders often create such plans to prearrange their trades, which helps to avoid accusations of acting on insider information.The timing of Link’s sale was fortuitous, coming just days before shares hit a 52-week high of $69.83 on March 16. The stock is up thanks to strong financial performance.The company posted record fourth quarter revenue of $81.2 million, up a strong 71% over the prior year. Sales are surging in its aerospace and defense end markets, which contributed $56.3 million to Q4 revenue.nLIGHT’s elevated share price has led to a price-to-sales ratio of 12, which is a multi-year high. This suggests its stock is pricey, making now a good time to sell. But for investors interested in purchasing shares, wait for the stock price to dip before deciding to buy.About the AuthorRobert "Izzy" Izquierdo is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering information technology, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, and communication services sectors. Prior to The Motley Fool, Izzy was head of product management at Target Media Partners, developing and launching multimillion-dollar software used by businesses such as Charter Communications. Prior to that, he worked at Yahoo! and startups on software products in connected TV, AI, consumer apps, and digital advertising. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from UCLA and is certified in software product management.TMFWryWriteStocks MentionednLIGHTNASDAQ: LASR$68.52(+9.46%)+$5.92*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.