1.   Amgen investors played down the importance of these insider sales, mainly because the executives receive thousands of options as part of their compensation.

2.   Analysts sometimes view insider sales when shares are near a record high as a sign that a stock is overvalued.

3.   And Fannie said in March that it would begin to disclose insider stock sales and purchases by its executives, something it had not done before.

4.   As for those insider sales, the analysts say, pay no attention.

5.   At least one institutional investor attached little significance to the November insider sales.

6.   Bob Gabele, director of insider research at First Call, warns that insider sales are always difficult to analyze because employees sell for all sorts of reasons.

7.   A stew of insider stock sales, revenue recognition, and dramatic stock price swings make high-technology firms the most common defendants.

8.   But experience tells me not to shrug off insider sales lightly.

9.   But very few insider sales justify concern.

10.   Compaq tracks insider sales based on the number of shares sold each quarter instead of the dollar value of shares sold each month.