SNPS Stock Sees Significant Insider and Congressional Trading: Byron Donalds Among Recent Sellers

Synopsys Inc. ($SNPS) has been the subject of considerable insider and institutional activity over recent months. The stock market movements surrounding this major semiconductor design software company reflect a complex picture of executive decisions, institutional portfolio rebalancing, and notably, activity by members of Congress including Representative Byron Donalds.

Executive Stake Reduction at Synopsys

Sassine Ghazi, President and CEO of Synopsys, executed a notable stock transaction on March 3, 2025, divesting 11,366 shares of the company for approximately $5,270,968. According to SEC filings, this sale represented about 13.8% of his shares in this class of stock. Following the transaction, Ghazi retained ownership of 70,922 shares of Synopsys stock.

This executive stock sale comes amid broader trading activity by company leadership. Richard S. Mahoney, Chief Revenue Officer, has been particularly active in reducing his company holdings, completing 3 sales over the past six months that disposed of 20,838 shares for an estimated $10,544,205.

Six-Month Insider Trading Snapshot

Over the past six months, Synopsys insiders have engaged in considerable stock market activity. The trading summary shows 4 total transactions, with a striking pattern: all four trades were sales, with zero purchases made by insiders during this period. This unanimous selling pressure from company leadership signals management’s assessment of current valuations.

The insider activity breakdown reveals:

• Sassine Ghazi (President and CEO): Sold 11,366 shares for approximately $5,270,968
• Richard S. Mahoney (Chief Revenue Officer): Completed 3 sales totaling 20,838 shares for an estimated $10,544,205

This pattern of executives reducing their equity stakes can be an important signal for investors monitoring company health and leadership confidence.

Institutional Investors Shift Synopsys Holdings

Institutional activity surrounding Synopsys stock has been equally significant. In the most recent reporting quarter, 597 institutional investors increased their Synopsys positions while 667 decreased their holdings, indicating a net reduction in institutional support for the stock.

Major institutional moves include:

Significant Reductions:

• GQG Partners LLC exited their entire position by removing 2,196,435 shares (representing a 100% reduction) in Q3 2024, valued at approximately $1,112,252,719
• JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut its holdings by 1,360,296 shares (-33.6% of position) in Q4 2024, representing an estimated $660,233,266
• Norges Bank reduced its stake by 857,101 shares (-41.6%) in Q4 2024, approximately $416,002,541
• Massachusetts Financial Services Co. decreased holdings by 784,152 shares (-39.0%) in Q4 2024, valued at approximately $380,596,014
• Matrix Capital Management Company, LP completely exited with a 100% reduction of 717,735 shares in Q3 2024, approximately $363,453,826
• Ninety One UK Ltd. eliminated its position entirely, removing 543,953 shares (-100.0%) in Q3 2024, approximately $275,452,359

Notable Addition:

• Price T. Rowe Associates Inc. bucked the trend by accumulating 1,045,326 shares (+21.5% increase) in Q4 2024, with an estimated value of $507,359,427

The overwhelming institutional reduction suggests concerns about Synopsys’ near-term prospects, though Price T. Rowe’s contrarian move indicates some major investors still see opportunity at current levels.

Congressional Portfolio Activity: Byron Donalds’ Stake in SNPS

Members of Congress have demonstrated notable interest in trading Synopsys stock, with 5 transactions recorded over the past six months. Consistent with insider trading patterns, all five congressional trades were sales with no purchases made during this period.

Congressional trading activity includes:

• Representative Robert Bresnahan: Sold up to $15,000 worth of SNPS on January 13
• Representative Josh Gottheimer: Engaged in 2 transactions, both sales, disposing of up to $30,000 in total across trades on December 9 and September 24
• Representative Byron Donalds: Completed 2 stock transactions in the reporting period, both sales, divesting up to $30,000 worth of Synopsys shares on October 1 and at an earlier date

The presence of Byron Donalds among those selling Synopsys stock, particularly given his positions on various congressional committees relevant to technology oversight, reflects broader sentiment about the semiconductor software sector. The fact that all congressional traders opted to sell rather than buy suggests alignment with executive sentiment at the company.

Understanding These Market Movements

The convergence of insider selling, significant institutional position reductions, and congressional stock dispositions paints a multifaceted picture of Synopsys at this moment. While some major asset managers like Price T. Rowe continue to find value in accumulating shares, the predominant trend remains one of reducing exposure to the stock.

These transactions represent important signals that sophisticated market participants are monitoring. For investors interested in tracking such movements—whether insider trades by executives like Sassine Ghazi and Richard S. Mahoney, institutional portfolio adjustments by firms like JPMorgan Chase or Norges Bank, or congressional trading patterns involving figures like Byron Donalds—real-time market intelligence platforms provide detailed dashboards tracking all such activities through SEC filings and official disclosures.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Stock trading carries significant risk, and readers should conduct their own research before making investment decisions.