ServiceNow Founder Fred Luddy Has Sold $1.28 Billion in NOW Stock — But Recent Activity Has Nearly Stopped

Alex Rivera

Fred Luddy, founder of ServiceNow, has filed 1,798 insider transactions totaling $1.28 billion in sales. But his recent filings show almost no selling — just tiny award-related dispositions and gifts.

Fred Luddy, founder of ServiceNow (NOW), has filed 1,798 insider transactions since 2003, selling a cumulative $1.28 billion in company stock. Yet his recent filing pattern tells a strikingly different story: in 2025, Luddy sold just 428 shares for $428,000 — a rounding error for a founder whose stock is worth over $1,000 per share. The bulk of his recent filings are tiny stock awards and charitable gifts, suggesting the aggressive selling phase is long over.

The Numbers

Metric Value
Career Sell Value $1.28 billion
Total Transactions 1,798
First Transaction Aug 7, 2003
Last Transaction Nov 13, 2025
Shares Remaining 123,113
Career Buy Value $0

Recent Activity

Date Type Shares Price Est. Value
Nov 13, 2025 Gift 3,515 ~$3.5M
May 23, 2025 Sell 428 $1,000.00 $428K
May 22, 2025 Award 319
Nov 20, 2024 Gift 2,944 ~$2.6M
May 24, 2024 Sell 598 $741.92 $444K
Nov 17, 2023 Gift 4,605 ~$3.3M

Luddy's recent filing pattern has settled into a clear rhythm: one small sell per year (tied to a stock award vesting), followed by a charitable gift later in the year. His 2025 sell was just 428 shares at exactly $1,000 per share — almost certainly a round-lot disposition to cover taxes on a 319-share award received the day before. The November 2025 gift of 3,515 shares (worth approximately $3.5 million) continues his pattern of annual charitable giving.

What It Means

Luddy founded ServiceNow in 2004 and served as CEO until 2011. The majority of his $1.28 billion in career sales occurred in the earlier years, when he was actively reducing a much larger founding stake. His remaining 123,113 shares are worth approximately $123 million at current prices — a small fraction of his original holdings. The near-cessation of selling at $1,000+ prices is notable: it suggests either that Luddy has already achieved his liquidity objectives, or that he sees further upside in ServiceNow's AI-powered enterprise platform. His current filing activity is essentially housekeeping — small award-related sells and annual gifts — rather than meaningful economic activity.

What to Watch

  • Whether Luddy maintains his minimal selling pattern as NOW pushes toward $1,200+ — founders resuming sales at new highs is a sentiment indicator worth tracking
  • ServiceNow's AI agent strategy and its impact on revenue acceleration, which has been the primary driver of the stock's move from $500 to $1,000+
  • Any changes to Luddy's board status or relationship with ServiceNow, which could trigger a change in his filing pattern
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