Congressional stock trading has become a highly contentious issue as of late. Representatives and Senators possess a general informational edge, as they are privy to potentially market-moving information that the public does not have access to.
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Worse still, there is no shortage of suspicious stock trades to be found — with lawmakers routinely investing in companies that do business in the very industries overseen and regulated by said lawmakers. In addition, disclosure rules obscure the exact amounts being invested, while the penalties for failing to comply with the regulations governing the controversial practice are negligible.
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Although not among the most active traders in Congress, Tina Smith, the junior Senator from Minnesota, has made several suspicious trades in the past couple of years. Her most successful investment was a purchase of Artivion stock (NYSE: AORT) made in late 2023. AORT shares have more than doubled in value since the Senator’s trade.
Minnesota Senator’s suspicious stock investment doubles in value in 15 months
Smith, or rather, her husband, Archie, himself an independent investor focusing on healthcare and medical companies, invested in Artivion stock twice. The first purchase was made on November 10, 2023, while the second trade was executed on November 16. In both cases, the transactions were valued at between $50,001 and $100,000.
At the time of the first purchase, AORT stock was trading at a price of $13.33, while at the time of the subsequent trade, prices had risen to $14.09.
By press time on February 24, the price of AORT shares had risen to $28, marking a 2.05% loss on a year-to-date (YTD) basis. In contrast with the stock’s lackluster performance since the start of 2025, this figure equates to a 110.05% and 98.72% increase when compared to prices at the time of Archie Smith’s purchase.
Seeing as how the total value of the investment was between $100,002 and $200,000, using a midpoint of 104.38% (and assuming that both of the transactions were of equal size), the trade netted a $104,388 to $208,760 profit.
So, what makes this a suspicious stock trade? Senator Smith sits on the Committee on Health — and this isn’t the only instance where she or her husband made an investment in a company in the sector that ultimately secured outsized returns.
Readers who are considering mirroring the Minnesota Senator’s trade should keep a close eye on the company’s earnings call, due after market close on February 24.
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