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We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So before you buy or sell Energy Technologies Limited (ASX:EGY), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.
Do Insider Transactions Matter?
Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.
We don’t think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Columbia University study found that ‘insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own company’s stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers’.
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The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Energy Technologies
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Non-Executive Director Gary Ferguson for AU$95k worth of shares, at about AU$0.01 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher, an insider wanted to purchase shares. It’s very possible they regret the purchase, but it’s more likely they are bullish about the company. It’s not at all bad to see insiders buy shares at or above current prices. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was Gary Ferguson.
The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!
If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).
Insider Ownership of Energy Technologies
Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Energy Technologies insiders own 73% of the company, currently worth about AU$761k based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.