Generally, when a single insider buys stock, it is usually not a big deal. However, when several insiders are buying, like in the case of Growthpoint Properties Limited (JSE:GRT), it sends a favourable message to the company's shareholders.
While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.
See our latest analysis for Growthpoint Properties
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Growthpoint Properties
The Group CEO & Executive Director Leon Sasse made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for R3.3m worth of shares at a price of R11.79 each. Even though the purchase was made at a significantly lower price than the recent price (R13.31), we still think insider buying is a positive. While it does suggest insiders consider the stock undervalued at lower prices, this transaction doesn't tell us much about what they think of current prices.
Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid R7.7m for 655.56k shares. On the other hand they divested 599.35k shares, for R7.1m. In total, Growthpoint Properties insiders bought more than they sold over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!
Growthpoint Properties is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.
Insider Ownership
For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Based on our data, Growthpoint Properties insiders have about 0.2% of the stock, worth approximately R89m. I generally like to see higher levels of ownership.
What Might The Insider Transactions At Growthpoint Properties Tell Us?
There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. Insiders do have a stake in Growthpoint Properties and their transactions don't cause us concern. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. At Simply Wall St, we've found that Growthpoint Properties has 3 warning signs (2 are a bit unpleasant!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.