Who Has Been Buying Webcentral Group Limited (ASX:WCG) Shares?

It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Webcentral Group Limited (ASX:WCG).

What Is Insider Buying?

It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.

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'.

View our latest analysis for Webcentral Group

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Webcentral Group

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Non-Executive Director Karl Peter Siegling bought AU$113k worth of shares at a price of AU$0.38 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher than AU$0.069 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when insiders have purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price.

While Webcentral Group insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. 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!

ASX:WCG Insider Trading Volume July 1st 2020

Webcentral Group is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Does Webcentral Group Boast High Insider Ownership?

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 14% of Webcentral Group shares, worth about AU$1.2m, according to our data. We do generally prefer see higher levels of insider ownership.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Webcentral Group Insiders?

The fact that there have been no Webcentral Group insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. The transactions are fine but it'd be more encouraging if Webcentral Group insiders bought more shares in the company. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. At Simply Wall St, we've found that Webcentral Group has 3 warning signs (2 are concerning!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

But note: Webcentral Group may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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