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Should You Take Comfort From Insider Transactions At MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE:MTG)?

It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. 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 MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE:MTG), 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 in the company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

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Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.'

View our latest analysis for MGIC Investment

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At MGIC Investment

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Director Michael Lehman for US$82k worth of shares, at about US$11.70 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at around the current price of US$12.46. 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 do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. The good news for MGIC Investment share holders is that insiders were buying at near the current price.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 12000 shares worth US$143k. In the last twelve months MGIC Investment insiders were buying shares, but not selling. You can see the insider transactions (by 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!

NYSE:MTG Recent Insider Trading, August 21st 2019
NYSE:MTG Recent Insider Trading, August 21st 2019

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

MGIC Investment Insiders Bought Stock Recently

It's good to see that MGIC Investment insiders have made notable investments in the company's shares. Director Daniel Arrigoni spent US$61k on stock, and there wasn't any selling. This could be interpreted as suggesting a positive outlook.

Insider Ownership of MGIC Investment

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. MGIC Investment insiders own about US$58m worth of shares. That equates to 1.3% of the company. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About MGIC Investment Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest MGIC Investment insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for MGIC Investment.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity 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.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.