Yahoo Finance Quite a few insiders invested in Metal Bank Limited (ASX:MBK) last year which is positive news for shareholders
It is usually uneventful when a single insider buys stock. However, When quite a few insiders buy shares, as it happened in Metal Bank Limited's (ASX:MBK) case, it's fantastic news for shareholders.
While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.
See our latest analysis for Metal Bank
Metal Bank Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Executive Chairman Ines Scotland for AU$307k worth of shares, at about AU$0.008 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher than AU$0.006 (the recent price), 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. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.
Metal Bank insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!
Metal Bank is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.
Have Metal Bank Insiders Traded Recently?
There was some insider buying at Metal Bank over the last quarter. Insiders shelled out AU$9.6k for shares in that time. It's good to see the insider buying, as well as the lack of recent sellers. However, in this case the amount invested recently is quite small.
Insider Ownership
Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. From looking at our data, insiders own AU$501k worth of Metal Bank stock, about 3.2% of the company. But they may have an indirect interest through a corporate structure that we haven't picked up on. We prefer to see high levels of insider ownership.
So What Does This Data Suggest About Metal Bank Insiders?
We note a that there has been a bit of insider buying recently (but no selling). The net investment is not enough to encourage us much. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. We'd like to see bigger individual holdings. However, we don't see anything to make us think Metal Bank insiders are doubting 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. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Metal Bank (of which 3 are potentially serious!) you should know about.
But note: Metal Bank 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.
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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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.
