Yahoo Finance Trade Alert: The Chairman Of Empire Energy Group Limited (ASX:EEG), Paul Espie, Has Just Spent US$1m Buying Shares
Those following along with Empire Energy Group Limited (ASX:EEG) will no doubt be intrigued by the recent purchase of shares by Paul Espie, Chairman of the company, who spent a stonking AU$1m on stock at an average price of AU$0.40. That purchase boosted their holding by 106%, which makes us wonder if the move was inspired by quietly confident deeply-felt optimism.
See our latest analysis for Empire Energy Group
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Empire Energy Group
Notably, that recent purchase by Paul Espie is the biggest insider purchase of Empire Energy Group shares that we've seen in the last year. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is AU$0.47. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. While we always like to see insider buying, it's less meaningful if the purchases were made at much lower prices, as the opportunity they saw may have passed. In this case we're pleased to report that the insider purchases were made at close to current prices.
In the last twelve months Empire Energy Group insiders were buying shares, but not selling. They paid about AU$0.33 on average. We don't deny that it is nice to see insiders buying stock in the company. However, we do note that they were buying at significantly lower prices than today's share price. 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!
There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).
Insider Ownership of Empire Energy Group
Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It appears that Empire Energy Group insiders own 13% of the company, worth about AU$16m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.
What Might The Insider Transactions At Empire Energy Group Tell Us?
The recent insider purchases are heartening. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. But we don't feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. Given that insiders also own a fair bit of Empire Energy Group we think they are probably pretty confident of a bright future. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can access this interactive graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow for free.
Of course Empire Energy Group may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.
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.
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.
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