Yahoo Finance Bullish insiders bet AU$1.8m on Metgasco Limited (ASX:MEL)
Quite a few insiders have dramatically grown their holdings in Metgasco Limited (ASX:MEL) over the past 12 months. An insider's optimism about the company's prospects is a positive sign.
While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.
See our latest analysis for Metgasco
Metgasco Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by insider Douglas King for AU$1.5m worth of shares, at about AU$0.027 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher than AU$0.025 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. 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.
In the last twelve months Metgasco insiders were buying shares, but not selling. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!
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).
Insiders at Metgasco Have Bought Stock Recently
Over the last quarter, Metgasco insiders have spent a meaningful amount on shares. In total, insiders bought AU$1.5m worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any sales whatsoever. This makes one think the business has some good points.
Does Metgasco Boast High Insider Ownership?
Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Metgasco insiders own about AU$3.9m worth of shares. That equates to 17% 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 Metgasco Insiders?
It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. But on the other hand, the company made a loss during the last year, which makes us a little cautious. Insiders likely see value in Metgasco shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Metgasco. Our analysis shows 5 warning signs for Metgasco (3 don't sit too well with us!) and we strongly recommend you look at them before investing.
Of course Metgasco 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.
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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.
