Yahoo Finance Multiple insiders bought Meridian Energy Limited (NZSE:MEL) stock earlier this year, a positive sign for shareholders
It is usually uneventful when a single insider buys stock. However, When quite a few insiders buy shares, as it happened in Meridian Energy Limited's (NZSE:MEL) case, it's fantastic news for shareholders.
While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.
Check out our latest analysis for Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
The Independent Non-Executive Director Graham John Cockroft made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for NZ$102k worth of shares at a price of NZ$5.10 each. That means that even when the share price was higher than NZ$4.80 (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. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.
Meridian Energy 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. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!
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.
Have Meridian Energy Insiders Traded Recently?
We've only seen a tiny insider purchase valued at NZ$6.5k, in the last three months. Looking at the net result, we don't think these recent trades shed much light on how insiders, as a group, are feeling about the company's prospects.
Does Meridian Energy 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. Our data indicates that Meridian Energy insiders own about NZ$9.4m worth of shares (which is 0.08% of the company). Overall, this level of ownership isn't that impressive, but it's certainly better than nothing!
So What Does This Data Suggest About Meridian Energy Insiders?
Insider purchases may have been minimal, in the last three months, but there was no selling at all. That said, the purchases were not large. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. While we have no worries about the insider transactions, we'd be more comfortable if they owned more Meridian Energy stock. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with Meridian Energy and understanding these should be part of your investment process.
But note: Meridian Energy 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.
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