We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Innodata Inc. (NASDAQ:INOD).
What Is Insider Buying?
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, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.
We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Columbia University study found that ‘insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own company’s stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers’.
View our latest analysis for Innodata
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Innodata
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Director Nauman Toor for US$115k worth of shares, at about US$1.41 per share. So it’s clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being US$1.30). Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. To us, it’s very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.
Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 355k shares worth US$496k. In the last twelve months Innodata insiders were buying shares, but not selling. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!
Insiders at Innodata Have Bought Stock Recently
We saw some Innodata insider buying shares in the last three months. Insiders shelled out US$22k for shares in that time. We like it when there are only buyers, and no sellers. But the amount invested in the last three months isn’t enough for us too put much weight on it, as a single factor.
Insider Ownership of Innodata
Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. From our data, it seems that Innodata insiders own 9.6% of the company, worth about US$3.2m. Whilst better than nothing, we’re not overly impressed by these holdings.
So What Do The Innodata Insider Transactions Indicate?
Insider purchases may have been minimal, in the last three months, but there was no selling at all. Overall the buying isn’t worth writing home about. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. The transactions are fine but it’d be more encouraging if Innodata insiders bought more shares in the company. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.
But note: Innodata 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.
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.