Should You Take Comfort From Insider Transactions At Panhandle Oil and Gas Inc. (NYSE:PHX)?

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We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So before you buy or sell Panhandle Oil and Gas Inc. (NYSE:PHX), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.

We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.'

View our latest analysis for Panhandle Oil and Gas

Panhandle Oil and Gas Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Vice President of Business Development & Investor Relations Raphael D'Amico bought US$99k worth of shares at a price of US$15.55 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being US$13.50). While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay 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 insiders paid US$187k for 12429.53 shares purchased. Panhandle Oil and Gas may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

Panhandle Oil and Gas is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Insiders at Panhandle Oil and Gas Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last quarter, Panhandle Oil and Gas insiders have spent a meaningful amount on shares. In total, insiders bought US$55k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any sales whatsoever. This makes one think the business has some good points.

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. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. From our data, it seems that Panhandle Oil and Gas insiders own 2.9% of the company, worth about US$6.4m. Overall, this level of ownership isn't that impressive, but it's certainly better than nothing!

What Might The Insider Transactions At Panhandle Oil and Gas Tell Us?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. We would certainly prefer see higher levels of insider ownership but analysis of the insider transactions suggests that Panhandle Oil and Gas insiders are expecting a bright future. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.

Of course Panhandle Oil and Gas 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 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.