It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. 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 Eton Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ETON), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.
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.
Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. As Peter Lynch said, ‘insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.’
See our latest analysis for Eton Pharmaceuticals
Eton Pharmaceuticals Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
President Sean Brynjelsen made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$79k worth of shares at a price of US$7.96 each. That means that even when the share price was higher than US$5.69 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. It’s very possible they regret the purchase, but it’s more likely they are bullish about the company. 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 58500 shares worth US$371k. Eton Pharmaceuticals insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn’t sell any. They paid about US$6.35 on average. I’d consider this a positive as it suggests insiders see value at around the current price. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!
Eton Pharmaceuticals Insiders Bought Stock Recently
It’s good to see that Eton Pharmaceuticals insiders have made notable investments in the company’s shares. Not only was there no selling that we can see, but they collectively bought US$52k worth of shares. This makes one think the business has some good points.
Does Eton Pharmaceuticals Boast High Insider Ownership?
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. Eton Pharmaceuticals insiders own about US$18m worth of shares. That equates to 18% 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 Eton Pharmaceuticals Insiders?
It’s certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. But we don’t feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Eton Pharmaceuticals insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. 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.
If you would prefer to check out another company — one with potentially superior financials — then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity 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.