Stock Analysis

Alternate Director Grant Moyle Sold A Bunch Of Shares In Mitchell Services

ASX:MSV
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We note that the Mitchell Services Limited (ASX:MSV) Alternate Director, Grant Moyle, recently sold AU$73k worth of stock for AU$0.39 per share. While that isn't a lot of money, it was a substantial 66% of their holding, so certainly isn't a good sign.

See our latest analysis for Mitchell Services

Mitchell Services Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Executive Chairman Nathan Mitchell for AU$97k worth of shares, at about AU$0.36 per share. Even though the purchase was made at a significantly lower price than the recent price (AU$0.41), we still think insider buying is a positive. While it does suggest insiders consider the stock undervalued at lower prices, this transaction doesn't tell us much about what they think of current prices.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 390.00k shares worth AU$140k. On the other hand they divested 187.34k shares, for AU$73k. In total, Mitchell Services insiders bought more than they sold over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

insider-trading-volume
ASX:MSV Insider Trading Volume September 24th 2024

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of undervalued small cap companies that insiders are buying.

Does Mitchell Services Boast High Insider Ownership?

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Mitchell Services insiders own about AU$31m worth of shares. That equates to 35% of the company. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Mitchell Services Insiders?

An insider sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. On the other hand, the insider transactions over the last year are encouraging. And insiders do own shares. So we're not overly bothered by recent selling. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. For example - Mitchell Services has 4 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

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 of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

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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.