IVE Group MD & CEO Matthew Aitken Sells 70% Of Holding

Anyone interested in IVE Group Limited (ASX:IGL) should probably be aware that the MD & CEO, Matthew Aitken, recently divested AU$262k worth of shares in the company, at an average price of AU$2.22 each. In particular, we note that the sale equated to a 70% reduction in their position size, which doesn't exactly instill confidence.

See our latest analysis for IVE Group

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At IVE Group

The insider Ryan Young made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for AU$4.0m worth of shares at a price of AU$2.24 each. That means that even when the share price was higher than AU$2.15 (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. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price.

In the last twelve months insiders purchased 1.83m shares for AU$4.1m. On the other hand they divested 509.71k shares, for AU$1.0m. Overall, IVE Group insiders were net buyers during the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

IVE Group is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find small cap companies at attractive valuations, this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Does IVE Group Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Insiders own 16% of IVE Group shares, worth about AU$53m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About IVE Group Insiders?

It is good to see recent purchasing. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. Given that insiders also own a fair bit of IVE Group we think they are probably pretty confident of a bright future. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. To assist with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of IVE Group.

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.