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 we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Trigon Metals Inc. (CVE:TM).
What Is Insider Buying?
It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.
We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.'
Check out our latest analysis for Trigon Metals
Trigon Metals Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Chief Executive Officer Stephanus Theron for CA$165k worth of shares, at about CA$0.15 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher, an insider wanted to purchase shares. 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. It's not at all bad to see insiders buy shares at or above current prices.
In the last twelve months insiders paid CA$230k for 1.51m shares purchased. In the last twelve months there was more buying than selling by Trigon Metals insiders. They paid about CA$0.15 on average. These transactions suggest that insiders have considered the current price of CA$0.055 attractive. You can see the insider transactions 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!
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this freelist of growing companies that insiders are buying.
Insiders at Trigon Metals Have Bought Stock Recently
It's good to see that Trigon Metals insiders have made notable investments in the company's shares. Not only was there no selling that we can see, but they collectively bought CA$220k worth of shares. This is a positive in our book as it implies some confidence.
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. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Trigon Metals insiders own 8.8% of the company, currently worth about CA$148k based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.
What Might The Insider Transactions At Trigon Metals Tell Us?
The recent insider purchases are heartening. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. But we don't feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. While the overall levels of insider ownership are below what we'd like to see, the history of transactions imply that Trigon Metals insiders are reasonably well aligned, and optimistic for the future. To put this in context, take a look at how a company has performed in the past. You can access this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow .
Of course Trigon Metals may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this freecollection of high quality companies.
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The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
Simply Wall St analyst Simply Wall St and Simply Wall St have no position in any of the companies mentioned. This article 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.
About TSXV:TM
Trigon Metals
Engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and maintenance of mines and mineral properties in the African continent.
High growth potential slight.