Hays CEO & Director Acquires 124% More Stock

Investors who take an interest in Hays plc (LON:HAS) should definitely note that the CEO & Director, Dirk Hahn, recently paid UK£0.62 per share to buy UK£224k worth of the stock. That certainly has us anticipating the best, especially since they thusly increased their own holding by 124%, potentially signalling some real optimism.

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The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Hays

Notably, that recent purchase by Dirk Hahn is the biggest insider purchase of Hays shares that we've seen in the last year. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is UK£0.62. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. We do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. The good news for Hays share holders is that insiders were buying at near the current price.

Hays insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

Check out our latest analysis for Hays

Hays 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.

Insider Ownership

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Our information indicates that Hays insiders own about UK£375k worth of shares. It's always possible we are missing something but from our data, it looks like insider ownership is minimal.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Hays Tell Us?

It is good to see recent purchasing. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. However, we note that the company didn't make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. We would certainly prefer see higher levels of insider ownership but analysis of the insider transactions suggests that Hays 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.

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.