Serge Crasnianski Is The Group CEO & Deputy Chairman of Photo-Me International plc (LON:PHTM) And Just Spent UK£273k On Shares

Investors who take an interest in Photo-Me International plc (LON:PHTM) should definitely note that the Group CEO & Deputy Chairman, Serge Crasnianski, recently paid UK£0.51 per share to buy UK£273k worth of the stock. However, it only increased shareholding by a small percentage, and it wasn't a huge purchase by absolute value, either.

Check out our latest analysis for Photo-Me International

Photo-Me International Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent purchase by Group CEO & Deputy Chairman Serge Crasnianski was not the only time they bought Photo-Me International shares this year. They previously made an even bigger purchase of UK£1.9m worth of shares at a price of UK£0.53 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is UK£0.64. That means they have been optimistic about the company in the past, though they may have changed their mind. If someone buys shares at well below current prices, it's a good sign on balance, but keep in mind they may no longer see value. The good news for Photo-Me International share holders is that insiders were buying at near the current price.

In the last twelve months Photo-Me International insiders were buying shares, but not selling. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

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

Does Photo-Me International Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company 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. Photo-Me International insiders own about UK£68m worth of shares. That equates to 28% 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 Do The Photo-Me International Insider Transactions Indicate?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. Insiders likely see value in Photo-Me International shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Photo-Me International (2 don't sit too well with us) 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, but not derivative transactions.

If you’re looking to trade Photo-Me International, open an account with the lowest-cost* platform trusted by professionals, Interactive Brokers. Their clients from over 200 countries and territories trade stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and funds worldwide from a single integrated account. Promoted

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. 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.
^*Interactive Brokers Rated Lowest Cost Broker by StockBrokers.com Annual Online Review 2020

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.