We’ve lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Enea AB (publ) (STO:ENEA).
Do Insider Transactions Matter?
Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.
We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. 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 Enea
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Enea
Senior Vice President of OS Business Unit Adrian Leufvén made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for kr2.0m worth of shares at a price of kr135 each. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (kr139). While sellers have a variety of reasons for selling, this isn’t particularly great to see. We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling on market, especially if they did so below the current price. It is worth noting that this sale was only 50% of Adrian Leufvén’s holding. Adrian Leufvén was the only individual insider to sell shares in the last twelve months. Notably Adrian Leufvén was also the biggest buyer, having purchased kr911k worth of shares.
The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!
If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).
Insider Ownership of Enea
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. It appears that Enea insiders own 27% of the company, worth about kr720m. 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 Does This Data Suggest About Enea Insiders?
An insider hasn’t bought Enea stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. Zooming out, the longer term picture doesn’t give us much comfort. But it is good to see that Enea is growing earnings. The company boasts high insider ownership, but we’re a little hesitant, given the history of share sales. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Enea, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
Of course Enea may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.
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If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.