Executive Chairman of Jardine Matheson Holdings Benjamin Keswick Buys 14% More Shares

Those following along with Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited (SGX:J36) will no doubt be intrigued by the recent purchase of shares by Benjamin Keswick, Executive Chairman of the company, who spent a stonking US$73m on stock at an average price of US$42.52. Aside from being a solid chunk in its own right, the deft move also saw their holding increase by some 14%.

Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Jardine Matheson Holdings

In fact, the recent purchase by Benjamin Keswick was the biggest purchase of Jardine Matheson Holdings shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. That implies that an insider found the current price of US$46.74 per share to be enticing. 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. While we always like to see insider buying, it's less meaningful if the purchases were made at much lower prices, as the opportunity they saw may have passed. Happily, the Jardine Matheson Holdings insiders decided to buy shares at close to current prices. Notably Benjamin Keswick was also the biggest seller.

In the last twelve months insiders purchased 1.89m shares for US$80m. But insiders sold 370.48k shares worth US$14m. Overall, Jardine Matheson Holdings 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!

See our latest analysis for Jardine Matheson Holdings

Jardine Matheson Holdings is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of under-the-radar companies with insider buying.

Does Jardine Matheson Holdings Boast High Insider Ownership?

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Jardine Matheson Holdings insiders own about US$929m worth of shares (which is 6.8% of the company). This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Jardine Matheson Holdings Tell Us?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. But on the other hand, the company made a loss during the last year, which makes us a little cautious. Along with the high insider ownership, this analysis suggests that insiders are quite bullish about Jardine Matheson Holdings. One for the watchlist, at least! So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. To assist with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Jardine Matheson Holdings.

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.

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

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.