Insider Stock Buying Reaches US$761.0k On OraSure Technologies

Usually, when one insider buys stock, it might not be a monumental event. But when multiple insiders are buying like they did in the case of OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSUR), that sends out a positive message to the company's shareholders.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

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OraSure Technologies Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by President Carrie Eglinton Manner for US$247k worth of shares, at about US$3.15 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of US$2.93. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price.

In the last twelve months OraSure Technologies 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!

View our latest analysis for OraSure Technologies

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. If investing in lesser known companies is your style, you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insiders At OraSure Technologies Have Bought Stock Recently

It's good to see that OraSure Technologies insiders have made notable investments in the company's shares. Not only was there no selling that we can see, but they collectively bought US$761k worth of shares. That shows some optimism about the company's future.

Insider Ownership

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Insiders own 4.3% of OraSure Technologies shares, worth about US$9.7m, according to our data. Overall, this level of ownership isn't that impressive, but it's certainly better than nothing!

So What Do The OraSure Technologies Insider Transactions Indicate?

The recent insider purchases are heartening. 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. While the overall levels of insider ownership are below what we'd like to see, the history of transactions imply that OraSure Technologies insiders are reasonably well aligned, and optimistic for the future. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in OraSure Technologies, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company .

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.