Insider Buyers Lose Additional US$156k As Presidio Property Trust Dips To US$8.3m

The recent price decline of 15% in Presidio Property Trust, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:SQFT) stock may have disappointed insiders who bought US$400.6k worth of shares at an average price of US$0.90 in the past 12 months. This is not good as insiders invest based on expectations that their money will appreciate over time. However, as a result of recent losses, their original investment is now worth only US$244.1k.

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.

See our latest analysis for Presidio Property Trust

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Presidio Property Trust

The insider Vito Garfi made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$304k worth of shares at a price of US$1.22 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being US$0.55). 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. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for 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.

While Presidio Property Trust insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. The average buy price was around US$0.90. These transactions suggest that insiders have considered the current price attractive. 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!

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

Insiders At Presidio Property Trust Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last three months, we've seen a bit of insider buying at Presidio Property Trust. Chairman Jack Heilbron bought US$17k worth of shares in that time. It's good to see the insider buying, as well as the lack of recent sellers. However, in this case the amount invested recently is quite small.

Insider Ownership Of Presidio Property Trust

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It appears that Presidio Property Trust insiders own 23% of the company, worth about US$1.9m. 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 Presidio Property Trust Insider Transactions Indicate?

We note a that there has been a bit of insider buying recently (but no selling). The net investment is not enough to encourage us much. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Insiders do have a stake in Presidio Property Trust and their transactions don't cause us concern. While it's good to be aware of 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 Presidio Property Trust (1 doesn't sit too well with us) you should be aware of.

But note: Presidio Property Trust may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE 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.