AstroNova Independent Director Acquires 9.6% More Stock

Even if it's not a huge purchase, we think it was good to see that Mitchell Quain, the Independent Director of AstroNova, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALOT) recently shelled out US$91k to buy stock, at US$9.05 per share. Although the purchase is not a big one, increasing their shareholding by only 9.6%, it can be interpreted as a good sign.

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The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At AstroNova

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Lead Independent Director Richard Warzala bought US$161k worth of shares at a price of US$8.07 per share. Even though the purchase was made at a significantly lower price than the recent price (US$9.01), we still think insider buying is a positive. Because it occurred at a lower valuation, it doesn't tell us much about whether insiders might find today's price attractive.

In the last twelve months AstroNova insiders were buying shares, but not selling. 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!

View our latest analysis for AstroNova

AstroNova is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find small cap companies at attractive valuations, this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insider Ownership

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 7.9% of AstroNova shares, worth about US$5.5m, according to our data. We do generally prefer see higher levels of insider ownership.

So What Do The AstroNova Insider Transactions Indicate?

The recent insider purchases are heartening. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. But on the other hand, the company made a loss during the last year, which makes us a little cautious. We would certainly prefer see higher levels of insider ownership but analysis of the insider transactions suggests that AstroNova insiders are expecting a bright future. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing AstroNova. At Simply Wall St, we've found that AstroNova has 3 warning signs (2 don't sit too well with us!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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.