Read This Before Buying II-VI Incorporated (NASDAQ:IIVI) Shares

We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. On the other hand, we'd be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in II-VI Incorporated (NASDAQ:IIVI).

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. 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 logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. 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 II-VI

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At II-VI

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by the Co-Founder, Carl Johnson, for US$4.8m worth of shares, at about US$41.47 per share. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. It's of some comfort that this sale was conducted at a price well above the current share price, which is US$29.02. So it is hard to draw any strong conclusion from it.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$597k for 17450 shares. On the other hand they divested 121000 shares, for US$4.9m. All up, insiders sold more shares in II-VI than they bought, over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insiders at II-VI Have Sold Stock Recently

We have seen a bit of insider selling at II-VI, over the last three months. Lead Independent Director Marc Y. Pelaez divested only US$41k worth of shares in that time. Neither the lack of buying nor the presence of selling is heartening. But the amount sold isn't enough for us to put any weight on it.

Insider Ownership

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It appears that II-VI insiders own 3.4% of the company, worth about US$86m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At II-VI Tell Us?

We did not see any insider buying in the last three months, but we did see selling. However, the sales are not big enough to concern us at all. Recent insider selling makes us a little nervous, in light of the broader picture of II-VI insider transactions. But we do like the fact that insiders own a fair chunk of the company. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.

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, but not derivative transactions.

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.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.