Read This Before Selling Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated (NYSE:DBD) Shares

We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. 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 shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated (NYSE:DBD).

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.

We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own company’s stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'.

View our latest analysis for Diebold Nixdorf

Diebold Nixdorf Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Mario Gabelli bought US$337k worth of shares at a price of US$13.46 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being US$12.70). 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. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when insiders have purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price. Notably Mario Gabelli was also the biggest seller, having sold US$196k worth of shares.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$2.3m for 254k shares. But insiders sold 51794 shares worth US$196k. Overall, Diebold Nixdorf insiders were net buyers last year. They paid about US$9.18 on average. It is certainly positive to see that insiders have invested their own money in the company. However, we do note that they were buying at significantly lower prices than today's share price. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

Diebold Nixdorf is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this freelist of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insiders at Diebold Nixdorf Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last three months, we've seen significantly more insider buying, than insider selling, at Diebold Nixdorf. Insiders spent US$1.1m on shares. But Mario Gabelli sold shares worth US$82k. Insiders have spent more buying shares than they have selling, so on balance we think they are are probably optimistic.

Does Diebold Nixdorf Boast High Insider Ownership?

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It appears that Diebold Nixdorf insiders own 1.1% of the company, worth about US$10m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

So What Do The Diebold Nixdorf Insider Transactions Indicate?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. But we don't feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Diebold Nixdorf insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this freereport 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 freelist of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

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.

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. Thank you for reading.