Multiple insiders bought Graham Holdings Company (NYSE:GHC) stock earlier this year, a positive sign for shareholders
Generally, when a single insider buys stock, it is usually not a big deal. However, when several insiders are buying, like in the case of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE:GHC), it sends a favourable message to the company's shareholders.
While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.
See our latest analysis for Graham Holdings
Graham Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
The VP & Chief Accounting Officer, Marcel Snyman, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$77k worth of shares at a price of US$605 each. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$599. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn't a major concern, though it's hardly a good sign. The only individual insider seller over the last year was Marcel Snyman.
Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$106k for 180.00 shares. On the other hand they divested 128.00 shares, for US$77k. Overall, Graham Holdings insiders were net buyers during the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and 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!
There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).
Insider Ownership of Graham Holdings
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. Graham Holdings insiders own 16% of the company, currently worth about US$455m based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.
So What Does This Data Suggest About Graham Holdings Insiders?
The fact that there have been no Graham Holdings insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. With high insider ownership and encouraging transactions, it seems like Graham Holdings insiders think the business has merit. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Graham Holdings you should know about.
Of course Graham Holdings may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality 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, but not derivative transactions.
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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.