Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. (TSE:AQN) is up 4.8%, but insiders still continue to see a loss of US$72k on their US$3.0m investment
Insiders who bought US$3.0m worth of Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. (TSE:AQN) stock in the last year have seen some of their losses recouped as the stock gained 4.8% last week. However, the purchase is proving to be an expensive wager as insiders are yet to get ahead of their losses which currently stand at US$72k since the time of purchase.
While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.
View our latest analysis for Algonquin Power & Utilities
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Algonquin Power & Utilities
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by President Arun Banskota for CA$1.5m worth of shares, at about CA$12.30 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher than CA$11.41 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.
Algonquin Power & Utilities insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!
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).
Algonquin Power & Utilities Insiders Bought Stock Recently
Over the last quarter, Algonquin Power & Utilities insiders have spent a meaningful amount on shares. Specifically, Independent Director Amee Chande bought CA$149k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any sales whatsoever. This is a positive in our book as it implies some confidence.
Does Algonquin Power & Utilities Boast High 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. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Our data indicates that Algonquin Power & Utilities insiders own about CA$8.3m worth of shares (which is 0.1% of the company). Overall, this level of ownership isn't that impressive, but it's certainly better than nothing!
What Might The Insider Transactions At Algonquin Power & Utilities Tell Us?
It is good to see the recent insider purchase. 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. While the overall levels of insider ownership are below what we'd like to see, the history of transactions imply that Algonquin Power & Utilities insiders are reasonably well aligned, and optimistic for the future. While we like knowing 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. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Algonquin Power & Utilities (of which 2 are concerning!) you should know about.
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.
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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.
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