Bullish insiders at eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ:EHTH) loaded up on US$1.2m of stock earlier this year
Over the last year, a good number of insiders have significantly increased their holdings in eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ:EHTH). This is encouraging because it indicates that insiders are more optimistic about the company's prospects.
While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.
See our latest analysis for eHealth
eHealth Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when insider Steven Shulman bought US$1.0m worth of shares at a price of US$63.17 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher than US$38.57 (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. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price.
Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$1.2m for 20.17k shares. But insiders sold 4.08k shares worth US$303k. Overall, eHealth insiders were net buyers during the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.
Does eHealth Boast High Insider Ownership?
For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. 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 eHealth insiders own 3.9% of the company, worth about US$40m. 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 Does This Data Suggest About eHealth Insiders?
It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded eHealth shares in the last quarter. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. Insiders do have a stake in eHealth and their transactions don't cause us concern. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. To assist with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of eHealth.
But note: eHealth may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE 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.
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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