Who Has Been Buying 2U, Inc. (NASDAQ:TWOU) Shares?
It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in 2U, Inc. (NASDAQ:TWOU).
Do Insider Transactions Matter?
Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock in the company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.
We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. 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'.
Check out our latest analysis for 2U
2U Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
insider Gregory Peters made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$1.0m worth of shares at a price of US$13.95 each. We do like to see buying, but this purchase was made at well below the current price of US$21.77. Because it occurred at a lower valuation, it doesn't tell us much about whether insiders might find today's price attractive.
Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$3.8m for 245.56k shares. But they sold 1802 for US$71k. Overall, 2U insiders were net buyers last year. Their average price was about US$15.56. We don't deny that it is nice to see insiders buying stock in the company. However, we do note that they were buying at significantly lower prices than today's share price. You can see the insider transactions (by 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!
2U is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.
Insider Ownership
Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It appears that 2U insiders own 2.3% of the company, worth about US$31m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.
So What Do The 2U Insider Transactions Indicate?
It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded 2U shares in the last quarter. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Insiders do have a stake in 2U and their transactions don't cause us concern. 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.
