Did Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (TSE:WPM) Insiders Sell Shares?
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We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. 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 Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (TSE:WPM).
What Is Insider Selling?
It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.
We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.'
See our latest analysis for Wheaton Precious Metals
Wheaton Precious Metals Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the President of Wheaton Precious Metals International Ltd, Nikola Tatarkin, sold CA$3.7m worth of shares at a price of CA$33.33 per share. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. The silver lining is that this sell-down took place above the latest price (CA$27.37). So it may not shed much light on insider confidence at current levels.
Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 3400 shares worth CA$87k. But they sold 201k for CA$6.7m. In total, Wheaton Precious Metals insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!
For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.
Insiders at Wheaton Precious Metals Have Sold Stock Recently
The last quarter saw substantial insider selling of Wheaton Precious Metals shares. In total, insiders dumped US$6.6m worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. In light of this it's hard to argue that all the insiders think that the shares are a bargain.
Insider Ownership of Wheaton Precious Metals
Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It appears that Wheaton Precious Metals insiders own 0.1% of the company, worth about CA$15m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.
What Might The Insider Transactions At Wheaton Precious Metals Tell Us?
Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. On the plus side, Wheaton Precious Metals makes money, and is growing profits. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. So we'd only buy after careful consideration. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Wheaton Precious Metals, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
Of course Wheaton Precious Metals may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.
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.
