Have Insiders Been Buying Evoqua Water Technologies Corp. (NYSE:AQUA) Shares This Year?
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 Evoqua Water Technologies Corp. (NYSE:AQUA).
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, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.
We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.'
Check out our latest analysis for Evoqua Water Technologies
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Evoqua Water Technologies
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by President Ronald Keating for US$501k worth of shares, at about US$9.37 per share. Even though the purchase was made at a significantly lower price than the recent price (US$13.77), we still think insider buying is a positive. While it does suggest insiders consider the stock undervalued at lower prices, this transaction doesn't tell us much about what they think of current prices.
Happily, we note that in the last year insiders bought 98345 shares for a total of US$911k. While Evoqua Water Technologies insiders bought shares last year, they didn't sell. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!
Evoqua Water Technologies is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.
Does Evoqua Water Technologies 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. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. From our data, it seems that Evoqua Water Technologies insiders own 0.6% of the company, worth about US$8.8m. Whilst better than nothing, we're not overly impressed by these holdings.
So What Does This Data Suggest About Evoqua Water Technologies Insiders?
It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Evoqua Water Technologies shares in the last quarter. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. The transactions are fine but it'd be more encouraging if Evoqua Water Technologies insiders bought more shares in the company. 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.
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.
