Need To Know: Manhattan Bridge Capital, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOAN) Insiders Have Been Buying Shares
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 before you buy or sell Manhattan Bridge Capital, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOAN), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.
Do Insider Transactions Matter?
It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.
Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. 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 Manhattan Bridge Capital
Manhattan Bridge Capital Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Independent Director Lyron Bentovim bought US$135k worth of shares at a price of US$4.19 per share. Although we like to see insider buying, we note that this large purchase was at significantly below the recent price of US$5.43. Because the shares were purchased at a lower price, this particular buy doesn't tell us much about how insiders feel about the current share price.
In the last twelve months insiders purchased 79.29k shares for US$304k. But insiders sold 31.89k shares worth US$134k. In total, Manhattan Bridge Capital insiders bought more than they sold over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!
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).
Have Manhattan Bridge Capital Insiders Traded Recently?
In the last three months, Independent Director Lyron Bentovim bought US$135k. That's only a tiny bit more than the sales, worth US$134k. So it is hard to draw any conclusion about how insiders are feeling about the stock, from these recent trades.
Insider Ownership of Manhattan Bridge Capital
I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Manhattan Bridge Capital insiders own about US$15m worth of shares. That equates to 29% of the company. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.
So What Does This Data Suggest About Manhattan Bridge Capital Insiders?
Our data shows a little insider buying, but no selling, in the last three months. Overall the buying isn't worth writing home about. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Insiders do have a stake in Manhattan Bridge Capital and their transactions don't cause us concern. 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. For example, Manhattan Bridge Capital has 4 warning signs (and 1 which is potentially serious) we think you should know about.
Of course Manhattan Bridge Capital may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.
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. 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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