Those following along with Morgan Sindall Group plc (LON:MGNS) will no doubt be intrigued by the recent purchase of shares by Mark Philip Robson, Independent Non-Executive Director of the company, who spent a stonking UK£514k on stock at an average price of UK£44.68. That increased their holding by a full 82%, which arguably implies the sort of confidence required for a shy sweet-natured nerd to ask the most popular kid in the school to go out on a date.
In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Founder, John Morgan, sold UK£1.4m worth of shares at a price of UK£49.50 per share. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. The silver lining is that this sell-down took place above the latest price (UK£43.80). So it may not tell us anything about how insiders feel about the current share price. John Morgan was the only individual insider to sell over 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!
Check out our latest analysis for Morgan Sindall Group
If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of small cap stocks that are not only being bought by insiders but also have attractive valuations.
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. It's great to see that Morgan Sindall Group insiders own 7.2% of the company, worth about UK£148m. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.
It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. But we can't say the same for the transactions over the last 12 months. Overall, we'd prefer see a more sustained buying from directors, but with a significant insider holding and more recent purchases, Morgan Sindall Group insiders are reasonably well aligned, and optimistic for the future. While it's good to be aware of 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. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with Morgan Sindall Group and understanding this should be part of your investment process.
But note: Morgan Sindall Group 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 of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.
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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.