Yahoo Finance Marston’s PLC (LON:MARS) Insiders Increased Their Holdings
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 before you buy or sell Marston’s PLC (LON:MARS), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.
What Is Insider Selling?
Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.
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. 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’.
View our latest analysis for Marston’s
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Marston’s
Independent Non-Executive Director Robin Rowland made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for UK£99k worth of shares at a price of UK£0.99 each. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company’s future. That purchase may suggest an expectation of positive returns over the long term.
Happily, we note that in the last year insiders bought 140.14k shares for a total of UK£140k. In total, Marston’s insiders bought more than they sold over the last year. Their average price was about UK£1.00. These transactions suggest that insiders have considered the current price of UK£0.99 attractive. 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!
If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).
Insider Ownership of Marston’s
Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. From looking at our data, insiders own UK£2.0m worth of Marston’s stock, about 0.3% of the company. I generally like to see higher levels of ownership.
So What Do The Marston’s Insider Transactions Indicate?
It doesn’t really mean much that no insider has traded Marston’s shares in the last quarter. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. The transactions are fine but it’d be more encouraging if Marston’s 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.
Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting 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.
