Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Glory Flame Holdings Limited (HKG:8059).

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

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, 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'.

View our latest analysis for Glory Flame Holdings

Glory Flame Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Zhou Zhu bought HK$46m worth of shares at a price of HK$0.21 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being HK$0.058). It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when insiders have purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid HK$109m for 507.6m shares. On the other hand they divested 462.3m shares, for HK$103m. In the last twelve months there was more buying than selling by Glory Flame Holdings insiders. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

Glory Flame Holdings is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Does Glory Flame Holdings 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. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Glory Flame Holdings insiders own about HK$36m worth of shares (which is 60% of the company). Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Glory Flame Holdings Insiders?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Glory Flame Holdings shares in the last quarter. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. Judging from their transactions, and high insider ownership, Glory Flame Holdings insiders feel good about the company's future. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.

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.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body.

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.