Need To Know: Silvercorp Metals Inc. (TSE:SVM) Insiders Have Been Selling Shares

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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 Silvercorp Metals Inc. (TSE:SVM).

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, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

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. 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.'

View our latest analysis for Silvercorp Metals

Silvercorp Metals Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Chief Financial Officer, Derek Liu, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for CA$334k worth of shares at a price of CA$3.62 each. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take price at a lower price. It's of some comfort that this sale was conducted at a price well above the current share price, which is CA$2.95. So it is hard to draw any strong conclusion from it.

In the last twelve months insiders netted CA$1.6m for 480k shares sold. In the last year Silvercorp Metals insiders didn't buy any company stock. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insiders at Silvercorp Metals Have Sold Stock Recently

The last three months saw significant insider selling at Silvercorp Metals. In total, insiders sold US$591k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. In light of this it's hard to argue that all the insiders think that the shares are a bargain.

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. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Silvercorp Metals insiders own about CA$20m worth of shares. That equates to 3.9% of the company. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Silvercorp Metals Tell Us?

Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And even if we look to the last year, we didn't see any purchases. Insider ownership isn't particularly high, so this analysis makes us cautious about the company. We're in no rush to buy! 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 Silvercorp Metals 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 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.