Need To Know: Zotefoams plc (LON:ZTF) 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. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Zotefoams plc (LON:ZTF).
What Is Insider Buying?
It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.
Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. 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 Zotefoams
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Zotefoams
The Group CEO, David Stirling, made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for UK£188k worth of shares at a price of UK£5.74 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of UK£5.90. We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling on market, especially if they did so below the current price, because it implies that they considered a lower price to be reasonable. While insider selling is not a positive sign, we can't be sure if it does mean insiders think the shares are fully valued, so it's only a weak sign. This single sale was just 6.7% of David Stirling's stake.
Over the last year, we note insiders sold 51999 shares worth UK£298k. Zotefoams insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. 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 are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.
Insiders at Zotefoams Have Sold Stock Recently
The last quarter saw substantial insider selling of Zotefoams shares. In total, insiders sold UK£298k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. This may suggest that some insiders think that the shares are not cheap.
Insider Ownership
For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Insiders own 4.9% of Zotefoams shares, worth about UK£14m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.
So What Do The Zotefoams Insider Transactions Indicate?
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. But since Zotefoams is profitable and growing, we're not too worried by this. While insiders do own shares, they don't own a heap, and they have been selling. We'd think twice before buying! 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 Zotefoams 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.
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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.
