One Western Exploration Insider Raised Stake By 163% In Previous Year
From what we can see, insiders were net buyers in Western Exploration Inc.'s (CVE:WEX ) during the past 12 months. That is, insiders acquired the stock in greater numbers than they sold it.
Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.
Western Exploration Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
The Independent Director Gerard Munera made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for CA$188k worth of shares at a price of CA$0.59 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is CA$0.61. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. While we always like to see insider buying, it's less meaningful if the purchases were made at much lower prices, as the opportunity they saw may have passed. Happily, the Western Exploration insider decided to buy shares at close to current prices. Gerard Munera was the only individual insider to buy shares in the last twelve months.
You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and 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!
See our latest analysis for Western Exploration
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of undervalued small cap companies that insiders are buying.
Does Western Exploration Boast High Insider Ownership?
Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Western Exploration insiders own about CA$12m worth of shares. That equates to 35% of the company. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.
So What Does This Data Suggest About Western Exploration Insiders?
It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Western Exploration shares in the last quarter. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. Insiders do have a stake in Western Exploration and their transactions don't cause us concern. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. For example, Western Exploration has 4 warning signs (and 2 which are a bit unpleasant) we think you should know about.
But note: Western Exploration 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.