We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. On the other hand, we’d be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So before you buy or sell STORE Capital Corporation (NYSE:STOR), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.
What Is Insider Buying?
It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. 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. For example, a Harvard University study found that ‘insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year’.
Check out our latest analysis for STORE Capital
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At STORE Capital
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Independent Director Joseph Donovan for US$374k worth of shares, at about US$37.42 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of US$26.29. It’s very possible they regret the purchase, but it’s more likely they are bullish about the company. To us, it’s very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. 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.
STORE Capital insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn’t sell any. Their average price was about US$27.55. I’d consider this a positive as it suggests insiders see value at around the current price. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.
STORE Capital Insiders Bought Stock Recently
Over the last quarter, STORE Capital insiders have spent a meaningful amount on shares. Executive VP Catherine Long spent US$100k on stock, and there wasn’t any selling. That shows some optimism about the company’s future.
Insider Ownership of STORE Capital
Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Insiders own 0.8% of STORE Capital shares, worth about US$54m. 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 Do The STORE Capital Insider Transactions Indicate?
The recent insider purchase is heartening. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. Insiders likely see value in STORE Capital shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it’s also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. Our analysis shows 4 warning signs for STORE Capital (1 is potentially serious!) and we strongly recommend you look at these before investing.
But note: STORE Capital 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, but not derivative transactions.
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. 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.
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