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 Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE:NLSN).
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 in the company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.
We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Harvard University study found that ‘insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year’.
View our latest analysis for Nielsen Holdings
Nielsen Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year
Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Independent Chairman James Attwood for US$4.1m worth of shares, at about US$16.33 per share. So it’s clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being US$14.09). Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.
In the last twelve months Nielsen Holdings insiders were buying shares, but not selling. 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!
Nielsen Holdings is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.
Insider Ownership of Nielsen Holdings
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. It appears that Nielsen Holdings insiders own 0.2% of the company, worth about US$10m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.
So What Do The Nielsen Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate?
The fact that there have been no Nielsen Holdings insider transactions recently certainly doesn’t bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Insiders own shares in Nielsen Holdings and we see no evidence to suggest they are worried about the future. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it’s also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. For example, Nielsen Holdings has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit concerning) we think you should know about.
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 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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