Insiders who bought this year lost UK£22k as Melrose Industries PLC (LON:MRO) sheds UK£288m in value

Insiders who bought UK£334k worth of Melrose Industries PLC's (LON:MRO) stock at an average buy price of UK£1.34 over the last year may be disappointed by the recent 5.4% decrease in the stock. Insiders buy with the expectation to see their investments rise in value over a period of time. However, recent losses have rendered their above investment worth UK£312k which is not ideal.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

View our latest analysis for Melrose Industries

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Melrose Industries

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Independent Non-Executive Chairman Justin Dowley for UK£99k worth of shares, at about UK£1.32 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of UK£1.25. It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price.

Melrose Industries insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

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insider-trading-volume

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.

Insiders At Melrose Industries Have Bought Stock Recently

We saw some Melrose Industries insider buying shares in the last three months. Independent Non-Executive Director Funmi Adegoke shelled out UK£15k for shares in that time. We like it when there are only buyers, and no sellers. But the amount invested in the last three months isn't enough for us too put much weight on it, as a single factor.

Insider Ownership Of Melrose Industries

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's great to see that Melrose Industries insiders own 5.9% of the company, worth about UK£301m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

So What Do The Melrose Industries Insider Transactions Indicate?

Our data shows a little insider buying, but no selling, in the last three months. The net investment is not enough to encourage us much. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. With high insider ownership and encouraging transactions, it seems like Melrose Industries insiders think the business has merit. 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.

But note: Melrose Industries 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.

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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.

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