Quite a few insiders invested in Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:UVE) last year which is positive news for shareholders

Generally, when a single insider buys stock, it is usually not a big deal. However, when several insiders are buying, like in the case of Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:UVE), it sends a favourable message to the company's shareholders.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

View our latest analysis for Universal Insurance Holdings

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Universal Insurance Holdings

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by CEO & Director Stephen Donaghy for US$119k worth of shares, at about US$11.90 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is US$13.01. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. If someone buys shares at well below current prices, it's a good sign on balance, but keep in mind they may no longer see value. Happily, the Universal Insurance Holdings insiders decided to buy shares at close to current prices.

In the last twelve months Universal Insurance Holdings insiders were buying shares, but not selling. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insiders at Universal Insurance Holdings Have Bought Stock Recently

It's good to see that Universal Insurance Holdings insiders have made notable investments in the company's shares. In total, insiders bought US$176k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any sales whatsoever. That shows some optimism about the company's future.

Does Universal Insurance Holdings Boast High 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 9.9% of Universal Insurance Holdings shares, worth about US$40m. 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 Universal Insurance Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate?

The recent insider purchases are heartening. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Universal Insurance Holdings insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. To assist with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Universal Insurance Holdings.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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.