Oncorus, Inc. (NASDAQ:ONCR) insiders recover some losses but still US$100k away from matching original investment

Insiders who purchased US$231k worth of Oncorus, Inc. (NASDAQ:ONCR) shares over the past year recouped some of their losses after price gained 12% last week. However, total losses seen by insiders are still US$100k but in since the time of purchase.

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.

View our latest analysis for Oncorus

Oncorus Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when COO & Chief of Staff Stephen Harbin bought US$174k worth of shares at a price of US$5.80 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of US$1.65. 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. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for 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.

Oncorus insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. Their average price was about US$2.92. This is nice to see since it implies that insiders might see value around current prices. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, 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.

Oncorus Insiders Bought Stock Recently

We saw some Oncorus insider buying shares in the last three months. CFO, Chief Accounting Officer & Treasurer Richard Wanstall bought US$13k worth of shares in that time. It's good to see the insider buying, as well as the lack of recent 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

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. From looking at our data, insiders own US$2.0m worth of Oncorus stock, about 4.8% of the company. We prefer to see high levels of insider ownership.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Oncorus Tell Us?

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. The transactions are fine but it'd be more encouraging if Oncorus insiders bought more shares in the company. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Oncorus (of which 2 are potentially serious!) you should know about.

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.

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