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With stock up 3.3%, Insiders of Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:SASR) must be wishing they had bought more last year

Last week, Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:SASR) insiders, who had purchased shares in the previous 12 months were rewarded handsomely. The shares increased by 3.3% last week, resulting in a US$57m increase in the company's market worth. Put another way, the original US$96k acquisition is now worth US$99k.

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.

Check out our latest analysis for Sandy Spring Bancorp

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Sandy Spring Bancorp

Notably, that recent purchase by Craig Ruppert is the biggest insider purchase of Sandy Spring Bancorp shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at around the current price of US$39.49. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. 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 Sandy Spring Bancorp insider decided to buy shares at close to current prices. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was Craig Ruppert.

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!

insider-trading-volume
insider-trading-volume

Sandy Spring Bancorp is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Insider Ownership of Sandy Spring Bancorp

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that Sandy Spring Bancorp insiders own 2.9% of the company, worth about US$52m. 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 Does This Data Suggest About Sandy Spring Bancorp Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Sandy Spring Bancorp insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. 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.

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.

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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.