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 Watkin Jones Plc (LON:WJG), it sends a favourable message to the company's shareholders.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

See our latest analysis for Watkin Jones

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Watkin Jones

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Independent Non-Executive Chairman Alan Clifford Giddins for UK£194k worth of shares, at about UK£0.47 per share. We do like to see buying, but this purchase was made at well below the current price of UK£0.55. Because the shares were purchased at a lower price, this particular buy doesn't tell us much about how insiders feel about the current share price.

In the last twelve months Watkin Jones insiders were buying shares, but not selling. The average buy price was around UK£0.54. Although they bought at below the recent share price, it is good to see that insiders are willing to invest in the company. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! AIM:WJG Insider Trading Volume January 5th 2024

Watkin Jones is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this freelist of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Insiders At Watkin Jones Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last quarter, Watkin Jones insiders have spent a meaningful amount on shares. In total, insiders bought UK£46k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any sales whatsoever. That shows some optimism about the company's future.

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. Our information indicates that Watkin Jones insiders own about UK£491k worth of shares. We do note, however, it is possible insiders have an indirect interest through a private company or other corporate structure. This level of insider ownership is notably low, and not very encouraging.



So What Does This Data Suggest About Watkin Jones Insiders?

Insider purchases may have been minimal, in the last three months, but there was no selling at all. The net investment is not enough to encourage us much. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. We'd like to see bigger individual holdings. However, we don't see anything to make us think Watkin Jones insiders are doubting the company. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. You'd be interested to know, that we found 1 warning sign for Watkin Jones and we suggest you have a look.

But note: Watkin Jones may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this freelist 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 of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

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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.