Kewaunee Scientific Corporation (NASDAQ:KEQU) shareholders (or potential shareholders) will be happy to see that insider Anita Zucker recently bought a whopping US$657k worth of stock, at a price of US$16.65. Not only is that a big swing, but it increased their holding size by 22%, which is definitely great to see.

Check out our latest analysis for Kewaunee Scientific

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Kewaunee Scientific

Notably, that recent purchase by Anita Zucker is the biggest insider purchase of Kewaunee Scientific shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that even when the share price was higher than US$16.50 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$1.1m for 71.39k shares. But they sold 1.00k shares for US$16k. Overall, Kewaunee Scientific insiders were net buyers during the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

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

Insider Ownership Of Kewaunee Scientific

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Kewaunee Scientific insiders own about US$11m worth of shares. That equates to 24% of the company. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Kewaunee Scientific Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. But on the other hand, the company made a loss during the last year, which makes us a little cautious. Insiders likely see value in Kewaunee Scientific shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. Our analysis shows 3 warning signs for Kewaunee Scientific (2 are concerning!) and we strongly recommend you look at them before investing.

Of course Kewaunee Scientific may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality 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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