Some of the losses seen by insiders who purchased AU$344k worth of Top Shelf International Holdings Ltd (ASX:TSI) shares over the past year were recovered after the stock increased by 13% over the past week. However, the purchase is proving to be a costly gamble, since losses made by insiders have totalled AU$50k since the time of purchase.

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.

See our latest analysis for Top Shelf International Holdings

Top Shelf International Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Executive Chairman Adem Karafili made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for AU$199k worth of shares at a price of AU$1.86 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being AU$1.42). 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. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.

While Top Shelf International Holdings insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. They paid about AU$1.66 on average. 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. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

Top Shelf International Holdings 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.

Does Top Shelf International Holdings Boast High Insider Ownership?

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that Top Shelf International Holdings insiders own 20% of the company, worth about AU$20m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Do The Top Shelf International Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Top Shelf International Holdings shares in the last quarter. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. Insiders do have a stake in Top Shelf International Holdings and their transactions don't cause us concern. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. You'd be interested to know, that we found 3 warning signs for Top Shelf International Holdings and we suggest you have a look.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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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