Potential Orion S.A. (NYSE:OEC) shareholders may wish to note that the Chief Financial Officer, Jeffrey Glajch, recently bought US$272k worth of stock, paying US$18.16 for each share. That's a very solid buy in our book, and increased their holding by a noteworthy 35%.

Check out our latest analysis for Orion

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Orion

The CEO & Executive Director Corning Painter made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$324k worth of shares at a price of US$21.59 each. That means that even when the share price was higher than US$18.21 (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. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing 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.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 39.00k shares worth US$809k. But they sold 8.31k shares for US$201k. In the last twelve months there was more buying than selling by Orion insiders. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

Orion is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find small cap companies at attractive valuations, this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Does Orion Boast High 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. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Orion insiders own about US$23m worth of shares. That equates to 2.4% 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 Orion Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. Insiders likely see value in Orion shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). While it's good to be aware of 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. For example - Orion has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

Of course Orion 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 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.