Featured below are companies that have experienced recent insider trading activity in the public market through their direct and indirect ownerships, including accounts they have control or direction over.
The list features insider transaction activity; it does not convey total ownership information as an insider may hold numerous accounts.
Keep in mind, when looking at transaction activities by insiders, purchasing activity may reflect perceived value in a security. Selling activity may or may not be related to a stock’s valuation; perhaps an insider needs to raise money for personal reasons. An insider’s total holdings should be considered because a sale may, in context, be insignificant if this person has a large remaining position in the company. I tend to put great weight on insider transaction activity when I see multiple insiders trading a company’s shares or units.
Listed below are two stocks that have had recent buying activity reported by insiders.
Encana Corp. (ECA-T)
On Nov. 29, chief financial officer Corey Code purchased 10,000 shares at a cost per share of $5.249, lifting his account’s holdings to 62,463 shares. On May 1, Mr. Code assumed the position as the company’s CFO when Sherri Brillon retired from the company.
Year-to-date, the share price of this North American energy producer has declined 35 per cent.
The company pays its shareholders a quarterly dividend of 1.875 cents per share.
Great-West Lifeco Inc. (GWO-T)
On Dec. 2, James Singh, who sits on the board of directors, invested over $82,000 in shares of the company. He acquired 2,500 shares at a price per share of $33.05, increasing his portfolio’s position to 16,000 shares.
Year-to-date, the share price has rallied 24 per cent.
The company pays its shareholders a quarterly dividend of 41.3 cents per share, equating to a current annualized yield of 5 per cent.
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Listed below are two stocks that have had recent selling activity in the public market reported by insiders.
Great Canadian Gaming Corp. (GC-T)
On Dec. 2, David Desmarais, executive director – business integration, exercised his options, receiving 6,000 shares at a cost per share of $20.12, and sold 6,000 shares at a price per share of $42.32, leaving 500 shares in his account. Net proceeds, not including trading fees, totaled over $133,000.
Pason Systems Inc. (PSI-T)
On Dec. 2, chairman of the board and the company’s former president and chief executive officer James Hill sold 500,000 shares at a price per share of $12.8519 from an account in which he has indirect ownership (J.D. Hill Investments), leaving 7,491,480 shares in the account. Proceeds from the sale, excluding commission charges, totaled over $6.4-million.
Last month, between Nov. 11 and Nov. 14, Mr. Hill sold a total of 500,000 shares at an average price per share of approximately $13.73 from this account. Proceeds from these sales, not including trading fees, exceeded $6.8-million.
Jennifer Dowty