We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. On the other hand,ora 01775 looping chain of synonyms we'd be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in

Bar Harbor Bankshares

(

NYSEMKT:BHB

).

What Is Insider Selling?

Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock in the company. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.

We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.

View our latest analysis for Bar Harbor Bankshares

Bar Harbor Bankshares Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Independent Director Scott Toothaker for US$116k worth of shares, at about US$21.63 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at around the current price of US$25.39. 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. If someone buys shares at well below current prices, it's a good sign on balance, but keep in mind they may no longer see value. The good news for Bar Harbor Bankshares share holders is that insiders were buying at near the current price.

In the last twelve months insiders purchased 8.96k shares for US$202k. On the other hand they divested 3064 shares, for US$71k. In the last twelve months there was more buying than selling by Bar Harbor Bankshares insiders. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

AMEX:BHB Recent Insider Trading, January 1st 2020

Bar Harbor Bankshares is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find

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Insider Ownership

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Bar Harbor Bankshares insiders own about US$11m worth of shares. That equates to 2.8% 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.

Story continues

So What Do The Bar Harbor Bankshares Insider Transactions Indicate?

There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. Insiders own shares in Bar Harbor Bankshares and we see no evidence to suggest they are worried about the future.

I like to dive deeper

into how a company has performed in the past. You can find

historic revenue and earnings in this

detailed graph

.

Of course

Bar Harbor Bankshares 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.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at

[email protected]

. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.

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