Insiders Still Buying Shares During Holiday-Shortened Trading Week

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By Lee Jackson Published
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Even though this past week was one of the shorter trading weeks for the entire year, that didn’t keep insiders from putting company stock on their Christmas list of items to buy. With the markets hitting all-time highs, and the window for adding stock in 2014 starting to close fast, some 10% owners and executives decided it was time to add to their holdings.

We cover insider buying every week at 24/7 Wall St., and when insiders continue to buy stock of their own companies into the teeth of a very strong bull market, shareholders have every reason to be very bullish. While some of the mega-purchases of earlier in the month have slowed, insiders have continued to make some sizable buys.

Here are some of the top insider stock purchases this past week:

Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: ENH) had somebody right at the top of the company buy stock this week. The CEO acquired 98,680 shares at prices that ranged from $58.10 to $58.50. The total buy came to $5.8 million. Endurance Holdings is a Bermuda-based provider of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. Shares closed trading on Friday at $60.00, so a well-timed buy indeed.

Heritage-Crystal Clean Inc. (NASDAQ: HCCI) had a secondary offering and saw the stock get hit hard earlier in December. In a good sign for shareholders, the chief financial officer, who is also a 10% owner of the company, bought a large block of 211,000 shares at prices that ranged from $10.00 to $10.90. The total purchase came to $2.1 million. The company provides parts cleaning, used oil re-refining, and hazardous and non-hazardous waste services to small and mid-sized customers in both the manufacturing and vehicle service sectors. Shares were trading at $12.03 at the end of the week.

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HD Supply Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: HDS) had two directors of the company step up to the plate this past week and buy stock. They bought a combined 42,850 shares at prices that fell between $27.30 and $28.20. The total purchase came to right at $1.2 million. This is on the heels of a very large secondary offering the company had earlier this month. Shares ended the week at $29.94, so a very solid buy.

Hawaiian Telcom Holdco Inc. (NASDAQ: HCOM) saw a 10% owner add to its holdings this week. Twin Haven Capital Partners bought a block of 50,000 shares at prices between $26.60 and $26.80. The total purchase was right at $1.3 million. Shares closed trading on Friday at $27.58

Biglari Holdings Inc.‘s (NYSE: BH) CEO added some stock to his portfolio this past week. Sardar Biglari bought a total of 5,249 shares of the stock at prices that ranged from $364.70 to $368.30. The total purchase of the thinly traded and closely held company came to $1.9 million. Biglari Holdings’ largest operating subsidiaries are involved in the franchising and operating of restaurants, most notably the Steak ‘n Shake brand. Shares were trading Friday at $389.97 as the session came to a close.

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Other companies that saw insider purchasing this week include Alico Inc. (NASDAQ: ALCO), Steel Partners Holdings L.P. (NYSE: SPLP), Atwood Oceanics Inc. (NYSE: ATW), Sonic Foundry Inc. (NASDAQ: SOFO) and EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE: EOG).

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About the Author Lee Jackson →

Lee Jackson has covered Wall Street analysts' equity and debt research and equity strategy daily for 24/7 Wall St. since 2012. His broad and diverse career, which included a stint as the creative services director at the NBC affiliate in Austin, Texas, gives him unique insight into the financial industry and world.

Lee Jackson's journey in the financial industry spans over 30 years, with nearly two decades as an institutional equity salesperson at Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and Morgan Stanley. His career was marked by his presence on the sell side during pivotal Wall Street events, from the dot.com rise and bubble to the Long Term Capital Management debacle, 9/11, and the Great Recession of 2008. This is a testament to his resilience and adaptability in the face of market volatility.

Lee Jackson’s practical financial industry experience, acquired from a career at some of the biggest banks and brokerage firms, is complemented by a lifetime of writing on various platforms. This unique combination allows him to shed light on the intricacies and workings of Wall Street in a way that only someone with deep insider experience and knowledge can. Moreover, his extensive network across Wall Street continues to provide direct access for him and 24/7 Wall St., a privilege few firms enjoy.

Since 2012, Jackson’s work for 24/7 Wall St. has been featured in Barron’s, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Business Insider, TradingView, Real Money, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Benzinga, and other media outlets. He attended the prestigious Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and has a degree in broadcasting from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts.

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