Insider Buying Solid as Market Retreats From Record Highs

We cover insider buying each week here at 24/7 Wall St., and the number of high level executives and 10% institutional owners adding to positions is in line with recent weeks. Insiders buy stock for many different reasons, but obviously the main one is they work at or close to the company and like what they see.

Here are the companies that reported notable insider buying this week.

Patriot National Inc. (NYSE: PN) had a 10% owner, who also happens to be the CEO, Steven Mariano, buying stock this past week. He picked up a block of 269,499 shares of the stock at prices that ranged from $13.36 to $15.75. The total for the buy came to $3.8 million. The company provides various outsourcing solutions within the workers compensation marketplace for insurance companies, employers, local governments and reinsurance captives in the United States, and it had an initial public offering (IPO) in January of this year. Shares were trading on Friday’s close at $16.05, so a well-timed buy.

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Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. (NYSE: VRX) had a director at the company step up and buy shares this week. That director purchased 7,500 shares of the stock at $234.67 apiece. The total for the buy came to $1.8 million. The company, which is based in Canada, develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products and medical devices worldwide. Shares closed trading on Friday at $238.77.

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: CLF) has seen solid insider buying, and the chief executive continued the buying spree. Lourenco Goncalves bought a block of 216,700 shares at prices ranging from $5.00 to $5.20. The total purchase came to $1.1 million. Cliffs Natural Resources is a mining and natural resources company that produces iron ore and metallurgical coal, and it has struggled mightily over the past few years. This may be a very good sign for investors. Shares ended trading on Friday at $5.31, so a good buy indeed.

West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. (NYSE: WST) is another company with a CEO buying shares this week. William Federici scooped up 18,300 shares of the stock at $54.89 apiece. That came to a total of an even $1 million. The company develops, manufactures and sells components and systems for the packaging and delivery of injectable drugs, as well as delivery system components for the pharmaceutical, health care and consumer products industries. Shares were closed out the week at $54.14.

Caesars Entertainment Corp. (NASDAQ: CZR) had an executive known as the CEO designate buying stock this week, which is strong sign for current shareholders. The CEO-to-be bought a total of 100,000 shares at $10.04 per share. The total price tag for the buy was $1 million. Caesars has struggled for years with debt issues, and this could be a good sign. Shares closed trading on Friday at $9.36.

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These additional companies also reported insider buying this week: Cree Inc. (NASDAQ: CREE), Cumulus Media Inc. (NASDAQ: CMLS), Ebix Inc. (NASDAQ: EBIX), Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) and Spectra Energy Corp. (NYSE: SE).

While share volumes have slowed somewhat, overall, insider purchasing remains consistent. That is a good sign with the indexes bobbing around all-time highs.