Investing

Despite Huge Market Rally, Insider Buying Soars: SolarCity, Anadarko, Scientific Games, Chesapeake and More

Lee Jackson

Published: November 21, 2015 10:35 am

Last Updated: January 13, 2020 4:54 pm

On a week when the market had some of its best upside trading in months, conventional wisdom would seem to dictate that insider buying would be slow. That was hardly the case as the overall volume jumped to the highest level in weeks. With a resurgence in the IPO market and the Federal Reserve finally looking like it will raise interest rates, the market stabilized some after a rocky two months, and insiders took advantage.

We cover insider buying every week at 24/7 Wall St., and we like to remind readers that while insider buying is usually a very positive sign, it is not in of itself a reason to run out and buy a stock. Sometimes insiders and 10% owners have stock purchase plans set up at intervals to add to their holdings. That aside, it still remains a positive indicator.

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

SolarCity Corp. (NASDAQ: SCTY) had a famous investor and inventor buying stock last week. Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk bought 198,615 shares at prices that ranged from $25.33 to $27.92. The total for the buy came to a sizable $5.3 million. SolarCity designs, manufactures, installs, maintains, monitors, leases and sells solar energy systems to residential, commercial, government and other customers in the United States. The shares closed trading on Friday at $29.04, so a well-timed purchase.

ALSO READ: Insider Selling Slows Despite Big Market Rally

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: APC) had one of the directors of the energy giant buying stock this past week. The director bought a whopping 50,000-share block of the stock at prices that ranged from $60.62 to $61.00. The total for the buy came to an even $3 million. The stock ended trading on Friday at $58.744.

Tangoe Inc. (NASDAQ: TNGO) had a 10% owner of the company come in and add a big purchase to a current position. Vector Capital Management bought a massive 1,277,675 shares of the stock at prices between $7.17 and $7.80. The total for the buy came to a huge $9.8 million. The company provides connection lifecycle management software and related services to enterprises and service providers worldwide. The stock traded on Friday’s close at $7.66, which is about half the price it was trading at back in the spring.

Scientific Games Inc. (NASDAQ: SGMS) had a director who is also a 10% owner buying shares last week. Well-known investor Ron Perelman bought 330,000 shares of the stock at prices between $7.86 and $8.14 apiece. The total for the purchase came to $2.6 million. The company develops technology-based products and services and associated content for the gaming and lottery industries worldwide. Shares were trading on Friday at $8.30, so another well-timed trade.

Aircastle Ltd. (NYSE: AYR) hits our 24/7 insider screens again this week. Marubeni, a 10% owner, bought a total of 135,254 shares of the stock at $20.49 per share. The total for the buy came to $2.8 million. The company acquires, leases and sells commercial jet aircraft to airlines worldwide. The company also makes investments in various aviation assets, such as debt investments secured by commercial jet aircraft. Shares were trading on Friday at $20.71.

These companies also reported insider buying this week: Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO), Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK), Nielsen Holdings PLC (NYSE: NLSN), SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: SEAS) and Tuesday Morning Inc. (NASDAQ: TUES).

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Strong insider buying into a big market rally is a very bullish sign for the markets. Insiders don’t usually commit large sums of capital if they have any thought that weakness could be right around the corner. Clearly based on this week’s action, they feel very comfortable.