We expected it, and it is starting to show up in the weekly numbers. As the third quarter comes to an end and we begin the fourth and final quarter for trading in 2016, executives and institutional 10% owners are starting to see windows for selling and buying stock close as earnings results are just days or perhaps weeks away from being posted. As we have said in the past, corporations forbid employees from buying or selling company shares around the release of earnings for obvious reasons.

We cover insider buying each 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 an overall positive indicator.

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

Performance Sports

Performance Sports Group Ltd. (NYSE: PSG) had a 10% owner adding to its position this past week. Brookfield Asset Management purchased a total of 971,050 shares of the company at $4.00 apiece. The total for the trade came in right at $4 million.

Performance Sports designs, manufactures and distributes performance sports equipment, related apparel and accessories for ice hockey, roller hockey, lacrosse, baseball and softball, primarily in the United States, Canada and Europe. Its shares closed trading on Friday at $4.06.

DURECT

A 10% owner of DURECT Corp. (NASDAQ: DRRX) also was adding to a position in the past week. First Eagle Investment Management bought a monster block of 2,500,000 shares at prices that ranged from $1.40 to $1.16. The total for the buy was posted at $3 million.

This biopharmaceutical company researches and develops therapies based on its epigenomic regulator program and proprietary drug delivery platforms. The company offers Alzet product line that includes osmotic pumps and accessories used for experimental research in mice, rats and other laboratory animals, as well as a range of biodegradable polymers for use as raw materials for pharmaceutical and medical devices under the Lactel brand.

Shares of DURECT closed out Friday’s trading session at $1.39, so the timing looks good.

Natus Medical

The man at the top at Natus Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: BABY) was purchasing shares last week. CEO James Hawkins bought a block of 10,000 shares of the stock at a share price of $38.48. The total for the trade was posted at $400,000. The stock closed trading on Friday at $39.29, so here too the timing looks good.

Natus Medical designs, manufactures and markets newborn care and neurology health care products and services worldwide. Its products and services are used for the screening, diagnosis, detection, treatment, monitoring, and tracking of common medical ailments in newborn care, hearing impairment, neurological dysfunction, epilepsy, sleep disorders, neuromuscular diseases and balance and mobility disorders.

Impac Mortgage

Impac Mortgage Holdings Inc. (NYSE: IMH) had a 10% owner buying shares last week, but the actual name wasn’t posted. The 10% owner purchased a total of 37,214 of the independent residential mortgage lender’s shares at between $13.14 and $13.50 apiece. The total for the buy was posted at $500,000. The stock closed Friday at $13.19 per share.

Novavax

Novavax Inc. (NASDAQ: NVAX) has been hit hard due to bad clinical data and the stock has just been eviscerated. Shareholders that remain will be glad to know that a senior vice president at the company bought a block of 46,000 shares of the stock at $2.17 apiece. The total for the purchase was posted at $100,000.

This clinical-stage vaccine company focuses on discovering, developing and commercializing recombinant nanoparticle vaccines and adjuvants. It produces its vaccines using its proprietary recombinant nanoparticle vaccine technology. Shares closed Friday at $2.08.

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These companies also reported insider buying last week: CareDx Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNA), Hyster Yale Materials Handling Inc. (NYSE: HY), Lands’ End Inc. (NASDAQ: LE), L.B. Foster Co. (NASDAQ: FSTR) and Vishay Precision Group Inc. (NYSE: VPG).

With fall upon us, and third-quarter earnings right around the corner, things may be ready to quiet down in October. One thing is for sure, insiders will be ready to go when the restriction windows open back up after earnings are released and over.

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