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Have Insiders Been Buying American Finance Trust, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFIN) Shares?

It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So before you buy or sell American Finance Trust, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFIN), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.

What Is Insider Selling?

It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.

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Check out our latest analysis for American Finance Trust

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At American Finance Trust

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Lead Independent Director Lisa Kabnick bought US$199k worth of shares at a price of US$13.91 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being US$7.48). 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. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when an insider has purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was Lisa Kabnick.

You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

NasdaqGS:AFIN Insider Trading Volume July 9th 2020
NasdaqGS:AFIN Insider Trading Volume July 9th 2020

American Finance Trust is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Does American Finance Trust Boast High Insider Ownership?

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Based on our data, American Finance Trust insiders have about 0.4% of the stock, worth approximately US$3.1m. We prefer to see high levels of insider ownership.

So What Does This Data Suggest About American Finance Trust Insiders?

The fact that there have been no American Finance Trust insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. The transactions are fine but it'd be more encouraging if American Finance Trust insiders bought more shares in the company. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing American Finance Trust. For instance, we've identified 5 warning signs for American Finance Trust (1 is significant) you should be aware of.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

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.

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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.