Christopher Swann of Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. (NYSE:AHT) Just Spent US$1.3m On Shares
Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. (NYSE:AHT) shareholders (or potential shareholders) will be happy to see that insider Christopher Swann recently bought a whopping US$1.3m worth of stock, at a price of US$4.10. That purchase boosted their holding by 8,718%, which makes us wonder if the move was inspired by quietly confident deeply-felt optimism.
See our latest analysis for Ashford Hospitality Trust
The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Ashford Hospitality Trust
Notably, that recent purchase by Christopher Swann is the biggest insider purchase of Ashford Hospitality Trust shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of US$2.03. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price.
While Ashford Hospitality Trust insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.
Does Ashford Hospitality 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. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Our data indicates that Ashford Hospitality Trust insiders own about US$4.3m worth of shares (which is 14% of the company). Whilst better than nothing, we're not overly impressed by these holdings.
What Might The Insider Transactions At Ashford Hospitality Trust Tell Us?
It is good to see recent purchasing. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. However, we note that the company didn't make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. We would certainly prefer see higher levels of insider ownership but analysis of the insider transactions suggests that Ashford Hospitality Trust insiders are expecting a bright future. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. At Simply Wall St, we found 3 warning signs for Ashford Hospitality Trust that deserve your attention before buying any shares.
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.
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