Trade Alert: The Independent Chairman of the Board Of Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX:WBC), John McFarlane, Has Just Spent AU$160k Buying A Few More Shares

Investors who take an interest in Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX:WBC) should definitely note that the Independent Chairman of the Board, John McFarlane, recently paid AU$15.96 per share to buy AU$160k worth of the stock. However, it only increased shareholding by a small percentage, and it wasn't a huge purchase by absolute value, either.

See our latest analysis for Westpac Banking

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Westpac Banking

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Independent Non-Executive Director Steven Harker bought AU$299k worth of shares at a price of AU$28.85 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being AU$15.23). 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 Westpac Banking insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. Their average price was about AU$19.76. These transactions suggest that insiders have considered the current price attractive. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

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. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It appears that Westpac Banking insiders own 0.03% of the company, worth about AU$19m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Westpac Banking Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. Insiders likely see value in Westpac Banking shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Westpac Banking. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Westpac Banking you should know about.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.