Need To Know: CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNSP) Insiders Have Been Buying Shares

We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. 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 we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNSP).

What Is Insider Buying?

It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own company’s stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'.

Check out our latest analysis for CNS Pharmaceuticals

CNS Pharmaceuticals Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Chief Financial Officer Christopher Downs made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$290k worth of shares at a price of US$2.04 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is US$2.05. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. If someone buys shares at well below current prices, it's a good sign on balance, but keep in mind they may no longer see value. Happily, the CNS Pharmaceuticals insider decided to buy shares at close to current prices. Christopher Downs was the only individual insider to buy during the last year.

You can see the insider transactions (by companies and 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!

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.

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. CNS Pharmaceuticals insiders own 60% of the company, currently worth about US$20m based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At CNS Pharmaceuticals Tell Us?

It is good to see the recent insider purchase. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. But we don't feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. Along with the high insider ownership, this analysis suggests that insiders are quite bullish about CNS Pharmaceuticals. Looks promising! In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing CNS Pharmaceuticals. Be aware that CNS Pharmaceuticals is showing 5 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 2 of those are concerning...

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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