In the last year, multiple insiders have substantially increased their holdings of Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:IART) stock, indicating that insiders' optimism about the company's prospects has increased.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

Integra LifeSciences Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Executive Chairman Stuart Essig bought US$1.5m worth of shares at a price of US$28.49 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of US$24.63. 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. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when insiders have purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 88.99k shares worth US$2.5m. But they sold 2.89k shares for US$67k. In the last twelve months there was more buying than selling by Integra LifeSciences Holdings insiders. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. If investing in lesser known companies is your style, you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Integra LifeSciences Holdings Insiders Are Selling The Stock

Over the last three months, we've seen a bit of insider selling at Integra LifeSciences Holdings. Executive VP & President of Codman Specialty Surgical Michael McBreen sold just US$41k worth of shares in that time. Neither the lack of buying nor the presence of selling is heartening. But the selling simply isn't sufficiently substantial to be of much use as a signal.

Insider Ownership Of Integra LifeSciences Holdings

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 Integra LifeSciences Holdings insiders own 3.3% of the company, worth about US$63m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Do The Integra LifeSciences Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate?

While there has not been any insider buying in the last three months, there has been selling. But the sales were small, so we're not concerned. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. Insiders do have a stake in Integra LifeSciences Holdings and their transactions don't cause us concern. While it's good to be aware of 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. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Integra LifeSciences Holdings you should know about.

But note: Integra LifeSciences Holdings may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE 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 of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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.