Usually, when one insider buys stock, it might not be a monumental event. But when multiple insiders are buying like they did in the case of Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. (NASDAQ:TNDM), that sends out a positive message to the company's shareholders.    

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing,  logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Tandem Diabetes Care

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Independent Director Dick Allen for US$295k worth of shares, at about US$29.47 per share.    That implies that an insider found the current price of US$31.86 per share to be enticing.  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.   In this case we're pleased to report that the insider purchases were made at close to current prices.    

In the last twelve months Tandem Diabetes Care insiders were buying shares, but not selling.    They paid about US$24.06 on average.    To my mind it is good that insiders have invested their own money in the company.  However, we do note that they were buying at significantly lower prices than today's share price.      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!

NasdaqGM:TNDM Insider Trading Volume April 16th 2024

Tandem Diabetes Care 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.

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.  We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership.   Tandem Diabetes Care insiders own about US$15m worth of shares. That equates to 0.7% of the company.  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 Tandem Diabetes Care Insider Transactions Indicate?

There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much.    But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year.   Insiders own shares in Tandem Diabetes Care and we see no evidence to suggest they are worried about the future.      So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company.    For example - Tandem Diabetes Care has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.  

But note: Tandem Diabetes Care 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.