Harte Hanks, Inc. (NASDAQ:HHS) shareholders (or potential shareholders) will be happy to see that the Independent Director, Bradley Radoff, recently bought a whopping US$534k worth of stock, at a price of US$7.22. Not only is that a big swing, but it increased their holding size by 28%, which is definitely great to see.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Harte Hanks

In fact, the recent purchase by Bradley Radoff was the biggest purchase of Harte Hanks shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is US$7.36. 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. We do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. Happily, the Harte Hanks insiders decided to buy shares at close to current prices.

Harte Hanks insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. 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!

Harte Hanks is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of under-the-radar companies with insider buying.

Does Harte Hanks 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. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 14% of Harte Hanks shares, worth about US$7.5m, according to our data. However, it's possible that insiders might have an indirect interest through a more complex structure. We do generally prefer see higher levels of insider ownership.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Harte Hanks Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. But on the other hand, the company made a loss during the last year, which makes us a little cautious. On this analysis the only slight negative we see is the fairly low (overall) insider ownership; their transactions suggest that they are quite positive on Harte Hanks stock. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Harte Hanks. You'd be interested to know, that we found 2 warning signs for Harte Hanks and we suggest you have a look.

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 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.