theinsiderfund

Insider Buying Week 11-01-24

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We are in a malaise. It’s that period when most insiders are restricted from trading in their company’s stock due to the upcoming quarterly earnings. But let’s not kid ourselves. If you want to sell, there is a way. You can fire up the ole 10B-5 1 get out of jail plan and fire away. Paying close attention to what insiders do with their money has historically been a successful investment method. However, it doesn’t always outperform the market, but it does keep exuberance in check when herd behavior runs markets higher than good economic sense should dictate. With that … Read more

‘t Any

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Three weeks with almost no insider buying of any note to reports. We ignore the purchases of hedge funds as they may be investing primarily with other people’s money. Instead, we concentrate on officers and directors of a company who spend what we think are respectable amounts of money, not likely to be window dressing. Like everything thing in investing, this is not a firm rule. Investors rarely ignored Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Bill Ackman, or other legendary hedge fund investors. This week, we highlight one new buy and three names we have previously written about. Name: Chun R Ding … Read more

Insider Buying Week 10-18-24

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As I wrote last week, nothing fazes this market’s relentless path higher—not higher rates, not even a sharp jump in oil prices. An Israeli retribution strike against Iranian oil facilities hangs like the sword of Damocles, ready to decapitate the entire bull run. Even a moderate oil price lift helped the beleaguered oil and gas patch, providing more fuel for the fire. Name: Liberty 77 Capital L.P. / Liberty 77 Fund International L.P. / STM Partners LLC / Steven T Mnuchin Position: 10% Owner Transaction Date: 2024-10-10 Shares Bought: 816,424 Average Price Paid: $6.73 Cost: $5,495,125 Company: Lions Gate Entertainment … Read more

Insider Buying Week 10-04-24 The Calm before the Desert Storm

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As I wrote last week, nothing fazes this market’s relentless path higher—not higher rates, not even a sharp jump in oil prices. An Israeli retribution strike against Iranian oil facilities hangs like the sword of Damocles, ready to decapitate the entire bull run. Even a moderate oil price lift helped the beleaguered oil and gas patch, providing more fuel for the fire. The market hasn’t priced in a full-scale Israeli-Iranian war, with Israel taking out significant Iranian oil assets. Please don’t believe the Israelis are dependent on world opinion or that they are waiting for Joe Biden, their puppet master. It’s … Read more

Insider Buying Week 09-27-24 Is Inhibrx Biosciences another Biohaven? Insiders Seem to think so

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The bulletproof market stumbles on; not escalating war in the Middle East or a tumultuous Presidential election in the U.S. seems to faze it. Insiders are mainly sitting this one out, whether it’s the priciness of the market or the quarterly earnings blackout window; insiders are on the sidelines except when it comes to selling. They are hitting the bid like trout on a hatchery pond. Notable sales alone last week included Draft King, Banc of America (Berkshire unloading), Carvana, Seagate Technology, Toll Brothers, and that was just what was reported on Friday last week.  It’s hard to glean much … Read more

Insider Buying Week 09-20-24 Interest Rates are Finally Headed Lower

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The Federal Reserve surprised the pundits, slashing 50 basis points instead of 25.  Some may think this extraordinarily large cut in interest rates may have had something to do with election-year politics. I don’t know why. Donald Trump hired Powel and was almost sure to fire him or not put him up for renewal if he didn’t lower rates. Now, if elected, he is sure to fire Powell as he is likely to blame him for helping  Harris. Of course, no commentators will say this, but this is likely what happened and almost certainly what will happen if Trump gets … Read more

Insider Buying Week 09-13-24 Stock Merry Go Round

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The stock market had its best week since November 2023, immediately after its worst week of the year. The market is now spitting distance from where it ended the month of August.  Lately, the market has been on a merry-go-round. Trading is killing buy-and-hold, but one week, two weeks, or even two years doesn’t make great hedge fund managers or investors wizards. It’s fun when you win, and it beats watching network TV in a swing state these days. They said it all comes down to the 500,000 undecided voters in the seven states that will determine the Presidential election … Read more

Spooky September Crushes the Market Insider Buying Week 09-06-24

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So far, September is living up to its reputation as the cruelest month in the market, and it’s just week one.  The S&P 500 ended the week down 4 out of five days for the worst week since March 2023, the week Silicon Valley Bank collapsed. If you remember, the regional banking market was holding on by a thread until the Federal Reserve and Treasury changed the rules. It allowed banks unfettered liquidity, staving off a run on the entire banking industry, which would have forced many banks to take actual marks on their long-duration, underwater government bonds. That would … Read more

Insider Buying Week 08-30-24 A Return Visit to Inhibrx Biosciences

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Insiders buy their stock when they think it’s cheap or sometimes when they want to keep their jobs. The investor must figure out that difference.  There are a few names I’d venture to short on this list if the Vig is not too high.  There are a few names that offer compelling narratives, if not fundamentals.  You can be an insider, too– by clicking here   Name: Gary L Hinkle Position: Director Transaction Date: 2024-08-23 Shares Bought: 5,000 Average Price Paid: $68.09 Cost: $340,450 Company: Burke & Herbert Financial Services Corp. (BHRB) Burke & Herbert Financial Services Corporation was formed … Read more

Insider Buying Week 08-23-24- They are Back

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The treasure hunt continues.  Will insiders provide any clues for that nugget of gold in the tailings of a well-picked over-market?  There are a few notable buys, insiders coming back to purchase more in stocks that seem hard to rationalize why.  This week, we take a deeper dive into those repeat buyers keeping in mind that the most notable thing is that they are back.    You can be an insider, too– by clicking here   Name: C Raymond Jr Larkin Position: Director Transaction Date: 2024-08-15 Shares Bought: 6,500 Average Price Paid: $235.33 Cost: $1,529,645 Company: Align Technology Inc (ALGN) … Read more

Insider Buying Week 08-16-24 Party On!

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The market just posted its best week of the year as investors seemed to grasp that the Federal Reserve’s known rate cuts trumped the unknowns from either Presidential candidate, plus whatever Iran had in mind as payback would not be sufficient to risk the devastation wrought by an Israeli strike bolstered by the U.S. Defense Department. Party on! We have also tracked a noticeable pickup in insider buying, mostly in obscure names but something is better than nothing. This weeks highlights include: Name: Thomas C ERB Position: Director Transaction Date: 2024-08-13 Shares Bought: 2,000 Average Price Paid: $112.94 Cost: $225,880 … Read more

Insider Buying Week 08-09-24

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Someone wrote last week that the situation in the market was ripe for a crash, reminiscent of the Crash of 1987. I lived through that, so I have some personal observations. Name: Thomas Arthur Bell Position: CEO Transaction Date: 2024-08-01 Shares Bought: 1,712 Average Price Paid: $145.04 Cost: $248,305 Company: Leidos Holdings Inc. (LDOS) Leidos Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1969 and has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia. Leidos Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries offer services and solutions in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets in the United States and abroad. The company’s segments include Defense Solutions, Civil, and … Read more

Insider Buying Week 08-02-24

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Someone wrote last week that the situation in the market was ripe for a crash, reminiscent of the Crash of 1987. I lived through that, so I have some personal observations. The Fed had been hiking rates into a rising market. The market had become increasingly schizophrenic, rising sharply, then falling. Unlike then, the Fed has clearly signaled that it has stopped raising rates and plans to reduce them. Rates were also high, but the market had risen for nearly a decade and was due for a correction.  The Fed Chairman hiked one time too many, and the market swooned.  … Read more

Insider Buying Week 07-26-24 A Volatile Week with a Continued Absence of Insider Buying

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I wrote last week that “The assassination attempt on Trump failed, but the Republican Convention succeeded in killing the Trump stock market rally. The week started on a positive note with almost a providential feel. Still, it began unraveling as market participants grappled with what a second-term Trump Presidency might really look like.” It’s a fool’s errand trying to anticipate the hive mind of the market, yet no hedge fund manager dare ignore it despite their assurances of their ‘long term investor’ commitments.  So here’s my take, the market began to fixate on what a Republican blowout would mean up … Read more

Insider Buying Week 07-19-24 Trump Survives Assassination Attempt but Republican Convention Kills Trump Rally

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The assassination attempt on Trump failed, but the Republican Convention succeeded in killing the Trump stock market rally.  The week started on a positive note with almost a providential feel but began unraveling as market participants grappled with what a second-term Trump Presidency might really look like. Trump’s acceptance speech landed like a lead balloon on an increasingly nervous market. It didn’t help that Goldman Sachs said a 10% market correction might be underway.  Israel struck targets in Yemen in retaliation for a lethal Houthi drone attack in Tel Aviv. Tensions escalated as the threat of a broader war in … Read more

‘s more Life in Death Valley than in this Market

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For now, the stock market seems to like the idea of a Trump presidency, as the Biden campaign and Democrats spiraled precariusly lower like a helicopter crash landing. Notable Insider buying was nowhere to be found last week. I define notable as corporate insiders shelling out $200k or more. I discount hedge funds and 10% shareholders as they mostly manage other people’s money and their own. You can attribute some of the lack of insider buying to being in the heart of the quarterly earnings blackout, but that’s really nonsense. Insiders find many ways to sell through the blackout periods, … Read more

Insider Buying Week 07-05-24 Biden in Freefall and Stellantis Doubles Down on Archer Aviation

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For now, the stock market seems to like the idea of a Trump presidency, as the Biden campaign and Democrats spiraled precariusly lower like a helicopter crash landing. Name: Robert Holmes Swan Position: Director Transaction Date: 2023-06-28 Shares Bought: 2,941 Average Price Paid: $77.02 Cost: $226,516 Company: NIKE Inc. (NKE) Nike, Inc. was founded in 1964 and is based in Beaverton, Oregon. Nike, Inc. and its subsidiaries create, develop, market, and sell athletic footwear, clothes, equipment, accessories, and services worldwide. The company sells sports and casual footwear, clothes, and accessories under the Jumpman brand, as well as casual sneakers, apparel, … Read more

Insider Buying Week 06-28-24 The Emperor has no Clothes

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In addition to the lack of insider buying, there was a Presidential debate last week between a sitting President with a blank stare and an ex-President who has shown us he will stop at nothing to stay President. Somehow, the stock market doesn’t care. Name: Oscar Munoz Position: Director Transaction Date: 2023-06-21 Shares Bought: 2,051 Average Price Paid: $243.69 Cost: $499,806 Company: Salesforce Inc. (CRM) Salesforce, Inc. was established in 1999 and is based in San Francisco, California. Salesforce, Inc. develops Customer Relationship Management technology that connects businesses and customers globally. The company’s services include sales, which stores data; monitors … Read more

Insider Buying Week 06-21-24

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It’s that familiar time of year again when insiders are blocked from transacting in their own stock due to pending 2nd quarter earnings. At least two of the notable buys were stocks The Insiders Fund is already pretty heavily invested in: Exxon and Biohaven. So, at least, the research toll on me will be minimal as I’ve spent this blistering weekend supervising a landscape project at my house. That’s the featured image if you’re wondering what that has to do with stocks. It doesn’t.   Name: Maria S. Dreyfus Position: Director Transaction Date: 2023-06-17 Shares Bought: 18,310 Average Price Paid: … Read more

Fathers Day Insider Buying Week 06-14-24

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The post took a backseat to Father’s Day last week. Looking closely, you can see me with DJI FPV goggles next to my son at Tunnel Park. In the background, the sun sets over Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake. Considering the quarter end and recurring blackout period, there was an unusual amount of insider buying.  I will update the rest of the entries, so check back later in the week for more. You can be an insider, too– by clicking here   Name: Michael L Speiser Position: Director Transaction Date: 2023-06-07 Shares Bought: 76,200 Average Price Paid: $131.09 … Read more

Insider Buying Week 06-07-24 It Only Takes One or Two Good Ideas to Make your Portfolio

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It’s that familiar time of year again when insiders are blocked from transacting in their own stock. The posts will be light for the next few weeks as companies on the calendar year prepare to report Q2 earnings. The blackout period is also ripe for short sellers to make bear raids, knowing that a swarm of insider buying will not counter them. Nonetheless, it only takes one or two good investments to make your portfolio a winner. I’m highly confident we have that this week. Making money in the market is all about investors with conviction taking money from those … Read more

Insider Buying Week 05-31-24 The Pace is Quickening- there is a bit of a Frantic Frenzy

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If you haven’t been to the Sphere in Vegas, go now. It’s a marvel, and probably no better way to show it off with a light show from the Dead & Company, now playing at the Sphere.  I got two mind-bending ideas from last week, so that’s a mission accomplished. Biohaven insiders continue to buy challenging the naysayers. Several insiders are bottom fishing this week, and we’re going to do a quick dive into it. Remember this is my personal notebook I am sharing and am under no obligation to discuss any purchases or sales. Do your own research and … Read more

Insider Buying Week 05-10-24 The Earnings Blackout Curtain is Lifting

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The blog is a work in progress, like a public journal/filing system. Most of the quarterly earnings are behind us, and it is heartening to see that insider buying has picked up a little. Could there be some value in a market that feels scoured over, like an 80% off sale at Neiman Marcus? There were even some large insider buys in marquis names. Could there be some gems here?  This is my first crack at most of them. The Earnings Blackout Curtain is Lifting. You can be an insider, too– by clicking here   Name: Lester B Knight Position: … Read more

Insider Buying Week 05-03-24 Insiders are Putting their Toes back in the Water

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At least half of the quarterly earnings are behind us, and the blackout window is opening. This week, insider buying has steadily picked up. We have some large insider buys this week in Marquis names. There could be some gems here, and I’m giving you my first crack at them.  Meanwhile, if it weren’t for the massive amount of Government spending already added to the cake from Covid handouts, the Inflation Reduction Act, and Infrastructure Acts ,the Fed’s high-interest rate regime would already be bringing the economy to its knees, in my opinion. You can be an insider, too– by … Read more

Insider Buying Week 04-26-24 In the Heart of 1st Quarter Earnings Blackout Darkness

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We are deep in the blackout period when most companies prohibit insiders from trading in their stock prior to quarterly earnings. It’s been ugly for the bulls, but there might be some green shoots. You can be an insider, too– by clicking here Name: Henry A  Fernandez Position: Chairman and CEO Transaction Date: 2024-04-25 Shares Bought: 13,000 Average Price Paid: $465.92 Cost: $6,056,955 Company: MSCI Inc. (MSCI) Name: CD Baer Pettit Position: President & COO Transaction Date: 2024-04-25 Shares Bought: 7,500 Average Price Paid: $459.41 Cost: $3,445,575 Company: MSCI Inc. (MSCI) MSCI Inc. is a top provider of crucial decision-support … Read more

Insider Buying Week 04-19-24

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We are deep in the blackout period when most companies prohibit insiders from trading in their stock prior to quarterly earnings. It’s been ugly out there for the bulls. Name: Vincent P. DiFronzo Position: EVP,-Air Force & Comb Commands Transaction Date: 2024-04-12 Shares Bought: 795 Average Price Paid: $126.04 Cost: $100,202 Company: Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) Science Applications International Corporation offers technical, engineering, and enterprise information technology (IT) services primarily in the United States. The company’s offerings include IT modernization; digital engineering; artificial intelligence; weapon systems support, which designs, builds, modifies, integrates, and sustains weapon systems; and end-to-end services, … Read more

Insider Buying Week 04-06-24

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Something significant is happening when staid Dell Technologies is up 31% on its latest quarterly earnings. A massive uptick in capex spending is underway, directly attributable to the stampede to embrace AI. Name: Jeffrey A. Davis Position: Chief Financial Officer Transaction Date: 2024-04-01 Shares Bought: 1,800 Average Price Paid: $136.00 Cost: $244,794 Company: Dollar Tree Inc. (DLTR) Dollar Tree, Inc. operates retail discount stores. Dollar Tree and Family Dollar are the company’s two business segments. It runs stores under the Dollar Tree and Dollar Tree Canada brands, as well as distribution centers in the United States and Canada. The Family … Read more

Insider Buying Week 03-22-24 Let the Games Begin

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An arms race is just beginning, but it’s not the traditional weapons of war. Artificial intelligence is the most disruptive technology to come along since the Internet. Large language models like Open AI’s ChatGPT are the machine learning equivalent of the Internet browser. The full-fledged arms race is underway.   Name: Brent Windom Position: Director Transaction Date: 2024-03-19 Shares Bought: 2,617 Average Price Paid: $83.00 Cost: $217,211 Transaction Date: 2024-03-15 Shares Bought: 2,683 Average Price Paid: $80.57 Cost: $216,173 Company: Advance Auto Parts Inc (AAP) Advanced Auto Parts, Inc. was formed in 1929 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. … Read more

Insider Buying Week 03-15-24

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Insider buying has been noticeably scarce in this bull leg of a market making all-time highs. The small amount of buying is not performing particularly well either.  You might find this news surprising from a hedge fund manager who has made a living reading these tea leaves for 23 years. Name: Ole G Rosgaard Position: President and CEO Transaction Date: 2024-03-08 Shares Bought: 4,914 Average Price Paid: $67.00 Cost: $329,235 Company: Greif Inc (GEF) Greif Inc. is a top global provider of industrial packaging goods and services, with operations in over 35 countries. The company provides a wide range of … Read more

Insider Purchases Last Week. Nvidia Ignites Massive CAPEX Expansion

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Something significant is happening when staid Dell Technologies is up 31% on its latest quarterly earnings. A giant uptick in capex spending is underway, and it is directly attributable to the stampede to embrace AI.   After a year or more of belt-tightening in tech spending, that moment has arrived, almost all at once, when companies realize they have to invest in AI or be disrupted or obsoleted by a Chatbot, robot, or some version of machine learning.  The architect behind this 20-year evolution is Nvdia. The lion’s share of the spend goes toward NVIDIA’s H100 or L40S GPUs — GPU Server For Deep Learning. … Read more