Investors who take an interest in Hawthorn Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:HWBK) should definitely note that the Independent Non-Executive Director, Douglas Eden, recently paid US$22.32 per share to buy US$156k worth of the stock. Although the purchase only increased their holding by 9.5%, it is still a solid purchase in our view.

View our latest analysis for Hawthorn Bancshares

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Hawthorn Bancshares

Notably, that recent purchase by Douglas Eden is the biggest insider purchase of Hawthorn Bancshares shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at around the current price of US$22.78. That means they have been optimistic about the company in the past, though they may have changed their mind. While we always like to see insider buying, it's less meaningful if the purchases were made at much lower prices, as the opportunity they saw may have passed. The good news for Hawthorn Bancshares share holders is that insiders were buying at near the current price.

While Hawthorn Bancshares insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Does Hawthorn Bancshares Boast High Insider Ownership?

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Insiders own 16% of Hawthorn Bancshares shares, worth about US$26m. 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 Does This Data Suggest About Hawthorn Bancshares Insiders?

It is good to see the recent insider purchase. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. Insiders likely see value in Hawthorn Bancshares shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. For example - Hawthorn Bancshares has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.