Looking at Atlanticus Holdings Corporation's (NASDAQ:ATLC ) insider transactions over the last year, we can see that insiders were net buyers. That is, there were more number of shares purchased by insiders than there were sold.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

View our latest analysis for Atlanticus Holdings

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Atlanticus Holdings

The insider Frank Hanna made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$7.4m worth of shares at a price of US$28.21 each. We do like to see buying, but this purchase was made at well below the current price of US$34.92. Because it occurred at a lower valuation, it doesn't tell us much about whether insiders might find today's price attractive.

You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

Atlanticus Holdings is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find small cap companies at attractive valuations, this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Atlanticus Holdings Insiders Are Selling The Stock

Over the last three months, we've seen significant insider selling at Atlanticus Holdings. In total, Independent Director Deal Hudson sold US$118k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. In light of this it's hard to argue that all the insiders think that the shares are a bargain.

Does Atlanticus Holdings Boast High Insider Ownership?

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Atlanticus Holdings insiders own about US$351m worth of shares (which is 68% of the company). I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

So What Do The Atlanticus Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate?

An insider hasn't bought Atlanticus Holdings stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. On the other hand, the insider transactions over the last year are encouraging. And insider ownership remains quite considerable. So we're not too bothered by recent selling. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Atlanticus Holdings you should know about.

But note: Atlanticus 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.