Insiders who bought AU$291.5k worth of ioneer Ltd (ASX:INR) stock in the last year have seen some of their losses recouped as the stock gained 10% last week. However, total losses seen by insiders are still AU$136k since the time of purchase.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

Check out our latest analysis for ioneer

ioneer Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent purchase by Independent Non-Executive Director Alan John Davies was not their only acquisition of ioneer shares this year. They previously made an even bigger purchase of AU$252k worth of shares at a price of AU$0.36 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being AU$0.16). Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. It is encouraging to see an insider paid above the current price for shares, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels. Alan John Davies was the only individual insider to buy shares in the last twelve months.

Alan John Davies bought 974.61k shares over the last 12 months at an average price of AU$0.30. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

ioneer is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Insider Ownership Of ioneer

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 7.6% of ioneer shares, worth about AU$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 ioneer Insiders?

Our data shows a little insider buying, but no selling, in the last three months. The net investment is not enough to encourage us much. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. Insiders do have a stake in ioneer and their transactions don't cause us concern. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing ioneer. To that end, you should learn about the 4 warning signs we've spotted with ioneer (including 2 which make us uncomfortable).