Over the last year, a good number of insiders have significantly increased their holdings in Bega Cheese Limited (ASX:BGA). This is encouraging because it indicates that insiders are more optimistic about the company's prospects.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

View our latest analysis for Bega Cheese

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Bega Cheese

The insider John Forrest made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for AU$35m worth of shares at a price of AU$4.84 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being AU$3.88). Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when insiders have purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price.

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

Bega Cheese is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Bega Cheese Insiders Bought Stock Recently

We saw some Bega Cheese insider buying shares in the last three months. Insiders shelled out AU$65k for shares in that time. It's good to see the insider buying, as well as the lack of recent sellers. But the amount invested in the last three months isn't enough for us too put much weight on it, as a single factor.

Insider Ownership Of Bega Cheese

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It's great to see that Bega Cheese insiders own 14% of the company, worth about AU$162m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Bega Cheese Tell Us?

It is good to see recent purchasing. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Bega Cheese insiders are well aligned, and quite possibly think the share price is too low. That's what I like to see! 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. At Simply Wall St, we found 3 warning signs for Bega Cheese that deserve your attention before buying any shares.