Usually, when one insider buys stock, it might not be a monumental event. But when multiple insiders are buying like they did in the case of ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE:SFBS), that sends out a positive message to the company's shareholders.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

See our latest analysis for ServisFirst Bancshares

ServisFirst Bancshares Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Independent Lead Director James Filler bought US$281k worth of shares at a price of US$56.28 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of US$51.56. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. 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.

While ServisFirst Bancshares insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. Their average price was about US$50.30. These transactions show that insiders have confidence to invest their own money in the stock, albeit at slightly below the recent price. 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 plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Insider Ownership Of ServisFirst Bancshares

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 ServisFirst Bancshares insiders own 9.8% of the company, worth about US$254m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About ServisFirst Bancshares Insiders?

There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. With high insider ownership and encouraging transactions, it seems like ServisFirst Bancshares insiders think the business has merit. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. At Simply Wall St, we've found that ServisFirst Bancshares has 2 warning signs (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

Of course ServisFirst Bancshares may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.

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.

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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.