Investors who take an interest in First Northwest Bancorp (NASDAQ:FNWB) should definitely note that the President, Matthew Deines, recently paid US$10.79 per share to buy US$100k worth of the stock. Although the purchase only increased their holding by 8.6%, it is still a solid purchase in our view.

First Northwest Bancorp Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Independent Director Dana Behar for US$840k worth of shares, at about US$10.50 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher than US$10.11 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. 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.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 95.32k shares worth US$1.0m. On the other hand they divested 8.12k shares, for US$126k. In total, First Northwest Bancorp insiders bought more than they sold over the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of undervalued small cap companies that insiders are buying.

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. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. From our data, it seems that First Northwest Bancorp insiders own 7.1% of the company, worth about US$6.3m. Overall, this level of ownership isn't that impressive, but it's certainly better than nothing!

So What Does This Data Suggest About First Northwest Bancorp Insiders?

It is good to see recent purchasing. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. However, we note that the company didn't make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. While the overall levels of insider ownership are below what we'd like to see, the history of transactions imply that First Northwest Bancorp insiders are reasonably well aligned, and optimistic for the future. While it's good to be aware of 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. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for First Northwest Bancorp you should be aware of.

Of course First Northwest Bancorp 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.

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