Multiple insiders secured a larger position in CECO Environmental Corp. (NASDAQ:CECO) shares over the last 12 months. This is reassuring as this suggests that insiders have increased optimism about the company's prospects.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

CECO Environmental Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Independent Director Richard Wallman made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$989k worth of shares at a price of US$19.78 each. Although we like to see insider buying, we note that this large purchase was at significantly below the recent price of US$23.64. Because it occurred at a lower valuation, it doesn't tell us much about whether insiders might find today's price attractive.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 83.50k shares worth US$1.6m. But insiders sold 14.50k shares worth US$306k. In total, CECO Environmental insiders bought more than they sold over the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. If investing in lesser known companies is your style, you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insiders At CECO Environmental Have Bought Stock Recently

It's good to see that CECO Environmental insiders have made notable investments in the company's shares. Not only was there no selling that we can see, but they collectively bought US$1.2m worth of shares. That shows some optimism about the company's future.

Insider Ownership

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Insiders own 9.7% of CECO Environmental shares, worth about US$83m. 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 CECO Environmental Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. Insiders likely see value in CECO Environmental shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). 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. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with CECO Environmental and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

But note: CECO Environmental 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.

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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.