Those following along with First Shanghai Investments Limited (HKG:227) will no doubt be intrigued by the recent purchase of shares by Yuen Yat Lo, Chairman of the company, who spent a stonking HK$8.8m on stock at an average price of HK$0.11. Not only is that a big swing, but it increased their holding size by 40%, which is definitely great to see.

See our latest analysis for First Shanghai Investments

First Shanghai Investments Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent purchase by Yuen Yat Lo was the biggest purchase of First Shanghai Investments shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being HK$0.11). 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. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.

First Shanghai Investments 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 click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

First Shanghai Investments 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 First Shanghai Investments

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It appears that First Shanghai Investments insiders own 20% of the company, worth about HK$47m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About First Shanghai Investments Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. However, we note that the company didn't make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. Insiders likely see value in First Shanghai Investments shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. For example, First Shanghai Investments has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit concerning) we think you should know about.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity 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.