Those following along with HCW Biologics Inc. (NASDAQ:HCWB) will no doubt be intrigued by the recent purchase of shares by Rebecca Byam, Chief Financial Officer of the company, who spent a stonking US$1.1m on stock at an average price of US$1.40. That increased their holding by a full 122%, which arguably implies the sort of confidence required for a shy sweet-natured nerd to ask the most popular kid in the school to go out on a date.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At HCW Biologics

Notably, that recent purchase by Rebecca Byam is the biggest insider purchase of HCW Biologics shares that we've seen in the last year. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is US$1.46. 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. While we always like to see insider buying, it's less meaningful if the purchases were made at much lower prices, as the opportunity they saw may have passed. In this case we're pleased to report that the insider purchases were made at close to current prices.

HCW Biologics insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. 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 HCW Biologics

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. HCW Biologics insiders own about US$26m worth of shares (which is 48% of the company). 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 Do The HCW Biologics Insider Transactions Indicate?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. But we don't feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. Along with the high insider ownership, this analysis suggests that insiders are quite bullish about HCW Biologics. Nice! In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing HCW Biologics. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 4 warning signs with HCW Biologics and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

Of course HCW Biologics 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.