When a single insider purchases stock, it is typically not a major deal. However, when multiple insiders purchase stock, like in BCB Bancorp, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:BCBP) instance, it's good news for shareholders.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

View our latest analysis for BCB Bancorp

BCB Bancorp Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Executive VP, Ryan Blake, sold US$113k worth of shares at a price of US$13.06 per share. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$12.43. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern. The only individual insider seller over the last year was Ryan Blake.

In the last twelve months insiders purchased 24.12k shares for US$244k. But insiders sold 8.68k shares worth US$113k. Overall, BCB Bancorp insiders were net buyers during 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!

BCB Bancorp is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of under-the-radar companies with insider buying.

Insiders At BCB Bancorp Have Sold Stock Recently

Over the last three months, we've seen significant insider selling at BCB Bancorp. In total, Executive VP Ryan Blake sold US$113k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. This may suggest that some insiders think that the shares are not cheap.

Insider Ownership Of BCB Bancorp

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It appears that BCB Bancorp insiders own 13% of the company, worth about US$27m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At BCB Bancorp Tell Us?

An insider sold BCB Bancorp shares recently, but they didn't buy any. On the other hand, the insider transactions over the last year are encouraging. And insiders do own shares. So we're happy enough to look past some selling. 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. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with BCB Bancorp and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

Of course BCB 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.