Northwest Bancshares (NWBI) was Smart Insider's stock pick of the week after company director Timothy Hunter purchased $131,300 worth of the company's shares at $13.13 apiece on Jan. 25, raising his stake by 6%.

Director Mark Paup also bought $63,300 worth of Northwest Bancshares' stock at $12.66 apiece on Feb. 4, increasing his ownership by 8%, Smart Insider said in a note Tuesday.

Hunter's purchase is "more standard-looking but is supportive of a positive ranking," while Paup has an "excellent" record as both a buyer and a seller, the note added.

Both directors bought shares in May 2024 and those purchases "proved to be timely" and the signal "worked well." "It's interesting to see them buying nine months later at a price approximately 20% higher," Smart Insider said.

Smart Insider ranked the stock +1, or strong positive signal.

Price: 13.10, Change: +0.06, Percent Change: +0.46