Skip to main content

The logo for the Bank of Montreal is seen at its branch Toronto, March 5, 2013.Reuters

Featured below are nine companies that have experienced recent insider buying and selling activity in the public market through their direct and indirect ownerships.

Keep in mind, when looking at transaction activities by insiders, purchasing activity may reflect perceived value in a security. Selling activity may or may not be related to a stock's valuation; perhaps an insider needs to raise money for personal reasons. An insider's total holdings should be considered because a sale may, in context, be insignificant if this person has a large remaining position in the company. I tend to put great weight on insider transaction activity when I see multiple insiders trading a company's shares or units.

Let's begin the report detailing companies with buying activity.

Atlantic Gold Corp. (AGB-X)

Ryan Beedie, who sits on the board of directors, purchased 261,900 shares at an average price per share of $1.4836 on May 31.

Two days prior, he accumulated 211,900 shares at an average price of $1.4915 per share. These trades increased his portfolio's holdings to 43,610,744 shares.

Badger Daylighting Ltd. (BAD-T)

Several insiders have used the recent price weakness as a buying opportunity.

Of note, on May 26, Paul Vanderberg, the firm's president and chief executive officer, purchased 10,000 shares, increasing his portfolio's holdings to 45,000 shares.

The chairman of the board of directors Glen Roane accumulated 10,000 shares on May 18 at an average price of $22.35 per share, in addition to his purchase of 10,000 shares on May 16. After these transactions, his portfolio's position stood at 50,700 shares.

Board member Grant Billing acquired 5,000 shares on May 18 and purchased 5,000 shares on May 16.

Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd.(KL-T)

Eric Sprott, chairman of the board of directors, bought a total of 1 million shares over two days, buying 806,500 shares at an average price per share of $10.0051 on May 24 and 193,500 shares at an average price per share of $10.1606 on May 25, increasing his portfolio's holdings to 2,247,031 shares.

Spartan Energy Corp. (SPE-T)

Fortis Kalantzis, vice-president of exploration, purchased a total of 120, 000 shares at an average price of $2.23 per share from May 26 through to May 30, which increased his holdings to 2,138,541 shares.

Western Forest Products Inc. (WEF-T)

Chief financial officer Stephen Williams continued to accumulate shares. He purchased 30,000 shares at an average price per share of $2.12 on May 31. Last week, we reported that he bought 18,100 shares at an average price per share of $2.1868 on May 16. His portfolio's position now stands at 148,600 shares.

Previously, we reported director Daniel Nocente purchased 21,000 shares at an average price per share of $2.17 on May 17, and accumulated 25,000 shares at an average price per share of $2.18 on May 15. These trades lifted his portfolio's share count to 121,000.

Fellow board member Michael Waites purchased 20,000 shares at an average price per share of $2.14 on May 9.

=====

Recent insider selling activity has occurred in the following companies.

Air Canada (AC-T)

With the recent strength in the share price, three executives have been sellers.

On May 25, senior vice-president of commercial strategy Marcel Forget exercised his options and the same day sold the corresponding number of shares (43,470), reducing the balance in his portfolio to 6,190 shares.

On May 30, Jim Tabor, vice-president of system operations control, exercised his options and sold the corresponding number of shares (5,763). His remaining portfolio balance stood at 8,277 shares.

On May 24, the firm's treasurer Pierre Houle exercised his options and the same day sold the corresponding number of shares (3,301), eliminating his portfolio's position.

Exco Technologies Ltd. (XTC-T)

In May, chief operating officer Paul Riganelli reportedly sold a total of 29,750 shares in the mid-$11 price range over a number of trading sessions.

Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. (IVN-T)

On May 30, Louis Watum, managing director of operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, exercised his options, receiving 200,000 shares, which he sold the same day, eliminating his portfolio's position.

=====

The following security had mixed trading with both buying and selling activity reported by insiders.

Bank of Montreal (BMO-T)

Alexandra Dousmanis-Curtis, the group head of U.S. retail and business banking, exercised her options on May 29 and sold the corresponding number of shares (4,300) at an average price of $91.75 per share, reducing her portfolio's balance to 3,911 shares.

That same day, Ronald Farmer, who sits on the board of directors, purchased 2,000 shares at an average price per share of $91.24, initiating a portfolio position.

=====

Follow me on Twitter at @jennifer_dowty to receive links to all my insider reports

Follow related authors and topics

Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.

Interact with The Globe