Usually, when one insider buys stock, it might not be a monumental event. But when multiple insiders are buying like they did in the case of Intevac, Inc. (NASDAQ:IVAC), that sends out a positive message to the company's shareholders.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

See our latest analysis for Intevac

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Intevac

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when insider James Moniz bought US$70k worth of shares at a price of US$6.98 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being US$4.51). 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.

While Intevac insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. 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!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Does Intevac Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. From looking at our data, insiders own US$4.6m worth of Intevac stock, about 3.9% of the company. We prefer to see high levels of insider ownership.

So What Do The Intevac Insider Transactions Indicate?

There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. While we have no worries about the insider transactions, we'd be more comfortable if they owned more Intevac stock. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. Our analysis shows 3 warning signs for Intevac (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) and we strongly recommend you look at these before investing.