Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc. (NYSE:AHH) shareholders (or potential shareholders) will be happy to see that the Director, A. Kirk, recently bought a whopping US$1m worth of stock, at a price of US$10.50. That increased their holding by a full 147%, 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.

View our latest analysis for Armada Hoffler Properties

Armada Hoffler Properties Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent purchase by A. Kirk is the biggest insider purchase of Armada Hoffler Properties 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$10.93. 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 do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. In this case we're pleased to report that the insider purchases were made at close to current prices.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 320.65k shares worth US$3.4m. But insiders sold 40.00k shares worth US$464k. Overall, Armada Hoffler Properties insiders were net buyers during the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

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

Does Armada Hoffler Properties Boast High Insider Ownership?

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It appears that Armada Hoffler Properties insiders own 1.3% of the company, worth about US$14m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Armada Hoffler Properties Insiders?

It is good to see recent purchasing. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. However, we note that the company didn't make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. Insiders likely see value in Armada Hoffler Properties shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). 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. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Armada Hoffler Properties you should be aware of, and 1 of these is concerning.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

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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