From what we can see, insiders were net buyers in Vivani Medical, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:VANI ) during the past 12 months. That is, insiders acquired the stock in greater numbers than they sold it.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

Vivani Medical Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Independent Chairman of the Board Gregg Williams for US$6.0m worth of shares, at about US$1.62 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of US$1.19. It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. It is encouraging to see an insider paid above the current price for shares, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels. Gregg Williams was the only individual insider to buy during the last year.

Gregg Williams bought a total of 17.38m shares over the year at an average price of US$1.27. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

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

Insider Ownership

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It's great to see that Vivani Medical insiders own 48% of the company, worth about US$49m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Vivani Medical Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. But on the other hand, the company made a loss during the last year, which makes us a little cautious. Along with the high insider ownership, this analysis suggests that insiders are quite bullish about Vivani Medical. Nice! In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Vivani Medical. At Simply Wall St, we've found that Vivani Medical has 4 warning signs (3 make us uncomfortable!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

Of course Vivani Medical 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.

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.