Insider buying: Who holds the most equity?

It’s the kind of insider trade that investors want to see - executives and directors buying and holding stock in the companies they lead.

“It’s about alignment. It’s about saying they’ve got skin in the game,” Harbour Asset Management director Shane Solly told Markets with Madison.

“They’ve got conviction that the business they’re involved with has got attractive propositions in it going forward.”

For example, Mainfreight managing director Don Braid bought 10,000 more shares at a cost of $677,700 one week ago - taking his total holding to almost three million shares, worth $197.8 million.

He told Markets with Madison he was a “believer in the business” - alongside chairman Bruce Plested and global executive Carl-Howard Smith who collectively owned 14.6 per cent.

Data from Harbour Asset Management and Herald analysis of shareholder disclosure notices and Companies Office records showed The Warehouse Group, Hallenstein Glasson Holdings, Ryman Healthcare and Serko were also among the NZX Top 50 index companies with double-digit insider equity positions.

Watch today’s episode of Markets with Madison above to find out who’s holding what, and how you can track it.

You can also watch my interview with Mainfreight’s Braid in June here.

Get investment insights from the experts on Markets with Madison every Monday and Friday on the NZ Herald.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this programme is of a general nature, and is not intended to be personalised financial advice. We encourage you to seek appropriate advice from a qualified professional to suit your individual circumstances.

Stake is the proud sponsor of Markets with Madison. Stake your claim today at HelloStake.com.

Madison Reidy is the host of New Zealand’s only financial markets show Markets with Madison. She joined the Herald in 2022 after working in investment, and has covered business and economics for television and radio broadcasters.