Many investors keep a close eye on insider transactions, as they can often give a decent read surrounding the longer-term picture.
Of course, it’s important to note that insiders have a longer holding period than most, and many strict rules apply to their transactions.
Recently, insiders of several companies – Charter Communications CHTR, Waste Connections WCN, and Ecolab ECL – have made splashes, acquiring shares. Let’s take a closer look at the transactions for those interested in trading like the insiders.
Ecolab Director Buys
Ecolab shares had a strong start to 2026 before cooling off in recent months, overall down 6% and underperforming relative to the S&P 500. A director recently picked up 1k shares at an overall transaction value of just over $250k, bringing their total shares held to roughly 25k.
The share's weakness over the last several months could have reflected an enticing opportunity for the director, with the growth picture remaining decently solid for a company residing in the Basic Materials sector. EPS is expected to grow by 13% in its current fiscal year and 14% in FY27, with sales expected to be up 9% in FY26 and 5.4% in FY27, respectively.
Shares also pay a nice dividend, currently yielding 1.2% annually. Dividend growth is also there, with Ecolab sporting an 8.8% five-year annualized dividend growth rate. Below is a chart illustrating the company’s dividends/share on a quarterly basis.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Charter Communications Director Makes Big Splash
A director of Charter Communications made a big splash recently, acquiring nearly 10k shares at an overall transaction value of just under $1.4 million. The director now holds approximately 19.3k shares, with the buy essentially doubling their position.
CHTR shares have had a tough ride in 2026 so far, down nearly 33% and facing big pressure after its latest set of quarterly results. Sales growth is expected to be flat for its current and next fiscal years, but earnings are still forecasted to grow 19% and 11%, respectively. While the improving profitability picture is a nice positive, the weak sales growth is a big factor that’s weighed on overall sentiment.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
That said, the recent insider buys do help instill a level of confidence from a long-term perspective, but it’s more beneficial to simply keep an eye on the stock for now and wait until a positive set of quarterly results rolls in to help confirm a turnaround in its revenue outlook.
Waste Connections CEO Buys
The CEO of Waste Connections recently dove in with a sizable 50k share purchase, with the overall transaction value coming in at roughly $7.6 million. They now hold just over 300k WCN shares, with the recent purchase increasing their position by a fairly large margin.
WCN shares have also faced some adverse action in 2026, down over 9% and underperforming relative to the S&P 500. But the growth picture still remains solid, with earnings forecasted to grow 7% in its current FY26 and then see an acceleration to a 12.3% growth rate in 2027. Concerning the top line, sales are expected to grow 5.6% in FY26 and 6% in FY27.
Sales growth has remained steady over recent years, with shares also currently yielding 0.8% annually. It's shown a strong commitment to increasingly rewarding shareholders, boasting a 11.5% five-year annualized dividend growth rate.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Bottom Line
Many investors closely monitor insider buys, looking to receive insights into the longer-term picture. The transactions shouldn’t be relied on for near-term performance, as insiders’ holding periods are longer than most, and many strict rules apply.
Rather, investors can see insider buys as an overall net positive concerning the longer-term outlook.
All stocks above – Charter Communications CHTR, Waste Connections WCN, and Ecolab ECL – have seen recent insider activity.
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Ecolab Inc. (ECL): Free Stock Analysis Report
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).