Insider transactions can be the foundation of numerous trading strategies and signals. For example, we found that a strategy based on only top-ranked insiders buying or selling shares is the most successful with an average return per position of close to 5%. However, the mass of transactions makes it challenging to pick out the most relevant transactions that are the most indicative of a strong investing opportunity.

Hot insider stock 1: Celgene (CELG) – two days ago Michael D. Casey sold shares in global biotech Celgene worth over $1 million. The five-star insider now has close to $16 million invested in Celgene. And he isn’t the only one who is bullish. The stock has a strong buy analyst consensus rating with upside of 16% from the current share price to the average analyst price target. One analyst, Oppenheimer’s Leah R Cann reiterated his buy rating on CELG three days ago saying he was impressed by data from a recent study for the treatment of follicular lymphoma (FL)- a type of blood cancer- using Celgene’s Revlimid.

Hot insider stock 2: Flexion Therapeutics (FLXN)- this healthcare stock has only informative buy transactions and no informative sell transactions in the last year. Two days ago, director Mark Stejbach bought shares worth $20,000, and 16 days ago five-star President and CEO Michael Clayman purchased shares of over $86,000. He has $19 million invested in Flexion which develops and sells non-opioid pain therapies. The stock has received only buy ratings in the last year.

Hot insider stock 3: Pershing Gold Corp (PGLC)- five-star director Barry Honing made his second informative buy transaction of PGLC shares two days ago when he bought shares valued at $21,000 in the emerging Nevada gold producer. Pershing wants to fast-track the reopening of the Relief Canyon Mine which it says has proven and probable reserves of approximately 635,000 ounces of gold and 1.6 million ounces of silver.

Which mega-cap are insiders dumping?

Most recently Louvet Patrice, Group President, made a sale of shares worth over $4 million. All her PG transactions have been Informative Sell. The Street is also cautious. In the last three months, the stock has received 1 buy rating and 2 hold ratings while the average analyst price target of $88 translates into a potential downside of -1.45%.

Also of note: Nelson Peltz’s activist hedge fund Trian Fund Management- known for breaking up major companies- has now taken a $3.5 billion stake in Procter & Gamble. Will a director battle be next for this confused conglomerate? Watch this space.