Insiders are buying stocks in 2026, but that doesn’t mean they are all good buys. The stocks on this list carry risks, but all have upside potential tied to operational quality and profit capacity. While headwinds remain, the opportunity is significant, as insiders have no other reason to buy. The only questions are how long it will take for the gains to develop and how high the stock prices may get. In all cases, catalysts are at hand, and the upside potential starts in the double-digit range.
Insiders Bet Big on E.W. Scripps Rebound Potential
Insiders are making significant moves in E.W. Scripps (NASDAQ: SSP) stock, suggesting they know something the market doesn’t, or at least isn’t paying attention to. InsiderTrades data shows execs, including the CEO, a director, and numerous family-related holders, stepped in to buy shares in March. This is significant not only for the volume of purchases but for the timing. Insiders haven’t sold or bought shares in years, and now, all of a sudden, they are.
Among the drivers is the company’s lean into efficiency. The group is integrating AI to drive efficiency and growth. It is also working to reduce costs and expand its network, with a focus on sports and local broadcasting. However, expectations aren’t robust. Not only is there tepid analyst coverage, but it also forecasts contraction in fiscal 2027, and may be overestimating the business. Traditional TV faces challenges in 2026, and this company specifically is amid a high-risk turnaround while carrying significant debt.
Analyst trends are mixed, with the consensus pegged at Reduce and an 80% upside potential. Institutional trends are less mixed, with them owning nearly 80% of the stock and accumulating it over the past few quarters. Their activity aligns with the technical action that signals a market bottom. The bottom is characterized by rounding action in 2024 and 2025 and a move above critical exponential moving averages (EMAs) in 2026.
First Financial Bankshares Insiders Buy, Buy, Buy
First Financial Bankshares' (NASDAQ: FFIN) insider activity is characterized by steady, quarterly buying for the trailing five quarters and no selling. Activity was mixed sequentially in 2025 but ramped to a historic high in early 2026, driven by directors and the CFO. They bought more than $650,000 in shares, bringing total ownership to over 3.8%.
Among the reasons is the company’s dividend, which yields about 2.5% as of mid-March and is reliably safe at less than 50% of earnings, share buybacks, and the growing business. Book value, a measure of shareholder value, improved by more than 17.5% in fiscal 2025 and is expected to continue growing robustly in 2026. Buybacks are significant but failed to offset dilution in 2025.
Analyst coverage is light, with only three tracked, but they are optimistic and rate the stock as a consensus Hold. They forecast about 30% upside from early March lows and indicate potential for higher prices with the trends. Institutional activity is more robust, with them owning about 70% of the stock and accumulating on a trailing-twelve-month basis. The critical detail is that institutional activity ramped in Q1 2026, spiking after a solid earnings report affirmed the company's long-term capacity to return capital.
Crane Company Insiders Think It Can Fly Higher
Crane Company (NYSE: CR) insiders bought shares in early Q1 after it reported a solid quarter, raised guidance, and increased the dividend by 10%. The yield is below average but offset by safety. The payout ratio is only 15%, allowing acquisitions to boost growth and value. The company is forecast to grow at a mid-single-digit pace for the next few years while widening its margin. Margin is forecast to grow at a low double-digit pace.
Analysts are robustly bullish on this stock. The number of analysts covering could be greater, but the eight tracked rate the stock unanimously a Buy and see it advancing by 30%. Institutions are also bullish, owning 75% of the industrial company, and buying aggressively in Q1. The activity balance in Q1 is more than $3.50 bought for each $1 sold, providing a solid support base that limits downside risk for investors.
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The article "3 Stocks Where Insiders Are Putting Their Own Money to Work" first appeared on MarketBeat.
