Top 5 Insider Buys From Q1: Buy, Sell, or Hold in Q2?

Insiders were buying stock in Q1 2026, showing conviction in their businesses and full-year outlooks. The question for investors is whether Q2 is a good time for them to buy, sell, or hold these stocks—and the answer depends on whether other market vectors support them and how they fit into a portfolio.

E.W. Scripps: Most Bought by Insiders in Q1 2026

E.W. Scripps (NASDAQ: SSP) had the most insider buying in Q1. InsiderTrades tracked 34 purchases by 16 insiders, including numerous family owners making multiple transactions. Their concerted effort reflects confidence in a multiyear turnaround effort intended to culminate in 2028 EBITDA growth. Efforts include an intensified focus on streaming media and portfolio optimism, with underperforming assets divested and replaced with higher-performing media assets, thereby improving coverage and cost ratios. 

Institutions are also buying this stock. They provide a solid support base, owning nearly 70% of the stock and are buying in Q1. The bad news is that analysts are not yet on board with this turnaround story. While coverage has increased, rating revisions are mixed, with sentiment pegged at Reduce. The offset is that price targets remain robust, with even the low-end of the range offering some upside. Catalysts this year include mid-cycle election spending, margin improvement, cash flow, and debt reduction. 

W.R. Berkley Is Getting Accumulated in 2026

W.R. Berkley (NYSE: WRB) insiders have been active, making 37 stock acquisitions in Q1. However, only one insider acquired stock: a major shareholder, Sumitomo Insurance Company of Japan. Sumitomo is a leading global property insurer, seeking to expand its reach into U.S. markets. The aim is to own 15% of WRB stock and leverage it for growth. As it stands, including the Q1 activity, insiders own about 25% of the stock.

Institutions and analysts also support WRB stock in 2026. Institutions own nearly 70% of the company, including Sumitomo’s holding, and they are aggressively accumulating. InsiderTrades data show they bought at a $4-to-$1 pace in Q1, providing solid support and limiting downside risk. Analysts are less enthusiastic, rating the stock a Hold, but coverage is ample, sentiment is firm, and upside potential remains. 

Service Property Trust Insiders Buy in Bulk 

Service Property Trust (NASDAQ: SVC) insiders ranked highly in terms of share volume. Three insiders bought nearly 42 million shares, primarily director Adam D. Portnoy, bringing their total holding to nearly 1.5%. The purchases are small in the grand scheme, but reflect confidence in the company and the value presented in 2026. Service Property Trust is a service-station and hotel-focused REIT that operates on a triple-net basis, with a portfolio of leading brands. 

Institutions and analysts like the fit of the SVC stock in 2026. Institutions, which own 84% of the stock, are also buying, and analysts who rate it a Hold see nearly 50% upside potential. Catalysts this year include restructuring, asset sales, and debt reduction. Travel trends may also be a catalyst, as improving demand may lead to outperformance as the year progresses. 

Insider Puts Bottom in Coupang Stock

Coupang (NYSE: CPNG) is a South Korean e-commerce stock with a single insider acquiring shares in three transactions. The activity helped put a bottom in the market, but the early April technicals are not favorable. If anything, this stock is set up to continue its decline and may reach the low teens by mid-year. The primary hurdle is a data breach impacting millions of consumers, about half of South Korea’s population, and the impact it will have on business. 

Institutions are acquiring the stock. They own about 85%, have bought on balance for more than six consecutive quarters and ramped activity into Q1 2026. Analyst trends are also favorable, with 11 rating as a Hold and forecasting a consensus of 40% upside. Catalysts include international expansion, AI efficiency, and post-attack recovery efforts. 

Korro Bio Broad-Based Purchases and Sell-Side Support

Korro Bio (NASDAQ: KRRO) stands out as a stock with broad-based inside support. InsiderTrades data reveal purchases by more than a dozen insiders and major shareholders in Q1. They own about 4.6% of the stock, with institutions and analysts also providing support. Institutional holdings are small at approximately 13% of the stock, as of early April, but they are accumulating on balance. Analysts are more bullish, with 11 rating as a consensus Moderate Buy and forecasting 150% upside. 

Catalysts include the advancement of gene editing therapies following a major restructuring. The company has ample liquidity through 2028, but needs to commercialize its technology by then. Specific catalysts include regulatory filings and testing programs for candidate therapies. 

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Experience

Thomas Hughes has been a contributing author for InsiderTrades.com since 2019.

• Professional Background: Thomas Hughes is the Managing Partner of Passive Market Intelligence LLC, a market research platform he launched in 2023 with the mission: “We watch the market so you don’t have to.” He has worked as a blogger, stock market commentator, and independent analyst since 2010 and has been actively involved in trading and investing since 2005.
• Credentials: He holds an Associate of Arts in Culinary Technology—training that honed his discipline, attention to detail, and ability to anticipate outcomes, all of which carry over into his work as a market analyst.
• Finance Experience: Thomas has been writing about finance and investing since 2011, when he discovered it could be more than a personal passion—it could be a profession. He’s been a contributing writer for InsiderTrades.com since 2019.
• Writing Focus: He specializes in the S&P 500, small-cap stocks, dividend and high-yield strategies, consumer staples, retail, technology, oil, and cryptocurrencies. His analysis blends chart-based technical setups with key fundamental insights, helping readers identify actionable trends.
• Investment Approach: Thomas takes a hybrid approach that combines technical analysis with deep fundamental research. He often writes about macroeconomic shifts, earnings trends, and sentiment-based trading signals.
• Inspiration: Thomas first became interested in stocks after attending a seminar on how to buy and sell your own shares. That event opened his eyes to the market’s potential and sparked a lifelong interest in investing.
• Fun Fact: Thomas took up model railroading by accident a few years ago—and now he can’t stop running the rails.
• Areas of Expertise: Technical and fundamental analysis, S&P 500, retail and consumer sectors, dividends, market trends

Education

Associate of Arts in Culinary Technology