Michael Glazer (Insider Trades), CEO and president of Stage Stores Inc. (SSI), bought 24,556 company shares on April 8.
The average price per share was $6.68, for a total transaction of $164,034. Stage Stores operates under Bealls, Goods Palais Royal, Peeble and Stage nameplates, which offer apparel, accessories, cosmetics and footwear for the family. The company has a market cap of $184.37 million and a P/S ratio of 0.13.
The number and volume of insider transactions increased from 2013 to 2015. There were no insider buys in 2013, one insider buy of 10,000 shares in 2014 and seven insider buys totaling 60,500 shares in 2015.
Glazer acquired 54,556 shares in three transactions since September 2014. Glazer’s earliest transaction with the company for 10,000 shares, at an average per share price of $16.23, decreased in value by about 50% since the purchase. The number and volume of insider buys is inversely related to month-end price. 
For more information about insider transactions with Stage Stores, click here.
The company reported fourth quarter 2015 net sales of $502.63 million, which decreased from $524.89 million reported by the company in the corresponding quarter of 2014. Net income also decreased from $43.72 million, or 72 cents per share, to $20.99 million, or $1.37 per share, when comparing the same time periods. Glazer commented that the company’s holiday results were “pressured by low oil prices” as well as “the devalued peso and warm temperatures.” Annual revenue increased by 2.11% while annual net income dropped by 20.15% since 2011. 
The company repurchased 5.2 million shares for $41.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2015 ended on Jan. 30. The company has $58.4 million remaining under the board-approved share repurchase program. The company also anticipates closing approximately 30 locations in 2016.
According to GuruFocus.com information, Stage Stores has a business predictability rank of 1 out of 5 stars. For more information about business predictability ranks, click here.
Chuck Royce (Trades, Portfolio) increased his stake in the company while Paul Tudor Jones (Trades, Portfolio) decreased his stake during the fourth quarter. Royce acquired 389,500 shares at an average per share price of $9.23, increasing his holding by 164.28%. Jones sold out 38,700 shares at an average per share price of $9.23. The total estimated loss of the holding since the fourth quarter of 2014 is 38%. For more information about guru transactions with Stage Stores, click here.
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