Weekly CEO Buys Highlight: VITC, CTFO, RPM, EFC, ALNY

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Oct 17, 2011
According to GuruFocus Insider Data, these are the largest CEO buys during the past week.


Vitacost.com Inc. (VITC, Financial): CEO Jeffrey Horowitz Bought 40,000 Shares


CEO of Vitacost.com Inc. (VITC) Jeffrey Horowitz bought 40,000 shares on 10/11/2011 at an average price of $5.27. Vitacost.com Inc. is a online retailer and direct marketer of health and wellness products, including dietary supplements or other botanicals, amino acids and metabolites, as well as cosmetics, organic body and personal care products, sports nutrition and health foods. Vitacost.com Inc. has a market cap of $146.69 million; its shares were traded at around $5.27 with and P/S ratio of 0.66.


For the second quarter of 2011, the Company reported net sales of $65.9 million, a 22.1% increase from net sales of $54.0 million for the second quarter of 2010. Due to the elimination of the loyalty membership program in the fourth quarter of 2010, advertising and fees earned from affiliates was negligible in the second quarter of 2011, compared to $0.2 million in the second quarter of 2010. Excluding these amounts, sales of third party product increased 36.5% year-over-year to $47.8 million.


George Soros owns 12,700 shares as of 06/30/2011, which accounts for 0.0009% of the $7.11 billion portfolio of Soros Fund Management LLC. Ron Baron owns 2,325,000 shares as of 06/30/2011, which accounts for 0.0625% of the $18 billion portfolio of Baron Funds.


Director, 10% Owner Jeffrey Horowitz bought 16,969 shares of VITC stock on 09/22/2011 at the average price of $4.92. Jeffrey Horowitz owns at least 583,334 shares after this. The price of the stock has increased by 7.11% since.


China TransInfo Technology Corp. (CTFO, Financial): CEO and President, 10% Owner Shudong Xia Bought 31,500 Shares


CEO and President, 10% Owner of China TransInfo Technology Corp. (CTFO) Shudong Xia bought 31,500 shares during the past week at an average price of $3.35. CHINA TRANSINFO, through its subsidiary Beijing PKU ChinaFront High Technology Co. China Transinfo Technology Corp. has a market cap of $84.65 million; its shares were traded at around $3.35 with a P/E ratio of 5.32 and P/S ratio of 0.69. China Transinfo Technology Corp. had an annual average earnings growth of 60% over the past 5 years.


RPM International Inc. (RPM, Financial): Chairman and CEO Frank C. Sullivan Bought 1,485 Shares


Chairman and CEO of RPM International Inc. (RPM) Frank C. Sullivan bought 1,485 shares on 10/10/2011 at an average price of $21.25. RPM Incorporated manufactures and markets specialty paints, protective coatings and roofing systems, sealants and adhesives, for use inboth industrial and consumer applications. Rpm International Inc. has a market cap of $2.79 billion; its shares were traded at around $21.25 with a P/E ratio of 13.98 and P/S ratio of 0.82. The dividend yield of Rpm International Inc. stocks is 4.05%. Rpm International Inc. had an annual average earnings growth of 4.2% over the past 10 years.


Fiscal 2012 first-quarter net sales of $985.9 million were 10.2% ahead of the $894.8 million reported a year ago. Consolidated EBIT was $136.5 million, up 11.9% from the $122.0 million reported in the fiscal 2011 first quarter. Net income attributable to RPM stockholders of $76.8 million was up 11.3% from the$69.0 million reported in the fiscal 2011 first quarter. First-quarter diluted earnings per share were $0.59, an 11.3% increase over the $0.53 reported a year ago.


Richard Aster Jr. owns 2,751,833 shares as of 06/30/2011, an increase of 13.04% from the previous quarter. This position accounts for 1.8609% of the $3.4 billion portfolio of Meridian Fund. John Keeley owns 13,837 shares as of 06/30/2011, an increase of 11.27% from the previous quarter. This position accounts for 0.0052% of the $6.13 billion portfolio of Keeley Fund Management. David Dreman sold out his holdings in the quarter that ended on 06/30/2011. Joel Greenblatt sold out his holdings in the quarter that ended on 06/30/2011.


Senior VP and CFO Robert L. Matejka sold 10,000 shares of RPM stock on 07/28/2011 at the average price of $21.63. Robert L. Matejka owns at least 44,000 shares after this. The price of the stock has decreased by 1.76% since.


Ellington Financial (EFC, Financial): CEO and President Laurence Penn Bought 1,294 Shares


CEO and President of Ellington Financial (EFC) Laurence Penn bought 1,294 shares on 10/13/2011 at an average price of $17.59. Ellington Financial LLC is a finance company that engages in acquiring and managing mortgage-related assets, including residential mortgage backed securities, prime jumbo, Alternative A-paper and subprime residential mortgage loans. Ellington Financial has a market cap of $290.36 million; its shares were traded at around $17.59 with a P/E ratio of 8.38 and P/S ratio of 6.36. The dividend yield of Ellington Financial stocks is 9.1%.


Book value per share as of June 30, 2011 was $22.78 on a diluted basis after payment of a $0.40 per share first quarter dividend on June 15, 2011, as compared to book value per share of $23.26 on a diluted basis as of March 31, 2011, representing a $0.48 per share decline, or an $0.08 decline after adjusting for the $0.40 dividend.


Co-Chief Investment Officer, 10% Owner Michael W. Vranos bought 1,110 shares of EFC stock on 10/13/2011 at the average price of $17.55. Michael W. Vranos owns at least 2,500,491 shares after this. The price of the stock has increased by 0.23% since.


Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALNY, Financial): CEO John Maraganore Bought 1,480 Shares


CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALNY) John Maraganore bought 1,480 shares on 10/11/2011 at an average price of $7.51. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics based on RNA interference, or RNAi. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. has a market cap of $320.32 million; its shares were traded at around $7.51 with and P/S ratio of 3.2.


President and COO Barry E. Greene bought 742 shares of ALNY stock on 10/11/2011 at the average price of $6.73. Barry E. Greene owns at least 2,591 shares after this. The price of the stock has increased by 11.59% since.


The net loss according to accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (GAAP) for the second quarter of 2011 was $13.8 million, or $0.33 per share on both a basic and diluted basis (including $4.2 million, or $0.10 per share of non-cash stock-based compensation expense), as compared to a net loss of $14.6 million, or $0.35 per share on both a basic and diluted basis (including $5.1 million, or $0.12 per share of non-cash stock-based compensation expense), for the same period in the previous year.


For the complete list of stocks that bought by their company CEOs, go to: CEO Buys.