Insiders Bang the Drum on These 2 Stocks

Building a strong portfolio sounds straightforward on paper – pick the right stocks and let them do the heavy lifting. In reality, identifying those winners is where things get tricky. Markets move fast, sentiment shifts, and what looks like a clear opportunity one week can feel far less certain the next.

Still, the market does leave clues. Price action, sector rotation, and macro trends all tell part of the story, but some of the most telling signals come from inside the companies themselves. Corporate insiders – executives and board members with a front-row seat to operations – often act with a level of conviction that outside investors simply can’t match.

That’s why insider trading activity tends to draw attention. While regulations require these transactions to be disclosed, the real value lies in interpreting them. When those closest to the business are buying, it can hint at confidence in what lies ahead.

The Insiders’ Hot Stocks tool at TipRanks makes it easier to follow those moves, pulling the latest filings into a clear, easy-to-digest snapshot.

We’ve used that tool to zero in on two stocks that have recently attracted insider interest. Let’s take a closer look and see why these insiders are loading up right now.

Nike (NKE)

Few brands carry the kind of instant recognition that Nike does. The iconic “swoosh” alone is enough to identify the company anywhere in the world, a rare branding advantage that speaks to decades of smart positioning and global reach. Since rising to prominence in the 1980s, Nike has grown into a dominant force in athletic apparel and footwear, blending performance with culture in a way few competitors have matched. A defining moment in that journey came through its partnership with Michael Jordan, which gave birth to the Air Jordan franchise – still one of the most successful and influential product lines in the industry.

Nike didn’t just depend on marketing savvy to build and expand its brand. The company has also succeeded in the old-fashioned way: it designed and produced the goods that people wanted to buy, and it did so without sacrificing quality. Linking itself to Michael Jordan was part of that approach – Jordan has long been recognized for his own commitment to pursuing excellence, and he lent that reputation to Nike to good effect.

The core of Nike’s business is based on its various lines of products: the sports apparel for men, women, and kids; the winter gear; and the company’s most iconic lines, its shoes. These include basic athletic shoes, along with such specialized gear as cleats, running shoes, and workout shoes. And of course, basketball shoes.

We should note here that Nike’s stock is down sharply in 2026, having fallen by 28% since early January. The company faced headwinds in the form of reduced sales outlooks, falling revenue from the Chinese market, and increasing pressure from specialized competitors such as Hoka and On.

On a positive note for investors to consider, two important insiders both made large purchases of NKE shares this past week. Tim Cook (yes, the CEO of Apple) sits on Nike’s board, and purchased 25,000 shares for just over $1 million. Cook now holds 130,480 shares of Nike. The second big insider trade came from company CEO Elliott Hill, who bought 23,660 shares of NKE. Hill spent almost exactly $1 million on this stock purchase, and his holding in Nike stands at 265,247 shares.

For RBC analyst Piral Dadhania, Nike’s branding and success at scale are key advantages. He says of the company and its prospects, “We have an Outperform rating, and remain constructive on the mid-term recovery potential given Nike’s brand equity, scale and competitive advantages in a fragmented sportswear market, and anticipate sequential improvement in the coming quarters as Win Now actions start to better align across regions, channels and categories. Valuation multiple compression to historical average levels is helpful.”

The RBC analyst’s stated Outperform (i.e., Buy) rating is accompanied by a $70 price target that suggests a 54% gain in the next 12 months. (To watch Dadhania’s track record, click here)

Overall, Nike has 24 recent analyst reviews on record, with a split of 13 Buys to 11 Holds giving a Moderate Buy consensus rating. The stock is priced at $45.44 and its $60.90 average price target implies a 34% one-year upside potential. (See NKE stock forecast)

Oscar Health (OSCR)

Next up on our list of insider buys is Oscar Health, a health insurance provider in the US market. Oscar is a $4.6 billion company that provides a range of health insurance products in 20 states, working under the theory that health insurance does not need to be overly expensive, and that health outcomes do not need to be subpar. The company has approximately 2 million members in its network, and saw $11.7 billion in revenue last year.

The company was founded in 2012, and has focused its approach to health care on bringing the benefits of digital tech to the provision of health services. Oscar offers telemedicine to connect its members with urgent care medical professionals 24/7; makes its interfaces digital and accessible; and offers a transparent claims system. That last is an important point, as the healthcare sector has long been known for its opaque pricing systems and labyrinthine bureaucracies. Oscar prides itself on earning the trust of its insured members, and boasts a 97% satisfaction rate among members for the virtual care delivery.

Oscar offers plans for individuals, families, and employers. The company offers a wide range of supporting resources to assist members in locating doctors and pharmacies, finding urgent and primary care, contacting service providers, and even locating $3 prescriptions. Accounts and payments can be handled online, with customer service always available.

That’s the background. In recent days, shares in OSCR got a boost after company CEO Mark Bertolini purchased 1 million shares of the stock. Bertolini spent a shade under $12 million on that purchase – and we should note that, while insiders may sell for many reasons, they typically only buy when they believe the stock will post gains. With that in mind, Bertolini made a significantly large purchase, and now holds a stake in Oscar worth almost $156 million.

In the 4Q25 report, Oscar reported quarterly revenue of $2.8 billion. This figure was up almost 18% year-over-year, although it missed the forecast by $318 million. Oscar’s earnings came to a net loss of $1.24 per share and missed the estimates by 38 cents per share.

This stock has caught the attention of Raymond James analyst John Ransom, who explains why he is upbeat here, particularly citing stability in the US health insurance market. He writes, “We see more supportive forward-looking outlook that should allow the company to expand margins and get to ~$1.77 of GAAP EPS in 2027. OSCR is expecting to deliver a ~2% EBIT margin in 2026, and we are estimating the company will get to a ~4% margin in 2027 due to improving MLR from continued repricing (100 bps of MLR improvement in 2027), and G&A efficiencies from economies of scale (100 bps of G&A improvement in 2027). The thesis is simple, with the ACA subsidies noise behind us and various other integrity rules now baked in, we think the ACA environment looks far more stable and should set the company up for modest margin expansion in 2027.”

Ransom rates the shares as Outperform (i.e., Buy), and supports that with an $18 price target that indicates room for a 15.5% upside on the one-year horizon. (To watch Ransom’s track record, click here)

That is the bullish view. The analyst consensus here is a Hold, based on 7 reviews that include 1 to Buy, 4 to Hold, and 2 to Sell. The stock’s average target price of $15.29 implies it will stay rangebound for the time being. (See OSCR stock forecast)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analyst. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.