Wednesday 12/1 Insider Buying Report: COWN, COLB

As the saying goes, there are many possible reasons for an insider to sell a stock, but only one reason to buy -- they expect to make money.

So let's look at two noteworthy recent insider buys.

As the saying goes, there are many possible reasons for an insider to sell a stock, but only one reason to buy -- they expect to make money.

So let's look at two noteworthy recent insider buys.

On Friday, Cowen's Director, Brett H.

Barth, made a $358,466 purchase of COWN, buying 10,000 shares at a cost of $35.85 a piece.

So far Barth is in the green, up about 3.2% on their buy based on today's trading high of $36.99.

Cowen is trading up about 1.8% on the day Wednesday.

And at Columbia Banking System, there was insider buying on Friday, by Director Tom Hulbert who bought 11,073 shares for a cost of $32.21 each, for a trade totaling $356,660.

This buy marks the first one filed by Hulbert in the past year.

Columbia Banking System is trading up about 0.8% on the day Wednesday.

So far Hulbert is in the green, up about 5.1% on their purchase based on today's trading high of $33.86.