Weekly Insider Buys: M&T Bank, Wells Fargo, Avery Dennison, Commerce Bancshares, Popular Inc.

According to GuruFocus' Data, these are the top insider buys: M&T Bank Corp. (MTB), Wells Fargo & Company (WFC), Avery Dennison Corp. (AVY), Commerce Bancshares Inc. (CBSH), Popular Inc. (BPOP).

M&T Bank Corp. (MTB): Director Stephen G Sheetz Bought 10,000 Shares

Director of M&T Bank Corp., Stephen G Sheetz, bought 10,000 shares on 01/28/2009 at an average price of $38.91.

M&T Bank Corp is a bank holding company that has two primary bank subsidiaries: the Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company and the M&T Bank National Association. The banks collectively offer a wide range of commercial banking trust and investment services to their customers. M&T Bank Corp. has a market cap of $4.12 billion; its shares were traded at around $38.91 with a P/E ratio of 7.36 and P/S ratio of 0.98. The dividend yield of M&T Bank Corp. stock is 7.49%. M&T Bank Corp. had an annual average earning growth of 10.2% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated M&T Bank Corp. a business predictability rank of 4-star[/url].

M&T Bank Corporation release its fourth-quarter and yearly financials on January 22, 2009. The company had an annual net income of $558.89 million, compared to a $654.26 net income of 2007.

M&T Bank Corp. is owned by 3 Gurus, as of 9/30/08. Warren Buffett owns 6,715,060 shares, which makes up 0.86% of the $69.89 billion portfolio of Berkshire Hathaway. David Dreman owns 7,230 shares, a decrease of 40.88% of from the previous quarter. This position accounts for 0.01% of the $10.85 billion portfolio of Dreman Value Management. Jean-Marie Eveillard owns 144,886 shares, a decrease of 89.54% of from the previous quarter. This position is 0.13% of the $9.67 billion portfolio of Arnhold & S. Bleichroeder Advisers, LLC. Ruane Cunniff sold out his holdings in the same quarter.

Chairman of the Board and CEO, Director Robert G Wilmers sold 100,000 shares of MTB stock on 08/15/2008 at the average price of $74.48; the price of the stock has decreased by 47.76% since. Director Stephen G Sheetz bought 10,000 shares of MTB stock on 1/28/09; the price of the stock has decreased by 7.29% since. Advisory Director Arthur Jr Levitt sold 631 shares of MTB stock on the same day; the price of the stock has decreased by 9.51% since. Director Brent D Baird sold 30,000 shares total October through November; the price of the stock has decreased by 38.57% since the last sell.

Wells Fargo & Company (WFC): Director Judith M Runstad Bought 14,000 Shares

Director of Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) Judith M Runstad bought 14,000 shares on 01/29/2009 at an average price of $18.9.

Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance services through stores, its Internet site and other distribution channels across North America as well as internationally. Wells Fargo & Company has a market cap of $59.17 billion; its shares were traded at around $18.9 with a P/E ratio of 7.82 and P/S ratio of 1.1. The dividend yield of Wells Fargo & Company stocks is 8.57%. Wells Fargo & Company had an annual average earning growth of 10.8% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus gave Wells Fargo & Company a business predictability rank of 4-star[/url].

Wells Fargo & Company recently reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $2.55 billion, compared to the prior year’s net income of $1.36 billion. Revenue was $9.82 billion, a decrease of 3.8%. Wachovia, the struggling bank that WFC bought in December, also lost $11 billion in the period.

As of 9/30/08, Wells Fargo & Company is owned by 17 Gurus. They are Ken Heebner, Richard Snow, Dodge & Cox, Brian Rogers, PRIMECAP Management, Richard Perry, Warren Buffett, Chuck Akre, Chris Davis, NWQ Managers, Kenneth Fisher, Arnold Van Den Berg, Tweedy Browne, Ron Baron, Wallace Weitz, David Dreman, and Jean-Marie Eveillard. Ruane Cunniff sold out his holdings in the same quarter.

Director Judith M Runstad bought 14,000 shares of WFC stock on 01/29/09; the price of the stock has decreased by more than 4% since. Director Stephen W Sanger bought 2,000 shares of WFC stock on the same day; the price of the stock has decreased by 5.03% since.

Avery Dennison Corp. (AVY): Director John T Cardis Bought 5,000 Shares

Director of Avery Dennison Corp., John T Cardis, bought 5,000 shares on 01/29/2009 at an average price of $24.23.

Avery Dennision Corporation produces pressure-sensitive adhesives and materials and the production of consumer and converted products. Some pressure-sensitive adhesives and materials are ``converted`` into labels and other products through embossing, printing, stamping, and die-cutting, and some are sold in unconverted form as base materials tapes and reflective sheeting. The company also manufactures and sells a variety of consumer and converted products and other items not involving pressure-sensitive components such as notebooks and three-ringed binders. Avery Dennison Corp. has a market cap of $2.99 billion; its shares were traded at around $24.23 with a P/E ratio of 7.55 and P/S ratio of 0.47. The dividend yield of Avery Dennison Corp. stocks is 5.83%. Avery Dennison Corp. had an annual average earning growth of 4.4% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Avery Dennison Corp. a business predictability rank of 4.5-star.

Avery Dennison Corp. released its fourth quarter and annual earnings on January 27, 2008. The company had an annual net income of $42.6 million, compared to the $79.4 million of 2007. In addition, the operating income was $56.3 million before interest and taxes, and $28.2 million after interest, compared to $98 million of 2007.

Avery Dennison Corp. is owned by 5 Gurus. As of 9/30/08, Arnold Van Den Berg owns 1,963,522 shares, which accounts for 3.66% of the $2.39 billion portfolio of Century Management. PRIMECAP Management owns 1,533,500 shares, which accounts for 0.12% of the $55.92 billion portfolio of PRIMECAP Management. Richard Aster Jr. owns 14,055 shares, which accounts for 0.02% of the $2.63 billion portfolio of Meridian Fund. Dodge & Cox owns 6,600 shares, which accounts for less than 0.01% of the $65.51 billion portfolio of Dodge & Cox. As of 12/31/08, Brian Rogers owns 3,500,000 shares, which accounts for 0.85% of the $13.49 billion portfolio of T Rowe Price Equity Income Fund.

Director John T Cardis bought 5,000 shares of AVY stock last week; the price of the stock has decreased by 5.2% since. Director Peter W Mullin bought 30,000 shares of AVY stock total throughout October; the price of the stock has decreased by more than 20% since the last buy.

Commerce Bancshares Inc. (CBSH): Director Thomas A Mcdonnell Bought 3,317 Shares

Director of Commerce Bancshares Inc., Thomas A Mcdonnell, bought 3,317 shares on 01/26/2009 at an average price of $34.95.

Commerce Bancshares Inc. is a registered bank holding company offering a full line of banking services including retail and commercial banking, investment management and securities brokerage. The company operates locations in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. The company also has five other operating subsidiaries involved in mortgage, banking, credit related insurance venture, capital and real estate activities. Commerce Bancshares Inc. has a market cap of $2.64 billion; its shares were traded at around $34.95 with a P/E ratio of 13.77 and P/S ratio of 2.16. The dividend yield of Commerce Bancshares Inc. stocks is 2.87%. Commerce Bancshares Inc. had an annual average earning growth of 8.4% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Commerce Bancshares Inc. a business predictability rank of 4-star.

Commerce Bancshares recently released its fourth-quarter and yearly earnings. The company had an annual net income of $188.66 million compared to the $206.666 million of 2007.

Director Thomas A Mcdonnell bought 3,317 shares of CBSH stock on 01/26/2009; the price of the stock has decreased by 0.71% since. Senior Vice President Robert Rauscher, Executive Vice President Charles G Kim, Controller Jeffery D Aberdeen, Vice Chairman, Director Jonathan M Kemper, and Executive Vice President A Bayard Iii Clark all sold shares of CBSH stock in the last few months.

Popular Inc. (BPOP): President & COO David H Jr Chafey Bought 35,000 Shares

President & COO of Popular Inc., David H Jr Chafey, bought 35,000 shares on 01/27/2009 at an average price of $2.74.

Popular Inc. is a diversified publicly owned bank holding company. The corporation's principal subsidiary, Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, has one of the largest retail franchise in Puerto Rico operating numerous branches and automated teller machines. The Bank also operates branches in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands and New York. Popular Inc. has a market cap of $882.77 million; its shares were traded at around $2.74 with and P/S ratio of 0.28. The dividend yield of Popular Inc. stocks is 10.22%. Popular Inc. had an annual average earning growth of 24.1% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Popular Inc. a business predictability rank of 2-star[/url].

Popular Inc. on January 22, 2009 released its fourth quarter and annual earnings for 2008. The company had a net loss of $1,243.9 million, compared to the net loss of $64.49 million of 2007.

Popular Inc. is owned by 2 Gurus. Richard Pzena owns 15,901,863 shares as of 09/30/2008, which accounts for 1% of the $13.21 billion portfolio of Pzena Investment Management LLC. Charles Brandes owns 3,209,956 shares as of 09/30/2008, a decrease of 23.2% of from the previous quarter. This position accounts for 0.1% of the $27.58 billion portfolio of Brandes Investment.

President & COO David H Jr Chafey bought 35,000 shares of BPOP stock on 01/27/2009; the price of the stock has decreased by 8.05% since. Director Michael Masin bought 20,000 shares of BPOP stock on 1/26/09; the price of the stock has decreased by almost 12% since. Director Frederic V Salerno bought 25,000 shares of BPOP stock on the same day; the price of the stock has decreased by 8.05% since. Director Manuel Jr Morales sold 4612,846 shares of BPOP stock December through January; the price of the stock has decreased by 10.16% since the last sell.

Comments

[Will Be Mil...:]

I can see me becoming a milionaire within three years with a little bit of research and intuition on may part. Wish me luck. Great opportunities right here in Puerto Rico.

Feb 10 07:05 PM

[Will Be Mil...:]

The whole world is waiting for the bottom, and the bottom will get here and nobody will realize it until the best opportunities are gone. Banks that want to be profitable this year and in the next three to four years MUST start lending NOW. If you are lucky enough to have a job and was waiting for the right time to buy a home, do it now. We will not have another opportunity as this one for many years to come. Investors, invest now and we'll all see the BULL come out with more strenght than ever. In this globalized economy changes will happen quickly and may not last as long.

Feb 10 07:13 PM

[bobbyV:]

mtb took tarp money,yet the president( NAPLES) of the bank gives hundreds of thousands, of tax payers and investos dollars to chairty.

Feb 14 05:28 AM

[larryc:]

Larry Crutchfield February 18, 2009 3:38PM EST
in checking my wells fargo online account this morning I discovered that my platium wellsfargo card had been reduced from 11,800 to 600, I also had 8,000 in my checking and saving accounts. I called and their response was that my credit score had changed a lot and they suggested I pay for their identify theft program, my reply was wait a minute, and I went on line and payed for the scores and credit reports...no change 702 and a 718, so I called back and cancelled my credit card and closed my saving accounts and am in the process of moving my direct deposit and closing out my checking. please! please! do not give wellsfargo any more taxpayer money, they do not tell the truth, there was no change in my credit, reports/score. Now I am out the cost of the credit reports. WHY!

Feb 18 05:08 PM

[jwren:]

The exact thing happened to me with our business LOC last week, we had 35,000 had it paid down to 24,500, My credit score went from 760 a few months ago to 824 and they told me the same lie about my score being the problem. I have since maxed out all my other LOC's to put into a savings acct just in case other banks try and pull this and put us out of business, small businesses operate off LOC and when they take it away for no reason and we paid always more than we needed to each month, like 1,000 to principle plus interest, they had no reason to lower our credit down to the balance we owed... leaving us with no available credit. It's time for everyone to find out what these rats are doing with our tax dollars.. instead of opening up the credit to businesses they are cutting our credit and hoarding our tax dollars. Someone needs to blow the whistle on them ASAP!!!!


On Feb 18 05:08 PM larryc wrote:

> Larry Crutchfield February 18, 2009 3:38PM EST
> in checking my wells fargo online account this morning I discovered
> that my platium wellsfargo card had been reduced from 11,800 to 600,
> I also had 8,000 in my checking and saving accounts. I called and
> their response was that my credit score had changed a lot and they
> suggested I pay for their identify theft program, my reply was wait
> a minute, and I went on line and payed for the scores and credit
> reports...no change 702 and a 718, so I called back and cancelled
> my credit card and closed my saving accounts and am in the process
> of moving my direct deposit and closing out my checking. please!
> please! do not give wellsfargo any more taxpayer money, they do not
> tell the truth, there was no change in my credit, reports/score.
> Now I am out the cost of the credit reports. WHY!

Feb 19 08:29 PM

[User 238027:]

Uh, he is not the President of the bank.


On Feb 14 05:28 AM bobbyV wrote:

> mtb took tarp money,yet the president( NAPLES) of the bank gives
> hundreds of thousands, of tax payers and investos dollars to chairty.

Feb 23 05:07 PM