# CEO Just Dropped $1M Into His Own Company's Stock—What's the Play?

Avantor's CEO Emmanuel Ligner just went all-in, scooping up 87,500 shares for ~$993K on November 17. His direct stake jumped 44.66% to 283,424 shares—this is his biggest buy on record.

Here's the context: Avantor stock got absolutely wrecked this year, down 43.42% YTD. Q3 earnings were rough—revenue fell 5% YoY, plus a gnarly $785M goodwill impairment charge tanked them into a $711.8M net loss. The stock hit a 52-week low of $10.83 just days before his buy.

So what's this telling us?

**The bullish read:** CEO insider buying is usually a strong signal. Ligner just took over in July and is actively making operational changes. Avantor also just launched a $500M stock buyback program. Between the buyback and Ligner's personal cash going in, they're clearly betting the bottom is in.

**The cautious take:** One insider buy doesn't erase disappointing financials. The company's bleeding on revenue (down 5% YoY, $1.62B in Q3), and that massive writedown is a red flag for past M&A mistakes. Ligner's got to prove he can actually turn this around in the next quarters.

**The verdict:** His conviction is obvious, but smart money probably waits for a couple of quarters showing actual growth before jumping in. Insiders buying is a positive signal, but it's not a guarantee—especially when fundamentals are still weak.