7 Insider Buys

When execs put money into their companies' stocks, good returns usually follow.

Say you're thinking about buying shares of Coca-Cola but can't pull the trigger. Then you learn that the guy who runs the company is loading up on shares. All of a sudden you're on speed-dial to your broker, right?

Forget TV talking heads; the people to follow when it comes to investing are insiders. Academic studies have consistently shown that insiders have a reliable track record in predicting upward moves in a company's stock and, together, in the overall market.

We asked Argus Research and Muzea Insider Consulting Services to screen this year's Fortune 500 list for insider bullishness. They report that 26 of the 462 publicly traded companies (some on our list are private or have been acquired) show positive buying signals.

Here are seven of their top picks.