This article explores the 12 most expensive stocks insiders are buying after Trump’s tariff rollout. Previously, we covered the 10 stocks insiders sold in April after Trump’s tariff rollout.
Wall Street banks have sharply cut their targets for the broader market index due to growing fears about the economic fallout from new tariffs, writes the Financial Times. Since the tariff announcement on April 2, the broader market index has dropped nearly 7%. Major banks now expect lower market gains in 2025, with some analysts predicting a possible bear market directly triggered by presidential policy shifts.
Amid tariff wars and market uncertainty, insider trading often draws attention. Insider stock purchases may signal executive confidence, while sales aren’t necessarily negative—they could reflect personal or diversification choices. It’s best to view insider trading in context with a company’s financials and market conditions.
A skyline shot of a major city with a captial markets trading office.
Our Methodology
Today, we’re highlighting most expensive stocks that insiders have been buying in April. Using Insider Monkey’s trading screener, we looked for companies with share prices of at least $30 and insider purchases between April 2 and April 21. From there, we ranked the top 12 stocks based on the highest average purchase price per share.
Stocks that were recently covered were excluded from this list. Most of those can be seen on this list of the 19 mid- and large-cap stocks insiders are buying after Trump’s tariff rollout.
Our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds, focusing on insider trading and stock picks from hedge fund investor newsletters and conferences. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
Let’s take a look at the 12 most expensive stocks insiders are buying in April after Trump’s tariff rollout.
12. SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (NYSE:SMA)
SmartStop Self Storage REIT is a self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on growing its self-storage brand. It is a technology-driven, self-managed REIT with a team of around 570 self-storage professionals. It is one of the largest self-storage companies in North America, with a growing portfolio in Canada and expanding presence in high-growth U.S. markets.
In April, during the company’s initial public offering, six insiders, including the company’s CEO, CIO, and COO, acquired a total of $945,000 worth of SmartStop Self Storage shares at a price of $30 per share. Currently, the stock is trading at $33.94 per share.
On April 17, the company announced that it had met the conditions for terminating the security interest on its Credit Facility and 2032 Private Placement Notes, making both facilities unsecured. This resulted in a 25 basis point reduction in the credit spread pricing grid for Revolving Commitments and a 5 basis point reduction in unused fees. The company also elected to reduce its Credit Facility’s Revolving Commitments by $100 million, bringing the total to $600 million.
In other recent developments, SmartStop Self Storage has acquired its 40th Canadian location in Kelowna, British Columbia. The new state-of-the-art, five-story facility at 948 Ellis Street offers approximately 74,000 rentable square feet and 800 climate-controlled units. Located in a growing area with a projected 10% population growth over the next five years, the facility is designed for maximum accessibility and visibility, meeting strong demand for quality self-storage.
11. Kewaunee Scientific Corp (NASDAQ:KEQU)
Kewaunee Scientific designs, manufactures, and installs laboratory and healthcare furniture and infrastructure products. Its offerings include steel and wood casework, fume hoods, modular systems, workstations, and safety cabinets, serving markets like pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, education, and healthcare. The company sells its products through dealers and subsidiaries and is headquartered in Statesville, North Carolina.
On April 4, one insider, a director at Kewaunee Scientific, purchased around $35,000 worth of the company’s shares at a price of $35 per share. Currently, the stock trades at $33.44, having dropped 45.95% since the beginning of the year. Over the past 12 months, Kewaunee Scientific shares have lost 5.59%.
Kewaunee Scientific reported third-quarter sales of $67.17 million for fiscal year 2025, reflecting a 43.6% increase compared to the prior year. However, pre-tax earnings decreased 63.7% to $1.28 million, while net earnings fell to $1.35 million from $2.52 million in the prior year. The company noted that the quarter’s results were affected by costs related to the acquisition of Nu Aire, as well as transaction accounting adjustments.
