So I was looking at Middlesex Water (MSEX) and noticed one of their board members, Robert Hoglund, just picked up 2,000 shares back in late February for around $109k. That's usually a decent signal when insiders are actually putting their own money in, right?

The company's a regional utility handling water and wastewater services across New Jersey and Delaware. Pretty boring on paper, but the numbers are solid - they've been paying dividends since 1912, which is honestly wild. Current yield sits around 2.7%, and the stock's up about 10% so far this year.

What caught my attention is the timing. They got a rate increase approved in February, and revenue's been climbing - hit $194.7 million last year versus $191.9 million in 2024. Hoglund's purchase right after that rate approval makes sense if you're bullish on the company's cash flow. The fact that he's buying shares to increase his stake suggests he sees value here.

Now, the stock's still below its 52-week high of $67, so there's room to run. If you're looking for dividend income and steady utility exposure, these shares to buy could work. Utilities aren't exciting, but they're predictable - and that's kind of the point. The question is whether you're comfortable with modest appreciation and solid dividends, because that's what you're getting with shares to buy like these.

The real test will be whether those shares to buy continue performing as the company executes on revenue growth. Insider buying is one signal, but you'd want to see consistent execution before loading up. Still, it's interesting when board members are willing to buy shares to increase their personal stake - usually means they believe in the story.