Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) Shares Up 8.1% - Time to Buy?

Key Points

• Vir Biotechnology shares rose 8.1% to about $10.71, although trading volume was 84% below the average daily level.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $20.62, nearly double the recent trading price.
• The company beat quarterly earnings and revenue estimates, but remains unprofitable, with a negative net margin and analysts expecting a full-year loss of $1.84 per share. Institutional investors own 65.32% of the stock.

Shares of Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIR - Get Free Report) were up 8.1% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $10.64 and last traded at $10.7110. Approximately 393,240 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 84% from the average daily volume of 2,446,896 shares. The stock had previously closed at $9.91.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a report on Monday, August 10th. Leerink Partners increased their price target on Vir Biotechnology from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Wall Street Zen upgraded Vir Biotechnology from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 8th. Morgan Stanley set a $25.00 price objective on Vir Biotechnology in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $20.62.

Vir Biotechnology Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $1.86 billion, a P/E ratio of -5.91 and a beta of 1.66. The stock's fifty day moving average is $9.44 and its two-hundred day moving average is $9.21.

Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.33 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $238.95 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $135.88 million. Vir Biotechnology had a negative return on equity of 29.99% and a negative net margin of 638.88%.The company's quarterly revenue was up 19582.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned ($0.80) EPS. Analysts expect that Vir Biotechnology, Inc. will post -1.84 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Vir Biotechnology news, Director Janet Napolitano sold 3,200 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $9.45, for a total transaction of $30,240.00. Following the sale, the director owned 21,216 shares in the company, valued at approximately $200,491.20. The trade was a 13.11% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Corporate insiders own 2.90% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in Vir Biotechnology in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $210,712,000. ARCH Venture Management LLC purchased a new position in Vir Biotechnology during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $129,353,521,000. GSK plc acquired a new stake in Vir Biotechnology during the 4th quarter valued at $51,562,000. ADAR1 Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Vir Biotechnology during the 1st quarter valued at $24,593,000. Finally, Pictet Asset Management Holding SA lifted its holdings in shares of Vir Biotechnology by 10,878.9% in the first quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 1,480,828 shares of the company's stock valued at $13,268,000 after purchasing an additional 1,467,340 shares in the last quarter. 65.32% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Vir Biotechnology Company Profile

Vir Biotechnology, Inc is a clinical‐stage immunology company dedicated to developing therapies that prevent and treat serious infectious diseases. The company leverages a suite of proprietary technology platforms—ranging from antibody isolation and screening tools to cell‐based assays and bioinformatics—to identify and advance antiviral and antibacterial candidates. Its scientific approach centers on harnessing the human immune system through monoclonal antibodies and immunomodulatory agents.

The company's pipeline includes product candidates targeting influenza A, COVID‐19, HIV, hepatitis B, and tuberculosis.

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