Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIR) Given Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Key Points

• Vir Biotechnology has a consensus analyst rating of "Moderate Buy" from nine covering brokerages, with an average 12-month price target of $20.25.
• Recent analyst actions were mixed but generally positive, including target hikes and upgrades from firms like HC Wainwright, Raymond James, Morgan Stanley, and Barclays, though Weiss Ratings maintained a sell stance.
• The company reported a much weaker-than-expected quarterly loss, missing EPS and revenue estimates, while insiders sold shares in recent months; the stock was trading around $9.10, well below analysts’ average target.

Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIR - Get Free Report) has earned a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the nine brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, seven have assigned a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $20.25.

A number of analysts have recently commented on VIR shares. HC Wainwright lifted their price target on shares of Vir Biotechnology from $15.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. Morgan Stanley set a $23.00 price target on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Raymond James Financial upgraded shares of Vir Biotechnology from an "outperform" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and set a $19.00 target price for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Vir Biotechnology from $26.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th.

Insider Activity at Vir Biotechnology

In related news, CAO Brent Sabatini sold 7,711 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $9.12, for a total transaction of $70,324.32. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 61,902 shares in the company, valued at approximately $564,546.24. The trade was a 11.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Backer Marianne De sold 72,559 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $9.16, for a total transaction of $664,640.44. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 948,145 shares of the company's stock, valued at $8,685,008.20. This trade represents a 7.11% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 146,270 shares of company stock worth $1,364,825. 2.90% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Vir Biotechnology

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. grew its position in Vir Biotechnology by 25.9% during the fourth quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 6,761 shares of the company's stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 1,390 shares during the period. CWM LLC lifted its holdings in Vir Biotechnology by 23.0% during the fourth quarter. CWM LLC now owns 8,804 shares of the company's stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 1,646 shares in the last quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Vir Biotechnology by 7.8% during the fourth quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 23,525 shares of the company's stock valued at $142,000 after purchasing an additional 1,705 shares in the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers lifted its holdings in Vir Biotechnology by 1.0% during the second quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 228,949 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,154,000 after purchasing an additional 2,300 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in Vir Biotechnology by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 262,211 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,572,000 after purchasing an additional 2,515 shares in the last quarter. 65.32% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Vir Biotechnology Stock Down 3.0%

Shares of VIR stock opened at $9.10 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $9.50 and a 200-day moving average price of $7.87. Vir Biotechnology has a 52 week low of $4.16 and a 52 week high of $11.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.53 billion, a PE ratio of -2.91 and a beta of 1.70.

Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported ($0.85) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.01) by ($0.84). Vir Biotechnology had a negative return on equity of 53.31% and a negative net margin of 638.88%.The company had revenue of ($0.03) million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $55.49 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned ($0.88) earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Vir Biotechnology will post -1.75 earnings per share for the current year.

About Vir Biotechnology

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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