Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) Stock Rating Upgraded by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Vir Biotechnology from “sell” to “hold,” while the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with a target price of $20.62.
• Vir reported quarterly EPS of $0.47, beating estimates of $0.33, and revenue of $238.95 million versus expectations of $135.88 million; revenue increased sharply year over year.
• Shares opened at $8.82, with a market capitalization of approximately $1.49 billion. Institutional investors own 65.32% of the company, while director Janet Napolitano recently sold 3,200 shares under a Rule 10b5-1 plan.

Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR - Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note issued on Saturday.

A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Leerink Partners boosted their price objective on Vir Biotechnology from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Morgan Stanley set a $25.00 price target on Vir Biotechnology in a report on Thursday. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $20.62.

Vir Biotechnology Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:VIR opened at $8.82 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $9.29 and a two-hundred day moving average of $9.04. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.49 billion, a PE ratio of -4.74 and a beta of 1.66. Vir Biotechnology has a 12 month low of $4.16 and a 12 month high of $11.66.

Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.33 by $0.14. Vir Biotechnology had a negative net margin of 638.88% and a negative return on equity of 29.99%. The firm had revenue of $238.95 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $135.88 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted ($0.80) earnings per share. Vir Biotechnology's revenue for the quarter was up 19582.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Vir Biotechnology will post -1.81 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at Vir Biotechnology

In other news, Director Janet Napolitano sold 3,200 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $9.45, for a total transaction of $30,240.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 21,216 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $200,491.20. This trade represents a 13.11% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 2.90% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Vir Biotechnology in the 2nd quarter worth about $35,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in Vir Biotechnology by 25.9% in 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 last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. increased its holdings in Vir Biotechnology by 1,418.7% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 7,062 shares of the company's stock valued at $43,000 after buying an additional 6,597 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC raised its stake 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 buying an additional 1,646 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nano Cap New Millennium Growth Fund L P bought a new position in Vir Biotechnology during the 4th quarter worth approximately $60,000. 65.32% of the stock is currently owned by 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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