Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) CFO Sells $15,563.05 in Stock

Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIR) CFO Jason O’byrne sold 2,089 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $7.45, for a total transaction of $15,563.05. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 164,249 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,223,655.05. This trade represents a 1.26% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Jason O’byrne also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Tuesday, February 24th, Jason O’byrne sold 1,634 shares of Vir Biotechnology stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $9.53, for a total transaction of $15,572.02.

Vir Biotechnology Trading Down 6.8%

Shares of NASDAQ VIR opened at $9.32 on Friday. Vir Biotechnology, Inc. has a 1 year low of $4.16 and a 1 year high of $10.94. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $6.95 and its 200-day moving average is $6.04. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.30 billion, a PE ratio of -2.95 and a beta of 1.69.

Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 23rd. The company reported ($0.31) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.42) by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $64.07 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.91 million. Vir Biotechnology had a negative net margin of 638.88% and a negative return on equity of 49.31%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 417.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned ($0.76) earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Vir Biotechnology, Inc. will post -3.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $15.00 target price on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a research note on Tuesday, December 30th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Vir Biotechnology from $20.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Needham & Company LLC raised their price objective on shares of Vir Biotechnology from $14.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Leerink Partners restated an “outperform” rating and set a $20.00 price objective on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a report on Thursday. Finally, Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $18.00 target price on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a research note on Tuesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $19.89.

Key Headlines Impacting Vir Biotechnology

Here are the key news stories impacting Vir Biotechnology this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Astellas strategic collaboration materially de‑risks and commercializes Vir’s prostate‑cancer asset (VIR‑5500) with up‑front/near‑term payments plus up to ~$1.7B in total contingent payments — this is a major validation and potential multi‑year revenue driver. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results beat consensus: Q4 EPS and revenue outperformed estimates (revenue jumped strongly year‑over‑year to ~$64M), supporting near‑term commercial traction and underwriting the market’s positive reaction. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades/target increases: Needham raised its price target to $18 and other firms have boosted or reiterated positive coverage, amplifying upside expectations after the earnings/collaboration news. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Market commentary explaining the rally: Several outlets highlighted the combination of the Astellas deal, positive VIR‑5500 data and the earnings beat as the reason for a strong intraday move. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor events scheduled: Management will present at TD Cowen and other conferences in early March — useful for earnings follow‑ups and Q&A but not an immediate fundamentals change. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparative coverage/analysis pieces are circulating (peer comparisons with companies like Werewolf Therapeutics), increasing visibility and trading volume but not altering company fundamentals. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Priced public offering (dilutive): Vir priced 17,647,058 shares at $8.50 (~$150M gross proceeds). The raise shored up the balance sheet but the discounted issuance is dilutive and prompted selling pressure. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Discounted offering triggered negative headlines/trading: Market coverage noted the offering as the main cause of a pullback/tumble after the mid‑day rally. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Significant insider selling: Multiple insiders (CEO, directors and senior officers) reported sales last week; while some sales can be for diversification or to cover taxes, the timing alongside the offering can add sentiment pressure and incremental supply. Read More.

Institutional Trading of Vir Biotechnology

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of VIR. ARCH Venture Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vir Biotechnology in the second quarter valued at about $65,100,000. GSK plc acquired a new position in shares of Vir Biotechnology during the fourth quarter valued at about $51,562,000. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. bought a new stake in shares of Vir Biotechnology during the fourth quarter worth about $8,252,000. State Street Corp raised its holdings in shares of Vir Biotechnology by 18.9% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 6,229,555 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,564,000 after acquiring an additional 988,262 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Millennium Management LLC lifted its position in Vir Biotechnology by 129.2% in the 3rd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 1,396,504 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,974,000 after acquiring an additional 787,212 shares in the last quarter. 65.32% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.