Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) Hits New 52-Week High After Earnings Beat

Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIR) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The company traded as high as $10.29 and last traded at $9.6960, with a volume of 19103965 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $7.43.

The company reported ($0.31) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.42) by $0.11. Vir Biotechnology had a negative net margin of 2,963.54% and a negative return on equity of 50.76%. The company had revenue of $64.07 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.91 million. During the same period last year, the company posted ($0.76) earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 417.8% on a year-over-year basis.

Key Stories Impacting Vir Biotechnology

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

• Positive Sentiment: Astellas strategic collaboration: Vir and Astellas will co-develop/co-commercialize VIR‑5500; Vir receives $335M upfront/near‑term payments, is eligible for up to $1.37B more in milestones, will split U.S. profit/loss 50/50, and Astellas gets ex‑U.S. rights — a multi‑year, de‑risking commercial partnership that materially derisks and funds the program. Astellas press release
• Positive Sentiment: Positive Phase 1 VIR‑5500 data: Updated trial data show the PRO‑XTEN dual‑masked T‑cell engager is well tolerated with encouraging activity in metastatic castration‑resistant prostate cancer — clinical proof points that underpin the Astellas deal and future value milestones. Phase 1 results
• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and strong revenue: Vir reported Q4 EPS (-$0.31) better than expectations and revenue of $64.1M versus ~$19.9M consensus (revenue up ~418% YoY), signaling commercial/partnership cash flows and easing near-term funding concerns. Earnings / press release
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade/price target lift: Needham raised its price target from $14 to $18 and initiated/maintained a buy rating, reflecting analyst confidence in upside from VIR‑5500 and the partnership. Needham price target raise
• Neutral Sentiment: Market reaction/volatility: Media reported large after‑hours and pre‑market spikes (up ~60% after hours), producing sharp intraday swings — expect heightened volatility and potential gaps as traders digest cash, milestones, and data. Forbes coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Ongoing profitability and execution risks: Despite the deal and data, Vir remains loss‑making with negative margins and ROE; future value depends on successful late‑stage development, regulatory outcomes and commercialization execution. Zacks earnings recap

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VIR has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $24.00 target price on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a research note on Tuesday. Needham & Company LLC upped their target price on Vir Biotechnology from $14.00 to $18.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday. Raymond James Financial upgraded shares of Vir Biotechnology from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $19.00 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $18.00 target price on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a research report on Tuesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $19.38.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vir Biotechnology

In other Vir Biotechnology news, major shareholder Endurance (Cayman) Ltd Svf sold 191,854 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.98, for a total transaction of $1,147,286.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 13,728,924 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $82,098,965.52. The trade was a 1.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Vicki L. Sato sold 22,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $7.71, for a total value of $169,620.00. Following the sale, the director owned 1,144,391 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,823,254.61. The trade was a 1.89% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 448,815 shares of company stock valued at $2,804,824. 16.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Vir Biotechnology during the second quarter valued at $35,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC bought a new stake in Vir Biotechnology during the 3rd quarter worth about $38,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in Vir Biotechnology by 25.9% during the 4th quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 6,761 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 1,390 shares during the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its position in Vir Biotechnology by 1,418.7% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 7,062 shares of the company’s stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 6,597 shares during the period. Finally, Federated Hermes Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Vir Biotechnology by 153.8% in the 3rd quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 8,085 shares of the company’s stock valued at $46,000 after purchasing an additional 4,899 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.32% of the company’s stock.

Vir Biotechnology Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $1.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.72 and a beta of 1.69. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $6.74 and its 200 day moving average price is $5.95.

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.