Backer Marianne De Sells 14,762 Shares of Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) Stock

26 Feb 2026, 23:31 by Tristan Rich · The Markets Daily

Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIR – Get Free Report) CEO Backer Marianne De sold 14,762 shares of Vir Biotechnology stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $9.53, for a total value of $140,681.86. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,020,704 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,727,309.12. The trade was a 1.43% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link.

Backer Marianne De also recently made the following trade(s):

On Monday, February 23rd, Backer Marianne De sold 19,039 shares of Vir Biotechnology stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $7.45, for a total transaction of $141,840.55.

Vir Biotechnology Stock Down 6.8%

Vir Biotechnology stock traded down $0.68 during trading on Thursday, reaching $9.32. The stock had a trading volume of 21,297,439 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,752,478. Vir Biotechnology, Inc. has a 52-week low of $4.16 and a 52-week high of $10.94. The stock has a market cap of $1.30 billion, a PE ratio of -2.95 and a beta of 1.69. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $6.88 and a 200 day moving average price of $6.02.

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

VIR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Leerink Partners reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $20.00 target price on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a research report on Thursday. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $18.00 price target on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a research note on Tuesday. HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating and set a $15.00 price objective on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a research report on Tuesday, December 30th. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Vir Biotechnology in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Vir Biotechnology from $26.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating 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 issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $19.89.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on VIR

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vir Biotechnology

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of VIR. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in Vir Biotechnology during the 2nd quarter worth $35,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new position in Vir Biotechnology in the third quarter valued at $38,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of 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. boosted its stake in shares of Vir Biotechnology by 1,418.7% during the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 7,062 shares of the company’s stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 6,597 shares during the period. Finally, Federated Hermes Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Vir Biotechnology by 153.8% during the third quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 8,085 shares of the company’s stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 4,899 shares during the last quarter. 65.32% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Vir Biotechnology

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

Positive Sentiment: Astellas collaboration materially derisks VIR‑5500 and adds near‑term cash/validation — the global co‑development/co‑commercialization deal includes significant upfront/near‑term payments and up to large milestone upside, boosting the program’s commercial outlook. Astellas and Vir Biotechnology collaborate on VIR-5500
Positive Sentiment: Updated Phase 1 data for VIR‑5500 show encouraging safety and activity (notable higher‑dose response rates), supporting the asset value that underpins the Astellas deal. VIR-5500 Phase 1 results
Positive Sentiment: Quarterly beat and revenue surge: Q4 EPS topped estimates and revenue (~$64.1M) far exceeded consensus, helping justify higher analyst targets and fueling recent upside. Vir Q4 earnings highlights
Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: Needham and other firms raised targets/ratings after the results and deal news, reinforcing bullish institutional views. Needham raises VIR price target
Neutral Sentiment: Management will be highly visible to investors in March (TD Cowen, Leerink) — useful for clarification on milestones, commercialization plans and cash use. Investor conference participation
Neutral Sentiment: Media and valuation pieces are amplifying interest and volume — increased coverage raises visibility but doesn’t change fundamentals alone. Valuation after collaboration & Phase 1 update
Negative Sentiment: Public offering priced: Vir priced 17,647,058 shares at $8.50 (gross proceeds about $150M). Proceeds bolster the balance sheet but the issuance is dilutive and can pressure the stock near term. Public offering priced
Negative Sentiment: Clustered insider selling: Multiple insiders (CEO, EVPs, CFO, CAO, a director) reported stock sales across Feb. 23–25 — increases visible supply and can weigh on sentiment despite company progress. Insider selling report
Negative Sentiment: Ongoing losses: Despite revenue growth and partnership cash, Vir reported a sizable net loss and wide negative margins — long‑term upside depends on execution, milestones and commercial ramp. 2025 financial results

Vir Biotechnology Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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.