Have Vir Biotechnology Insiders Been Selling Stock?

Some Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIR) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the CEO & Director, Marianne De Backer, recently sold a substantial US$690k worth of stock at a price of US$9.46 per share. However, it's crucial to note that they remain very much invested in the stock and that sale only reduced their holding by 9.7%.

View our latest analysis for Vir Biotechnology

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Vir Biotechnology

Notably, that recent sale by Marianne De Backer is the biggest insider sale of Vir Biotechnology shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$9.34. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern.

Vir Biotechnology insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

I will like Vir Biotechnology better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

Insider Ownership

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It appears that Vir Biotechnology insiders own 5.3% of the company, worth about US$68m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Does This Data Suggest About Vir Biotechnology Insiders?

Insiders sold Vir Biotechnology shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And there weren't any purchases to give us comfort, over the last year. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. We're in no rush to buy! So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. For example - Vir Biotechnology has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.