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Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (ABUS)
NASDAQ:ABUS
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Arbutus Biopharma (ABUS) AI Stock Analysis

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ABUS

Arbutus Biopharma

(NASDAQ:ABUS)

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Neutral 51 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:51Neutral
Price Target:
$3.50
▼(-20.63% Downside)
Arbutus Biopharma's overall score is driven by significant financial challenges, despite positive corporate events and moderate technical momentum. The company's negative profitability and cash flow issues weigh heavily, while recent board changes and litigation prospects offer potential upside.
Positive Factors
Revenue Growth
The significant revenue growth in Q2 2025 indicates strong market demand and effective product positioning, enhancing long-term financial prospects.
Strategic Partnerships
Strategic partnerships provide substantial funding for R&D, enabling Arbutus to advance clinical trials and diversify revenue streams, supporting sustainable growth.
Board and Governance
The appointment of Dr. Sawhney strengthens governance and strategic oversight, potentially enhancing decision-making and corporate strategy execution.
Negative Factors
Profitability Issues
Ongoing profitability challenges indicate potential issues in cost management or pricing strategy, which could hinder long-term financial health and competitiveness.
Negative Cash Flows
Negative cash flows suggest operational inefficiencies and may limit the company's ability to invest in growth opportunities, impacting long-term sustainability.
Partnership Termination
The termination of the partnership with Qilu Pharmaceutical may disrupt strategic plans and revenue streams, potentially affecting market expansion and pipeline development.

Arbutus Biopharma (ABUS) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Arbutus Biopharma Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionArbutus Biopharma Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company, develops novel therapeutics for chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, SARS-CoV-2, and other coronaviruses in the United States. Its HBV product pipeline consists of AB-729, a proprietary subcutaneously delivered RNA interference product candidate, which in Phase Ia/Ib clinical trial targeted to hepatocytes that inhibits viral replication and reduces various HBV antigens using novel covalently conjugated N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) delivery technology; and AB-836, an oral capsid inhibitor that suppresses HBV DNA replication. The company's research and development programs include AB-161, an oral HBV RNA destabilizer to destabilize HBV RNA, which leads in the reduction of HBsAg and other viral proteins; AB-101, an oral PD-L1 inhibitor to reawaken patients' HBV-specific immune response; and small molecule antiviral medicines to treat coronaviruses, including COVID-19. It has strategic alliance, licensing, and research collaboration agreements with Talon Therapeutics, Inc.; Gritstone Oncology, Inc.; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Qilu Pharmaceuticals Co, Ltd.; Assembly Biosciences, Inc.; Acuitas Therapeutics, Inc.; and Antios Therapeutics, Inc. Arbutus Biopharma Corporation also has a clinical collaboration agreement with Vaccitech plc to evaluate a triple combination of AB-729 for the treatment of chronic HBV infection. The company was formerly known as Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation and changed its name to Arbutus Biopharma Corporation in July 2015. Arbutus Biopharma Corporation is headquartered in Warminster, Pennsylvania.
How the Company Makes MoneyArbutus Biopharma generates revenue primarily through the development and commercialization of its therapeutic products. The company engages in strategic partnerships and collaborations with other pharmaceutical companies, which may include upfront payments, milestone payments, and royalties on future sales of products developed in collaboration. These partnerships often provide substantial funding for research and development, allowing Arbutus to focus on advancing its clinical trials. Additionally, if any of Arbutus's products receive regulatory approval and are brought to market, the company stands to earn significant revenue from product sales. The company may also explore licensing opportunities for its technologies, further diversifying its revenue streams.

Arbutus Biopharma Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Aug 06, 2025
(Q3-2024)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Nov 05, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call reflects a positive outlook with strong financial positioning and promising clinical trial data for HBV treatments. However, ongoing legal challenges and high operational cash burn present concerns.
Q3-2024 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Financial Position
Arbutus ended Q3 2024 with $131 million in cash, sufficient to fund operations into Q4 2026. A $44 million net proceeds from common shares issuance offset $54.5 million in operational cash usage.
Promising Clinical Data for Hepatitis B Treatment
Imdusiran showed promising results in reducing surface antigen levels in HBV patients. In Cohort A1 of the IM-PROVE I trial, 33% of patients achieved surface antigen loss sustained at 24 weeks post-treatment, with 67% of those with baseline less than 1,000 IU/mL maintaining loss.
Upcoming Data Presentations
Upcoming presentations at the Liver Meeting 2024 and AASLD will showcase additional data from ongoing HBV trials, indicating continued progress and interest in Arbutus' research.
Negative Updates
Limited Advancement in Legal Proceedings
Litigation with Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech over LNP intellectual property is ongoing, with trial dates set for late 2024 and 2025, indicating prolonged legal battles.
High Cash Burn Rate
The company reported a high cash burn of $54.5 million in operations for the first half of 2024, which may necessitate further financing activities to sustain long-term operations.
Company Guidance
In the third quarter 2024 earnings call for Arbutus Biopharma, the company provided several key metrics and updates on their ongoing efforts to develop a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B (HBV). They reported having approximately $131 million in cash and investments, with a projected cash burn for 2024 between $63 million and $67 million, ensuring their financial runway extends into the fourth quarter of 2026. The company is advancing their RNAi therapeutic imdusiran through Phase IIa trials, IM-PROVE I and II, which have shown promising results, such as a 33% surface antigen loss in Cohort A1 and 67% in patients with baseline antigen levels below 1,000 IU/mL. Moreover, they are progressing with their AB-101 clinical trial, with evidence of dose-dependent receptor occupancy in Phase Ia/Ib, and anticipate reporting preliminary HBV patient data in the first half of next year. The litigation with Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech is ongoing, with a trial date set for September 2025 and a Markman hearing on December 18, 2024.

Arbutus Biopharma Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Arbutus Biopharma faces significant financial challenges, with persistent losses and negative cash flows. Despite a notable revenue growth rate, profitability issues and negative cash flows are concerning. The balance sheet remains stable with low leverage, providing some resilience.
Income Statement
35
Negative
Arbutus Biopharma's income statement reveals significant challenges. Despite a notable revenue growth rate of 140.76% in the TTM, the company struggles with profitability, as evidenced by negative net profit margins and EBIT margins. The gross profit margin has also declined compared to previous periods, indicating potential issues in cost management or pricing strategy.
Balance Sheet
45
Neutral
The balance sheet shows a relatively low debt-to-equity ratio, suggesting conservative leverage. However, the return on equity is negative, reflecting ongoing losses and inefficiencies in generating returns for shareholders. The equity ratio remains stable, indicating a solid capital structure despite operational challenges.
Cash Flow
40
Negative
Cash flow analysis highlights a concerning trend with negative operating and free cash flows, although there is a slight improvement in free cash flow growth. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is negative, indicating cash flow issues relative to reported earnings. The free cash flow to net income ratio is slightly above 1, suggesting cash flow is aligned with net income despite being negative.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue15.42M6.17M18.14M39.02M10.99M6.91M
Gross Profit6.11M4.79M-55.56M37.59M9.23M-40.57M
EBITDA-53.12M-68.40M-70.99M-61.86M-71.64M-57.81M
Net Income-54.25M-69.92M-72.85M-69.46M-77.35M-65.21M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets103.27M131.71M144.40M195.42M204.49M137.08M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments98.09M122.62M126.00M146.91M155.32M123.27M
Total Debt5.00M1.29M8.72M2.19M2.61M2.98M
Total Liabilities20.29M34.34M38.38M58.57M35.05M35.11M
Stockholders Equity82.98M97.37M106.02M136.85M169.44M101.97M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-60.28M-65.03M-86.94M-35.87M-68.34M-51.67M
Operating Cash Flow-60.19M-64.85M-85.94M-35.36M-67.53M-51.44M
Investing Cash Flow28.39M22.95M50.77M-74.94M-12.68M-14.91M
Financing Cash Flow6.43M52.00M30.65M31.81M137.24M86.75M

Arbutus Biopharma Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price4.41
Price Trends
50DMA
3.75
Positive
100DMA
3.53
Positive
200DMA
3.43
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.20
Positive
RSI
58.67
Neutral
STOCH
46.75
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ABUS, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 4.41 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 4.31, above the 50-day MA of 3.75, and above the 200-day MA of 3.43, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.20 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 58.67 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 46.75 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for ABUS.

Arbutus Biopharma Risk Analysis

Arbutus Biopharma disclosed 39 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Arbutus Biopharma reported the most risks in the "Tech & Innovation" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Arbutus Biopharma Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (51)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
53
Neutral
1.01B-3.76-78.87%16.74%59.89%
51
Neutral
$845.39M-52.82%53.23%35.32%
49
Neutral
823.04M-9.74-33.91%11877.28%63.14%
48
Neutral
935.94M-11.01-15.91%83.36%22.27%
48
Neutral
1.10B-4.27-41.04%338.45%-19.64%
33
Underperform
864.06M-3.147.58%
51
Neutral
$7.86B-0.30-43.30%2.27%22.53%-2.21%
* Healthcare Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ABUS
Arbutus Biopharma
4.41
0.56
14.55%
GERN
Geron
1.29
-3.25
-71.59%
IMTX
Immatics
7.70
-3.71
-32.52%
IMNM
Immunome
11.59
-3.03
-20.73%
PRAX
Praxis Precision Medicines
52.44
-5.10
-8.86%
SANA
Sana Biotechnology
3.34
-0.82
-19.71%

Arbutus Biopharma Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesLegal ProceedingsFinancial Disclosures
Arbutus Biopharma Appoints New Board Member Amid Strong Q2
Positive
Aug 6, 2025

On August 4, 2025, Anuj Hasija resigned from Arbutus Biopharma‘s Board of Directors, with Dr. Roger Sawhney appointed as his replacement. Dr. Sawhney will also join the Audit and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committees. Arbutus reported strong financial results for the second quarter of 2025, with a significant increase in revenue due to the reacquisition of Greater China rights to imdusiran. The company is actively involved in ongoing patent infringement litigations against Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech, seeking compensation for the use of its LNP technology.

Business Operations and Strategy
Arbutus Biopharma Ends Partnership with Qilu Pharmaceutical
Neutral
Jun 25, 2025

On June 20, 2025, Arbutus Biopharma and Qilu Pharmaceutical mutually agreed to terminate their strategic partnership for the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of imdusiran in Greater China and Taiwan, with all rights reverting to Arbutus. This decision aligns with Qilu’s pipeline reprioritization and Arbutus’ focus on advancing its own pipeline efficiently. Additionally, Arbutus announced the formation of a new Scientific Advisory Board, comprising globally recognized leaders in chronic hepatitis B virus treatment, to guide its strategic evaluation of its cHBV pipeline.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Aug 14, 2025