Investors Buy Large Volume of Vera Therapeutics Call Options (NASDAQ:VERA)

Vera Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VERA) saw some unusual options trading activity on Tuesday. Stock investors purchased 3,132 call options on the company. This is an increase of 105% compared to the typical volume of 1,526 call options.

Vera Therapeutics Stock Performance

NASDAQ VERA traded down $0.84 on Tuesday, hitting $33.21. 8,378,955 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,556,705. The business’s fifty day moving average is $34.99 and its two-hundred day moving average is $37.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 10.92 and a current ratio of 10.92. Vera Therapeutics has a 12 month low of $23.05 and a 12 month high of $56.05. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -5.66 and a beta of 0.96.

Vera Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VERA) last announced its earnings results on Monday, August 10th. The company reported ($1.52) earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.58) by $0.06. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted ($1.20) EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Vera Therapeutics will post -6.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Key Headlines Impacting Vera Therapeutics

Here are the key news stories impacting Vera Therapeutics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong Phase 3 efficacy supports full approval prospects. In the final 104-week ORIGIN 3 analysis, TRUTAKNA met all prespecified primary and secondary endpoints in 428 adults with primary IgA nephropathy. The drug stabilized kidney function, producing a 5.0 mL/min/1.73m² annualized eGFR advantage versus placebo and reducing the risk of composite kidney disease progression by 76%. Why Vera Therapeutics Stock Is Jumping on New Kidney Drug Trial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Regulatory milestone is approaching. Vera plans to submit a supplemental Biologics License Application to the FDA in the fourth quarter of 2026, seeking full approval based on the kidney-function and disease-progression data. Management indicated that approval could potentially arrive in 2027. Vera’s TRUTAKNA Shows Two-Year Kidney Protection
• Positive Sentiment: Early launch indicators are encouraging. TRUTAKNA generated more than 350 patient start forms during its first 10 weeks, with paid claims and initial payer policies supporting expectations for commercial adoption. Safety results were generally comparable to placebo, with similar overall adverse-event and infection rates. Vera Therapeutics Announces TRUTAKNA Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Options activity points to heightened trader interest. Investors purchased 3,132 call options, approximately 105% above the average daily call volume, indicating increased speculative attention but not guaranteeing further gains.
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain focused on approval and safety risks. TRUTAKNA currently has accelerated approval based on proteinuria reduction, so continued approval depends on confirmation of clinical benefit. The drug also carries immunosuppression risks, including infections and injection-site reactions. The stock’s reversal after its initial advance suggests some investors may be locking in gains or awaiting additional regulatory and commercial proof. Why is Vera Therapeutics Stock Reversing Its Premarket Gains?

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Marshall Fordyce sold 46,250 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.30, for a total value of $1,956,375.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 151,994 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,429,346.20. This represents a 23.33% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 83,250 shares of company stock valued at $3,307,800. 15.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vera Therapeutics

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Eversept Partners LP boosted its stake in shares of Vera Therapeutics by 9.4% in the 4th quarter. Eversept Partners LP now owns 3,072,304 shares of the company’s stock valued at $155,581,000 after purchasing an additional 264,468 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Vera Therapeutics by 9.3% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,444,925 shares of the company’s stock valued at $73,185,000 after acquiring an additional 123,350 shares during the period. Armistice Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Vera Therapeutics by 22.0% in the 4th quarter. Armistice Capital LLC now owns 653,796 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,108,000 after buying an additional 117,796 shares during the last quarter. First Turn Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vera Therapeutics by 69.7% during the 4th quarter. First Turn Management LLC now owns 601,774 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,474,000 after purchasing an additional 247,245 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Braidwell LP boosted its holdings in Vera Therapeutics by 7.8% during the second quarter. Braidwell LP now owns 564,724 shares of the company’s stock worth $24,232,000 after buying an additional 40,900 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.21% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have commented on VERA shares. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Vera Therapeutics in a research note on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Vera Therapeutics in a report on Friday, July 17th. Wedbush restated a “neutral” rating and set a $34.00 price objective on shares of Vera Therapeutics in a research note on Monday, August 17th. HC Wainwright decreased their price target on shares of Vera Therapeutics from $125.00 to $90.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. Finally, William Blair reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Vera Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, June 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $80.15.

Vera Therapeutics Company Profile

Vera Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for immune-mediated diseases. The company’s research is centered on therapies designed to address the underlying causes of autoimmune conditions rather than primarily managing their symptoms.

Vera’s leading product candidate is atacicept, an investigational biologic designed to inhibit two proteins involved in the survival and activity of antibody-producing immune cells, B-cell activating factor and a proliferation-inducing ligand.