Cyrus J. Lawrence LLC Has $8.21 Million Stock Position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Cyrus J. Lawrence LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report) by 23.6% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 20,384 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock after selling 6,313 shares during the period. Cyrus J. Lawrence LLC's holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $8,208,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of VRTX. ABC Arbitrage SA purchased a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,510,000. Czech National Bank grew its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 6.2% in the 4th quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 55,838 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $22,486,000 after acquiring an additional 3,260 shares during the last quarter. Highview Capital Management LLC DE raised its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Highview Capital Management LLC DE now owns 5,771 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $2,324,000 after acquiring an additional 102 shares during the last quarter. Davidson Investment Advisors grew its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 26.0% in the fourth quarter. Davidson Investment Advisors now owns 61,161 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $24,630,000 after purchasing an additional 12,631 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jones Financial Companies Lllp increased its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 75.5% during the fourth quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 2,468 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $994,000 after buying an additional 1,062 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Shares of VRTX traded down $8.76 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $500.28. 1,328,359 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,222,499. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $471.81 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $463.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $128.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -227.40, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 2.69 and a quick ratio of 2.35. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a twelve month low of $377.85 and a twelve month high of $519.88.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 10th. The pharmaceutical company reported $3.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.99 by ($0.45). Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a negative net margin of 4.86% and a negative return on equity of 2.02%. Analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have weighed in on VRTX shares. Bank of America cut their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $545.00 to $522.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 19th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $500.00 to $550.00 in a report on Monday, December 9th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $490.00 to $494.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, December 16th. StockNews.com upgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 11th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and set a $460.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $506.70.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Vertex Pharmaceuticals news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 244 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $455.06, for a total value of $111,034.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 67,695 shares in the company, valued at $30,805,286.70. This trade represents a 0.36 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total transaction of $1,615,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,512 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,256,000. The trade was a 10.86 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 4,315 shares of company stock worth $2,121,012. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Profile

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, a biotechnology company, engages in developing and commercializing therapies for treating cystic fibrosis (CF). It markets TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO for people with CF with at least one F508del mutation for 2 years of age or older; SYMDEKO/SYMKEVI for people with CF for 6 years of age or older; ORKAMBI for CF patients 1 year or older; and KALYDECO for the treatment of patients with 1 year or older who have CF with ivacaftor.