Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) Shares Sold by Ieq Capital LLC

Ieq Capital LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report) by 19.3% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 18,223 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock after selling 4,358 shares during the period. Ieq Capital LLC's holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $7,338,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter worth about $27,000. Dunhill Financial LLC lifted its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 70.6% during the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 58 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares in the last quarter. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. purchased a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Truvestments Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. 90.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In other news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 310 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $459.83, for a total transaction of $142,547.30. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 64,021 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $29,438,776.43. The trade was a 0.48 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ VRTX traded up $3.91 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $484.24. The company had a trading volume of 1,444,007 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,541,286. The stock has a market cap of $124.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -220.11, a PEG ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.41. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $435.64 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $460.65. 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 12 month low of $377.85 and a 12 month high of $519.88.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, February 10th. The pharmaceutical company reported $3.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates 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%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.58 earnings per share for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

VRTX has been the subject of several analyst reports. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their price objective for the company from $500.00 to $550.00 in a research report on Monday, December 9th. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $550.00 target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a "hold" rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Finally, Scotiabank lifted their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $433.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $505.61.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Company 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.