Norinchukin Bank The Buys 1,106 Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Norinchukin Bank The raised its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report) by 8.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 13,957 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock after buying an additional 1,106 shares during the period. Norinchukin Bank The's holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $5,620,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

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

Insider Activity

In other Vertex Pharmaceuticals news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 244 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $455.06, for a total transaction of $111,034.64. Following 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 position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total value of $1,615,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,512 shares of the company's stock, valued at $13,256,000. This represents a 10.86 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 4,315 shares of company stock valued at $2,121,012. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the company's stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Trading Up 0.4 %

Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock traded up $1.95 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $492.42. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,247,179 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,329,413. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a current ratio of 2.69. The company has a 50 day moving average of $487.81 and a 200-day moving average of $465.64. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a one year low of $377.85 and a one year high of $519.88. The stock has a market cap of $126.45 billion, a PE ratio of -223.83, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.50.

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on VRTX. Wells Fargo & Company cut shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and set a $460.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a "hold" rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Canaccord Genuity Group upgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $408.00 to $424.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $550.00 target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an "overweight" rating and issued a $535.00 price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Vertex Pharmaceuticals presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $514.91.

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.