Stevens Capital Management LP Takes $829,000 Position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Stevens Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 2,058 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock, valued at approximately $829,000.

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

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Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Shares of VRTX stock traded up $2.79 on Thursday, hitting $503.07. 94,683 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,217,705. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a one year low of $377.85 and a one year high of $519.88. The firm's 50 day moving average is $473.33 and its two-hundred day moving average is $463.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $129.18 billion, a PE ratio of -229.09, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a current ratio of 2.69, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01.

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 for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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%. Sell-side analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In related news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 310 shares of the business's stock in a transaction 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 directly owns 64,021 shares in the company, valued at approximately $29,438,776.43. The trade was a 0.48 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,512 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $13,256,000. This represents a 10.86 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 4,315 shares of company stock valued at $2,121,012 in the last 90 days. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have issued reports on VRTX shares. Bank of America dropped their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $545.00 to $522.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. Scotiabank lifted their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $433.00 to $450.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 11th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Vertex Pharmaceuticals from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and set a $460.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $535.00 to $533.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 27th. Ten equities 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 data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $506.70.

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.