Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) Given Average Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Get Free Report) has earned a consensus recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the twenty-five analysts that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, fourteen have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $512.41.

VRTX has been the topic of a number of research reports. BMO Capital Markets set a $545.00 price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Friday, January 31st. Truist Financial lifted their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $460.00 to $520.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 11th. Oppenheimer lowered Vertex Pharmaceuticals from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. Finally, HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $550.00 price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th.

Remove Ads

Insider Activity at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In other news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 310 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $459.83, for a total value of $142,547.30. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 64,021 shares in the company, valued at approximately $29,438,776.43. This trade represents a 0.48 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 10th. The shares were 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 directly owns 26,512 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $13,256,000. This trade represents a 10.86 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 4,315 shares of company stock valued at $2,121,012. Insiders own 0.20% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Toronto Dominion Bank lifted its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 2.4% in the third quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 134,202 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $62,415,000 after acquiring an additional 3,096 shares during the period. Soltis Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 11.9% in the third quarter. Soltis Investment Advisors LLC now owns 778 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $362,000 after buying an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Advisory Resource Group lifted its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 3.2% in the third quarter. Advisory Resource Group now owns 1,970 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $916,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the period. Anchor Investment Management LLC boosted its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1,352.3% during the 3rd quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 1,583 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $736,000 after acquiring an additional 1,474 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sanctuary Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 46.1% during the 3rd quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC now owns 42,903 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $19,348,000 after acquiring an additional 13,529 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 90.96% of the company's stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Up 2.4 %

VRTX stock traded up $11.61 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $495.83. 1,362,217 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,326,199. The company has a quick ratio of 2.35, a current ratio of 2.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $484.84 and its 200 day moving average price is $464.28. The stock has a market cap of $127.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -225.38, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.50. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a fifty-two week low of $377.85 and a fifty-two week high of $519.88.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX - Get Free Report) last issued 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 net margin of 4.86% and a negative return on equity of 2.02%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals will post 15.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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.