Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. Sells 4,531 Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. cut its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report) by 4.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 87,796 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock after selling 4,531 shares during the period. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A.'s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $35,434,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter worth $30,000. Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter worth about $37,000. Truvestments Capital LLC raised its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 30.3% in the 4th quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 99 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ORG Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 108.2% in the 4th quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 102 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.96% of the company's stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock traded up $2.65 during trading on Monday, hitting $496.49. The stock had a trading volume of 1,503,312 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,338,044. 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 stock's 50 day moving average is $489.78 and its two-hundred day moving average is $466.28. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 1 year low of $377.85 and a 1 year high of $519.88. The stock has a market cap of $127.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -225.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.50.

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, analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on VRTX shares. HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $550.00 target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded 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 report on Thursday, January 30th. Canaccord Genuity Group upgraded shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating and boosted their target price for the company from $408.00 to $424.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $450.00 to $459.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $408.00 to $420.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. 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.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $514.91.

Insider Transactions at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In other 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 value of $111,034.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 67,695 shares of the company's stock, valued at $30,805,286.70. This trade represents a 0.36 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction on Monday, March 10th. The shares were 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 trade represents a 10.86 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 4,315 shares of company stock worth $2,121,012 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the company's stock.

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.