By otakuyassine3@gmail.com 
Allworth Financial LP increased its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX – Free Report) by 5.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,741 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after buying an additional 92 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $745,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter valued at $8,109,000. Principal Securities Inc. increased its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 27.1% in the fourth quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 5,463 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $2,200,000 after buying an additional 1,164 shares during the period. Little House Capital LLC raised its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 27.2% during the fourth quarter. Little House Capital LLC now owns 4,734 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,906,000 after acquiring an additional 1,011 shares during the last quarter. Spinnaker Trust raised its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 2.1% during the fourth quarter. Spinnaker Trust now owns 1,235 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $497,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PUREfi Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $206,000. 90.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Insider Buying and Selling
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 transaction of $111,034.64. Following the completion of the sale, 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 position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance
NASDAQ VRTX opened at $471.76 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 2.69 and a quick ratio of 2.35. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $435.32 and a 200-day moving average price of $460.52. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 1 year low of $377.85 and a 1 year high of $519.88. The firm has a market cap of $121.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -214.44, a PEG ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 0.41.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 10th. The pharmaceutical company reported $3.54 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 Incorporated will post 15.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several research firms have issued reports on VRTX. Needham & Company LLC restated a “hold” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Barclays increased their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $435.00 to $467.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Bank of America dropped their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $545.00 to $522.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. Citigroup began coverage on Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Thursday, November 14th. They set a “buy” rating and a $575.00 target price for the company. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut Vertex Pharmaceuticals from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a $460.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Eleven 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $505.57.
Read Our Latest Stock Report on VRTX
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.
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