Leavell Investment Management Inc. Buys 802 Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Leavell Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 14.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 6,311 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after purchasing an additional 802 shares during the period. Leavell Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $2,541,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC bought a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Dunhill Financial LLC raised its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 70.6% during the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 58 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. 90.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Price Performance

Shares of VRTX opened at $453.20 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $116.71 billion, a P/E ratio of -227.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 0.41. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a twelve month low of $377.85 and a twelve month high of $519.88. The company has a quick ratio of 2.20, a current ratio of 2.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $435.91 and a 200 day moving average of $461.85.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last posted its quarterly 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 1.91% and a negative net margin of 4.52%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post -1.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In other news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 310 shares of the business’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 transaction of $142,547.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 64,021 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $29,438,776.43. The trade was a 0.48 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently commented on the company. Citigroup assumed coverage on Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Thursday, November 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $575.00 price target for the company. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $500.00 to $550.00 in a research report on Monday, December 9th. William Blair reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Friday, January 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $503.00 to $500.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 23rd. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $505.96.

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.