BankPlus Trust Department Purchases New Position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

BankPlus Trust Department bought a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm bought 1,379 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock, valued at approximately $555,000.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC grew its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 15.3% in the 3rd quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC now owns 1,418 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $660,000 after purchasing an additional 188 shares during the last quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $312,000. PFG Investments LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1.8% in the third quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 1,773 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $825,000 after buying an additional 31 shares in the last quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. raised its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 64.5% in the third quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 102 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Modera Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. Modera Wealth Management LLC now owns 24,993 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $11,624,000 after purchasing an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

NASDAQ VRTX opened at $484.24 on Monday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $436.05 and its 200 day moving average price is $460.57. 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 Incorporated has a twelve month low of $377.85 and a twelve month high of $519.88. The company has a market capitalization of $124.35 billion, a PE ratio of -220.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.41.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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%. On average, research analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 244 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $455.06, for a total transaction of $111,034.64. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 67,695 shares in the company, valued at approximately $30,805,286.70. This trade represents a 0.36 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on VRTX shares. Canaccord Genuity Group upgraded shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $408.00 to $424.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $433.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Vertex Pharmaceuticals from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a $460.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Thursday, January 30th. StockNews.com downgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 19th. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $435.00 to $467.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Vertex Pharmaceuticals has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target 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.