Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC Has $181,000 Stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC boosted its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 80.0% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 450 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the period. Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $181,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Dunhill Financial LLC increased its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 70.6% in the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 58 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Truvestments Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. 90.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Vertex Pharmaceuticals news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 310 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $459.83, for a total transaction of $142,547.30. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 64,021 shares in the company, valued at $29,438,776.43. This represents a 0.48 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Up 0.8 %

Shares of VRTX opened at $484.24 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.35, a current ratio of 2.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 12 month low of $377.85 and a 12 month high of $519.88. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $436.05 and its 200-day moving average is $460.70.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 return on equity of 2.02% and a negative net margin of 4.86%. On average, analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $408.00 to $424.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. StockNews.com cut shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday. UBS Group lifted their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $562.00 to $586.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $503.00 to $500.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, December 23rd. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $505.61.

About Vertex Pharmaceuticals

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.