Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) Shares Bought by Americana Partners LLC

Americana Partners LLC raised its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 8.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 12,145 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after purchasing an additional 897 shares during the period. Americana Partners LLC’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $4,891,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 70.6% during 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 acquired a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter valued at $27,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter valued at $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently commented on VRTX shares. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $402.00 to $407.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Barclays increased their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $435.00 to $467.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and increased their price objective for the company from $408.00 to $424.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. UBS Group raised their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $562.00 to $586.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Thursday, November 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $575.00 price target on the stock. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $505.57.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Down 0.8 %

Shares of NASDAQ:VRTX opened at $459.00 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 2.47, a quick ratio of 2.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a one year low of $377.85 and a one year high of $519.88. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $435.69 and its 200 day simple moving average is $461.24.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last announced its earnings results 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 4.52% and a negative return on equity of 1.91%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post -1.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 310 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $459.83, for a total value of $142,547.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 64,021 shares in the company, valued at approximately $29,438,776.43. This trade represents a 0.48 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.