Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC Trims Position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC decreased its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 1.3% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,077 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 41 shares during the quarter. Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $1,252,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of VRTX. OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter worth $25,000. Arlington Trust Co LLC lifted its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 97.1% in the 4th quarter. Arlington Trust Co LLC now owns 67 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC bought a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. Baystate Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 49.0% during the fourth quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 76 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NBC Securities Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter worth about $34,000. Institutional investors own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $390.00 to $438.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $440.00 price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday. William Blair reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Maxim Group cut shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $432.18.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In other news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 354 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $425.70, for a total transaction of $150,697.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 55,804 shares in the company, valued at $23,755,762.80. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 354 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $425.70, for a total transaction of $150,697.80. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 55,804 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $23,755,762.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, COO Stuart A. Arbuckle sold 4,295 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $420.24, for a total transaction of $1,804,930.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 75,718 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $31,819,732.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 12,381 shares of company stock valued at $5,203,249. Company insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock opened at $410.24 on Wednesday. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $320.01 and a fifty-two week high of $448.40. The company has a market capitalization of $106.03 billion, a PE ratio of 29.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.39. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $408.02 and a 200-day moving average price of $400.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 3.78 and a current ratio of 3.99.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 6th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.66 by $1.10. The business had revenue of $2.69 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.58 billion. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 21.91% and a net margin of 36.68%. The business’s revenue was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.67 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 14.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals 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.