Capital Group Private Client Services Inc. cut its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report) by 76.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 24,874 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock after selling 79,663 shares during the period. Capital Group Private Client Services Inc.'s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $9,742,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Chesapeake Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 110.0% in the third quarter. Chesapeake Asset Management LLC now owns 63 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. Colonial Trust Co SC boosted its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 118.8% in the 3rd quarter. Colonial Trust Co SC now owns 70 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Total Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Financial Network Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 50.9% during the 3rd quarter. Financial Network Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 86 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Y.D. More Investments Ltd increased its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 345.0% during the 3rd quarter. Y.D. More Investments Ltd now owns 89 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 69 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
More Vertex Pharmaceuticals News
Here are the key news stories impacting Vertex Pharmaceuticals this week:
Insiders Place Their Bets
In related news, EVP Duncan Mckechnie sold 4,910 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.65, for a total value of $2,394,361.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 17,559 shares in the company, valued at $8,562,646.35. This trade represents a 21.85% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Mark E. Bunnage sold 2,021 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $460.43, for a total value of $930,529.03. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 12,914 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,945,993.02. This represents a 13.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 91,156 shares of company stock valued at $42,845,497 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the company's stock.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
VRTX has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $411.00 to $441.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. HC Wainwright set a $591.00 target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Leerink Partners lifted their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $456.00 to $525.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, December 29th. Oppenheimer upgraded shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $540.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $460.00 to $515.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $542.00.
Get Our Latest Analysis on Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance
NASDAQ:VRTX opened at $460.87 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $117.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.06 and a beta of 0.31. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $467.50 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $435.79. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 52-week low of $362.50 and a 52-week high of $519.68.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The pharmaceutical company reported $5.03 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.05 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $3.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.18 billion. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a net margin of 32.94% and a return on equity of 24.30%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $3.98 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Company Profile
(
Free Report)
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc is a Boston-based biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapies for serious diseases. Founded in 1989, Vertex built its reputation on research-driven drug development and is best known for its work in cystic fibrosis (CF), where its portfolio of small-molecule CFTR modulators transformed standards of care for many people with the disease. The company operates research and development, manufacturing and commercial organizations and serves patients and healthcare systems in multiple international markets.
Vertex's marketed products center on CFTR modulators that target the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis rather than just treating symptoms.
See Also
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VRTX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.
Before you consider Vertex Pharmaceuticals, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Vertex Pharmaceuticals wasn't on the list.
While Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Click the link to see MarketBeat's guide to investing in 5G and which 5G stocks show the most promise.
Get This Free Report
Like this article? Share it with a colleague.
Link copied to clipboard.