Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) Position Raised by Kidder Stephen W

Kidder Stephen W raised its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report) by 16.8% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 11,966 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock after purchasing an additional 1,718 shares during the period. Vertex Pharmaceuticals comprises 1.8% of Kidder Stephen W's holdings, making the stock its 25th largest position. Kidder Stephen W's holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $5,801,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Mascagni Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. increased its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 46.2% during the first quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 95 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $46,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Mpwm Advisory Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter worth $40,000. Minot DeBlois Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter worth $44,000. Finally, City State Bank increased its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 746.2% during the first quarter. City State Bank now owns 110 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $53,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Down 0.6%

Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock traded down $2.62 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $469.65. 1,172,607 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,518,851. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $452.51 and a 200-day simple moving average of $464.26. The company has a quick ratio of 2.29, a current ratio of 2.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The company has a market cap of $120.61 billion, a PE ratio of -119.81 and a beta of 0.41. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a twelve month low of $377.85 and a twelve month high of $519.88.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, May 5th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.06 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.29 by ($0.23). Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a negative net margin of 8.91% and a negative return on equity of 3.36%. The company had revenue of $2.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.85 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.76 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $464.00 to $460.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, June 20th. Erste Group Bank downgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 23rd. Leerink Partnrs downgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 6th. William Blair reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday, May 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday, May 6th. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $512.30.

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.