Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. Has $4.12 Million Stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. lifted its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report) by 89.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 10,098 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock after acquiring an additional 4,758 shares during the quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd.'s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $4,122,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Freedom Day Solutions LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 20.9% in the 4th quarter. Freedom Day Solutions LLC now owns 5,708 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $2,323,000 after acquiring an additional 986 shares in the last quarter. Granite Bay Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 53.7% during the 4th quarter. Granite Bay Wealth Management LLC now owns 61,425 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $24,993,000 after buying an additional 21,450 shares in the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System acquired a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter worth $14,689,000. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC lifted its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC now owns 5,097 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $2,074,000 after buying an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Simplicity Solutions LLC lifted its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 23.5% during the 4th quarter. Simplicity Solutions LLC now owns 22,783 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $9,270,000 after buying an additional 4,331 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have issued reports on VRTX. Canaccord Genuity Group downgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $332.00 to $379.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Truist Financial upped their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $456.00 to $508.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Robert W. Baird downgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "neutral" rating to an "underperform" rating and set a $325.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an "overweight" rating and issued a $440.00 price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $500.00 to $540.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Vertex Pharmaceuticals presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $420.33.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Trading Down 0.9 %

Shares of VRTX traded down $3.68 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $396.55. The stock had a trading volume of 1,200,426 shares, compared to its average volume of 878,967. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $416.35 and a 200 day moving average of $396.14. The company has a market cap of $102.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.55, a P/E/G ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a quick ratio of 3.78, a current ratio of 3.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 52 week low of $316.43 and a 52 week high of $448.40.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, February 5th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.85 by $0.35. The firm had revenue of $2.52 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.50 billion. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 21.91% and a net margin of 36.68%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.33 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 14.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Vertex Pharmaceuticals news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 354 shares of the 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 55,804 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,755,762.80. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other 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 value of $150,697.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 55,804 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,755,762.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, COO Stuart A. Arbuckle sold 4,295 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $420.24, for a total value 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 approximately $31,819,732.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 12,381 shares of company stock worth $5,203,249. Corporate insiders own 0.40% of the company's stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Company 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.