Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado Decreases Stock Position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado lowered its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report) by 2.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 418,563 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock after selling 9,910 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado owned about 0.16% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals worth $168,555,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VRTX. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. bought a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter valued at about $35,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter worth about $37,000. Truvestments Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 30.3% in the fourth quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 99 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Midwest Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter worth approximately $41,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.96% of the company's stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock traded down $10.64 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $498.86. The stock had a trading volume of 1,451,943 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,339,956. The company has a market capitalization of $128.25 billion, a PE ratio of -226.75, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.50. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 52-week low of $377.85 and a 52-week high of $519.88. The firm's fifty day moving average is $491.24 and its two-hundred day moving average is $466.94. The company has a current ratio of 2.69, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, February 10th. The pharmaceutical company reported $3.54 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $3.99 by ($0.45). Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a negative net margin of 4.86% and a negative return on equity of 2.02%. On average, research analysts forecast that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently issued reports on VRTX. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an "overweight" rating and issued a $535.00 price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating and issued a $550.00 target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $450.00 to $459.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Bank of America increased their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $555.00 to $567.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, March 31st. Finally, Piper Sandler reduced their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $535.00 to $533.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $514.91.

Insider Transactions at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In other Vertex Pharmaceuticals news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 244 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $455.06, for a total value of $111,034.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 67,695 shares in the company, valued at $30,805,286.70. This represents a 0.36 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total transaction of $1,615,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,512 shares in the company, valued at $13,256,000. This trade represents a 10.86 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 4,315 shares of company stock valued at $2,121,012 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.20% of the company's stock.

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.