Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Sells 20,291 Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lessened its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report) by 3.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 627,517 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock after selling 20,291 shares during the quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned 0.24% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals worth $252,685,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Advisory Resource Group increased its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 3.2% during the third quarter. Advisory Resource Group now owns 1,970 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $916,000 after acquiring an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1,352.3% during the third quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 1,583 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $736,000 after acquiring an additional 1,474 shares in the last quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter worth about $24,280,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter worth about $2,187,000. Finally, Destination Wealth Management increased its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 4.5% during the third quarter. Destination Wealth Management now owns 3,361 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $1,563,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.96% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently commented on VRTX. Piper Sandler decreased their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $535.00 to $533.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $535.00 target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. BMO Capital Markets set a $545.00 price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Friday, January 31st. StockNews.com raised shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 11th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $514.91.

Insider Activity at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In other news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 530 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $475.34, for a total value of $251,930.20. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 58,539 shares of the company's stock, valued at $27,825,928.26. This represents a 0.90 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of the 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. The trade was a 10.86 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 4,315 shares of company stock worth $2,121,012. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Shares of VRTX stock traded up $1.37 during trading on Friday, reaching $493.84. 1,561,491 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,337,381. The company has a market capitalization of $126.81 billion, a P/E ratio of -224.47, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a current ratio of 2.69, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The firm's 50-day moving average is $489.78 and its 200 day moving average is $466.28. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 1 year low of $377.85 and a 1 year high of $519.88.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 10th. The pharmaceutical company reported $3.54 EPS 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%. Equities research analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 EPS for the current year.

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.