Zacks Research Issues Optimistic Forecast for VRTX Earnings

Key Points

• Zacks Research has increased its Q1 2026 earnings per share estimate for Vertex Pharmaceuticals to $3.85, up from $3.84, with a full-year earnings estimate of $15.63.
• Bank of America raised its price target for Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $555.00 to $567.00, maintaining a "buy" rating, while the overall consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy".
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals has seen a recent 1.0% decrease in shares, trading at $472.27, with a market capitalization of $121.28 billion.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX - Free Report) - Zacks Research lifted their Q1 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report released on Tuesday, July 22nd. Zacks Research analyst R. Department now anticipates that the pharmaceutical company will post earnings of $3.85 per share for the quarter, up from their prior forecast of $3.84. The consensus estimate for Vertex Pharmaceuticals' current full-year earnings is $15.63 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Vertex Pharmaceuticals' Q4 2026 earnings at $4.59 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $16.58 EPS and Q1 2027 earnings at $4.27 EPS.

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

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on VRTX. Scotiabank dropped their target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $450.00 to $442.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 6th. Erste Group Bank cut Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $420.00 target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a report on Tuesday, June 17th. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, May 6th. Finally, Bank of America increased their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $555.00 to $567.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, March 31st. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $512.30.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Down 1.3%

Shares of VRTX traded down $6.16 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $463.49. The company had a trading volume of 875,304 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,516,245. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a one year low of $377.85 and a one year high of $519.88. The company's fifty day moving average price is $453.13 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $465.42. The company has a current ratio of 2.65, a quick ratio of 2.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The company has a market capitalization of $119.02 billion, a PE ratio of -118.30 and a beta of 0.41.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Activest Wealth Management acquired a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the first quarter valued at $25,000. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 450.0% in the first quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd now owns 55 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Mascagni Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Flaharty Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the first quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, American National Bank & Trust boosted its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 515.4% in the second quarter. American National Bank & Trust now owns 80 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.