Everence Capital Management Inc. Has $2.17 Million Stock Holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Everence Capital Management Inc. decreased its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 35.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,344 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 2,980 shares during the period. Everence Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $2,174,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. OFI Invest Asset Management bought a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Arlington Trust Co LLC increased its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 97.1% during the fourth quarter. Arlington Trust Co LLC now owns 67 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the period. Compass Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC bought a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Baystate Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 49.0% during the fourth quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 76 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered Vertex Pharmaceuticals from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $397.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. William Blair reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Barclays raised their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $446.00 to $472.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $500.00 to $540.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $424.62.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Trading Down 0.8 %

Shares of VRTX stock opened at $394.17 on Wednesday. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $415.28 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $396.78. The company has a market cap of $101.88 billion, a PE ratio of 28.38, a P/E/G ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 0.35. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $316.43 and a fifty-two week high of $448.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 3.78 and a current ratio of 3.99.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last issued its earnings results on Monday, February 5th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.20 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.85 by $0.35. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 21.91% and a net margin of 36.68%. The firm had revenue of $2.52 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.50 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.33 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 14.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In related news, COO Stuart A. Arbuckle sold 4,295 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $420.24, for a total transaction of $1,804,930.80. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 75,718 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $31,819,732.32. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 354 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on 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 directly owns 55,804 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $23,755,762.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, COO Stuart A. Arbuckle sold 4,295 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $420.24, for a total value of $1,804,930.80. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 75,718 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $31,819,732.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 12,381 shares of company stock valued at $5,203,249 in the last 90 days. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.