Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX – Free Report) had its price target upped by HC Wainwright from $591.00 to $641.00 in a research note published on Tuesday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the pharmaceutical company’s stock.
A number of other equities analysts also recently weighed in on VRTX. Wolfe Research raised shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $548.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $570.00 price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Oppenheimer raised shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $540.00 price target for the company in a report on Friday, February 13th. Evercore boosted their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $475.00 to $530.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $546.00 to $541.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 13th. Twenty-three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $553.36.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on VRTX
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The pharmaceutical company reported $5.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.05 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $3.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.18 billion. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a net margin of 32.94% and a return on equity of 24.30%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 9.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $3.98 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Vertex Pharmaceuticals will post 15.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Insider Buying and Selling at Vertex Pharmaceuticals
In other Vertex Pharmaceuticals news, EVP Mark E. Bunnage sold 620 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $486.35, for a total transaction of $301,537.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 7,284 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,542,573.40. The trade was a 7.84% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Amit Sachdev sold 1,846 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $486.35, for a total transaction of $897,802.10. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 55,570 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $27,026,469.50. The trade was a 3.22% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 91,156 shares of company stock valued at $42,845,497 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey boosted its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 3.7% during the second quarter. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey now owns 39,035 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $17,378,000 after purchasing an additional 1,393 shares in the last quarter. Bailard Inc. increased its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Bailard Inc. now owns 38,147 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $16,983,000 after buying an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Leuthold Group LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter worth $5,030,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 3.8% during the third quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 544,978 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $213,435,000 after acquiring an additional 20,053 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Advisory Resource Group bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter worth about $1,286,000. 90.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Key Stories Impacting Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Here are the key news stories impacting Vertex Pharmaceuticals this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Oppenheimer raised its price target to $600, signaling meaningful upside from current levels and adding institutional momentum. Oppenheimer Raises Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) Price Target to $600.00
- Positive Sentiment: Bank of America reiterated/issued a bullish view that the stock is positioned to rise, supporting demand from fundamental analysts. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Bank of America Analyst Says
- Positive Sentiment: Citigroup likewise published a positive forecast for VRTX, adding to the cluster of buy-side endorsements. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Citigroup Analyst Says
- Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley projected strong price appreciation, further cementing a consensus of elevated analyst expectations. Morgan Stanley Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) Stock
- Positive Sentiment: Truist raised its price target to $525 and kept a buy rating, another near‑term upside signal from a major sell‑side shop. Benzinga
- Positive Sentiment: News reports show the stock recently spiked (up ~9–10%) on an analyst upgrade, indicating momentum-driven buying can be swift. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) Trading 9.9% Higher on Analyst Upgrade
- Positive Sentiment: Clinical catalyst: a Vertex drug reduced proteinuria in a Phase III IgA nephropathy trial — a meaningful development that could expand the pipeline and long‑term revenue potential. Vertex drug cuts proteinuria in Phase III IgA nephropathy trial
- Neutral Sentiment: Vertex presented at Barclays’ healthcare conference (transcript available) — useful for detail on pipeline timelines and management guidance but not an immediate price mover by itself. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) Presents at Barclays 28th Annual Global Healthcare Conference Transcript
- Neutral Sentiment: Coverage note: articles report a rising biotech weighting/focus in Nasdaq indexes, which can support longer‑term passive demand for VRTX but is not an immediate earnings catalyst. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) Biotech Focus Rises In Nasdaq Index
- Negative Sentiment: Despite the bullish notes, the stock has pulled back and printed a larger intraday decline than the market in recent sessions, reflecting profit‑taking and short‑term volatility. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) Registers a Bigger Fall Than the Market: Important Facts to Note
- Negative Sentiment: Some commentary flagged that while price moves have been strong, recent earnings‑estimate revision trends may limit near‑term follow‑through. Vertex (VRTX) Moves 8.3% Higher: Will This Strength Last?
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Company Profile
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc is a Boston-based biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapies for serious diseases. Founded in 1989, Vertex built its reputation on research-driven drug development and is best known for its work in cystic fibrosis (CF), where its portfolio of small-molecule CFTR modulators transformed standards of care for many people with the disease. The company operates research and development, manufacturing and commercial organizations and serves patients and healthcare systems in multiple international markets.
Vertex’s marketed products center on CFTR modulators that target the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis rather than just treating symptoms.
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