EP Wealth Advisors LLC Acquires 200 Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

EP Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 4.2% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,909 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the period. EP Wealth Advisors LLC’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $2,301,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Brookstone Capital Management increased its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 11.1% in the 1st quarter. Brookstone Capital Management now owns 2,368 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $990,000 after buying an additional 237 shares in the last quarter. Brevan Howard Capital Management LP grew its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 216.3% in the fourth quarter. Brevan Howard Capital Management LP now owns 4,830 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,965,000 after acquiring an additional 3,303 shares during the period. Greenwood Capital Associates LLC raised its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 11.3% during the fourth quarter. Greenwood Capital Associates LLC now owns 25,345 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $10,313,000 after purchasing an additional 2,576 shares during the last quarter. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the first quarter valued at approximately $2,763,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. boosted its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 640.0% in the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,443 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $676,000 after purchasing an additional 1,248 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

NASDAQ VRTX opened at $469.76 on Wednesday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $478.89 and a 200-day moving average price of $454.97. The firm has a market cap of $121.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.48 and a beta of 0.40. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a twelve month low of $341.85 and a twelve month high of $510.64. The company has a quick ratio of 2.26, a current ratio of 2.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The pharmaceutical company reported ($12.83) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($12.54) by ($0.29). The business had revenue of $2.65 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.66 billion. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a negative return on equity of 2.45% and a negative net margin of 4.74%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.53 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post -2.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on VRTX shares. Redburn Atlantic began coverage on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Thursday, June 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $545.00 target price for the company. Oppenheimer increased their target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $500.00 to $550.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. TD Cowen boosted their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $480.00 price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $487.23.

Insider Activity at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In other Vertex Pharmaceuticals news, Director Bruce I. Sachs sold 5,295 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $508.00, for a total transaction of $2,689,860.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 40,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,320,000. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Reshma Kewalramani sold 15,202 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $497.00, for a total transaction of $7,555,394.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 106,172 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $52,767,484. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Bruce I. Sachs sold 5,295 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $508.00, for a total transaction of $2,689,860.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 40,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,320,000. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 31,767 shares of company stock valued at $15,768,284. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

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.