Banque Cantonale Vaudoise Sells 4,457 Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Banque Cantonale Vaudoise reduced its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 78.7% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,206 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 4,457 shares during the period. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $504,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Managment Co. purchased a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Arlington Trust Co LLC increased its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 97.1% in the 4th quarter. Arlington Trust Co LLC now owns 67 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Baystate Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 49.0% in the 4th quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 76 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Trading Down 0.6 %

Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock opened at $468.71 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $120.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.42, a PEG ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 0.41. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $437.05 and its 200-day moving average price is $422.50. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 1 year low of $335.82 and a 1 year high of $486.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a current ratio of 3.50 and a quick ratio of 3.29.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 6th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.76 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.66 by $1.10. The business had revenue of $2.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.58 billion. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 23.08% and a net margin of 39.46%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.67 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on VRTX shares. Needham & Company LLC restated a “hold” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. Oppenheimer reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $500.00 price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Monday, April 15th. Guggenheim lifted their target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $445.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 18th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $498.00 to $466.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, June 14th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, sixteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $443.55.

Insider Activity at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In related news, Director Bruce I. Sachs sold 7,073 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $448.00, for a total transaction of $3,168,704.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 40,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,920,000. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, Director Bruce I. Sachs sold 7,073 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $448.00, for a total transaction of $3,168,704.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 40,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $17,920,000. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Edward Morrow Atkinson III sold 7,288 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $478.00, for a total value of $3,483,664.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 15,972 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,634,616. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 26,086 shares of company stock valued at $11,983,266. Insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals 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.