Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) Shares Purchased by Proficio Capital Partners LLC

Proficio Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 46.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 978 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after acquiring an additional 311 shares during the period. Proficio Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $394,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VRTX. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 21.9% during the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 417 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $194,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares during the period. Centaurus Financial Inc. grew its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 18.4% in the third quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. now owns 1,858 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $864,000 after buying an additional 289 shares in the last quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP grew its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 133.8% in the third quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP now owns 1,272 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $592,000 after buying an additional 728 shares in the last quarter. Boston Family Office LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 3rd quarter valued at $263,000. Finally, Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter worth about $35,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

VRTX has been the topic of several recent research reports. William Blair reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Barclays upped their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $435.00 to $467.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating and set a $550.00 price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Canaccord Genuity Group upgraded shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $408.00 to $424.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 11th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $506.70.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Vertex Pharmaceuticals news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 310 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $459.83, for a total transaction of $142,547.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 64,021 shares in the company, valued at approximately $29,438,776.43. This trade represents a 0.48 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total value of $1,615,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,512 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $13,256,000. This represents a 10.86 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 4,315 shares of company stock valued at $2,121,012 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Shares of VRTX stock opened at $509.04 on Wednesday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $471.81 and its 200 day moving average price is $463.08. The company has a quick ratio of 2.35, a current ratio of 2.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The stock has a market capitalization of $130.72 billion, a PE ratio of -231.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.41. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 52-week low of $377.85 and a 52-week high of $519.88.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 10th. The pharmaceutical company reported $3.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.99 by ($0.45). Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a negative net margin of 4.86% and a negative return on equity of 2.02%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 EPS for the current year.

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.