Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) Shares Bought by Aptus Capital Advisors LLC

Aptus Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 18.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 22,168 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,452 shares during the quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $8,927,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter worth $35,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter worth $37,000. Truvestments Capital LLC increased its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 30.3% during the fourth quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 99 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Finally, ORG Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 108.2% during the fourth quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 102 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VRTX has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $450.00 to $459.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Scotiabank increased their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $433.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and set a $535.00 price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Barclays increased their target price 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. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group raised shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $408.00 to $424.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $514.91.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Up 0.5 %

NASDAQ VRTX opened at $501.15 on Friday. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 12 month low of $377.85 and a 12 month high of $519.88. The company has a market capitalization of $128.84 billion, a P/E ratio of -227.80, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.50. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $492.00 and its 200 day simple moving average is $467.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 2.69 and a quick ratio of 2.35.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 10th. The pharmaceutical company reported $3.54 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates 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%. Equities research analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

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 value 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 $29,438,776.43. This trade represents a 0.48 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total transaction of $1,615,500.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,512 shares in the company, valued at $13,256,000. This represents a 10.86 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 4,315 shares of company stock valued at $2,121,012 over the last three months. 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.