Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) Shares Purchased by Asset Management One Co. Ltd.

Asset Management One Co. Ltd. grew its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 0.1% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 135,283 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after purchasing an additional 96 shares during the period. Asset Management One Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $55,298,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Creative Planning lifted its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1.7% in the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 80,467 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $37,424,000 after purchasing an additional 1,350 shares in the last quarter. NBC Securities Inc. raised its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 34.5% during the 3rd quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 160 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $74,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares during the last quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC raised its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 254.5% during the 3rd quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC now owns 156 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $73,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Good Life Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $222,000. Finally, Teamwork Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1,588.1% during the 3rd quarter. Teamwork Financial Advisors LLC now owns 10,095 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $4,695,000 after buying an additional 9,497 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 310 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 64,021 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $29,438,776.43. This trade represents a 0.48 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

VRTX opened at $462.58 on Friday. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $435.70 and its 200-day moving average is $461.79. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 52-week low of $377.85 and a 52-week high of $519.88. The company has a current ratio of 2.47, a quick ratio of 2.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last released its quarterly earnings results 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 return on equity of 1.91% and a negative net margin of 4.52%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post -1.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

VRTX has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Barclays boosted their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $435.00 to $467.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Bank of America cut their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $545.00 to $522.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $450.00 to $459.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Oppenheimer lowered shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. Finally, Scotiabank upped their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $433.00 to $450.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $505.96.

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.