Trillium Asset Management LLC Sells 1,122 Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Trillium Asset Management LLC cut its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 6.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 16,962 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 1,122 shares during the period. Trillium Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $6,831,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of VRTX. Xponance Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 48,507 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $19,534,000 after purchasing an additional 539 shares in the last quarter. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR purchased a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter worth about $9,206,000. Evoke Wealth LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 8.4% during the fourth quarter. Evoke Wealth LLC now owns 1,071 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $431,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Horizon Investments LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Horizon Investments LLC now owns 4,969 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $2,001,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Advisors Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 4.3% during the fourth quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 27,612 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $11,119,000 after purchasing an additional 1,145 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Price Performance

VRTX opened at $512.52 on Thursday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $464.06 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $462.31. The company has a current ratio of 2.69, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The company has a market cap of $131.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -232.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.41. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 12-month low of $377.85 and a 12-month high of $519.88.

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

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 310 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 11th. The stock was 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 $29,438,776.43. This trade represents a 0.48 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 10th. The shares were 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. The trade was 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 worth $2,121,012 over the last three months. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Scotiabank boosted their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $433.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. William Blair reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Friday, January 31st. StockNews.com raised Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 11th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $490.00 to $494.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, December 16th. Ten investment 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 MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $506.70.

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.