Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC Sells 175 Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC decreased its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 1.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 11,071 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 175 shares during the quarter. Vertex Pharmaceuticals comprises approximately 2.4% of Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest position. Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $4,458,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,313,000. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. lifted its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. now owns 13,263 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $5,341,000 after purchasing an additional 193 shares during the period. PKS Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter worth $240,000. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC boosted its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 45.5% in the fourth quarter. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 112 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 35 shares during the last quarter. Finally, TIAA Trust National Association grew its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 2.3% during the fourth quarter. TIAA Trust National Association now owns 5,763 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $2,321,000 after buying an additional 131 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

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 sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 64,021 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $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 is available through this link. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of the company’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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,512 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $13,256,000. This trade represents a 10.86 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 4,315 shares of company stock valued at $2,121,012. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Trading Down 0.5 %

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

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last released its earnings results on Monday, February 10th. The pharmaceutical company reported $3.54 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%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently commented on VRTX. Morgan Stanley raised 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. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $490.00 to $494.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 16th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a $460.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. William Blair restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $407.00 to $408.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, February 20th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $506.70.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Company 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.