Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) Shares Sold by Wintrust Investments LLC

Wintrust Investments LLC cut its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 4.5% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 598 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 28 shares during the period. Wintrust Investments LLC’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $240,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of VRTX. Apollon Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 10.7% during the third quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,196 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $3,812,000 after purchasing an additional 793 shares during the last quarter. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 3rd quarter valued at about $635,000. Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,456 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,607,000 after buying an additional 78 shares during the period. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 19.6% during the 3rd quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC now owns 18,716 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $8,704,000 after buying an additional 3,071 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Souders Financial Advisors grew its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 2.1% during the 3rd quarter. Souders Financial Advisors now owns 1,466 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $682,000 after buying an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In other Vertex Pharmaceuticals news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 244 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $455.06, for a total value of $111,034.64. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 67,695 shares in the company, valued at approximately $30,805,286.70. This represents a 0.36 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction 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 directly owns 26,512 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $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 ninety days, insiders have sold 4,315 shares of company stock valued at $2,121,012. Company insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Shares of VRTX opened at $495.42 on Thursday. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a one year low of $377.85 and a one year high of $519.88. The company has a 50-day moving average of $453.85 and a two-hundred day moving average of $461.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 2.69 and a quick ratio of 2.35. The stock has a market cap of $127.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -225.19, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.41.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last announced its 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 net margin of 4.86% and a negative return on equity of 2.02%. On average, equities research analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating and set a $550.00 price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $408.00 to $424.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $407.00 to $408.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 20th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $480.00 price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $435.00 to $467.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Ten equities research 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 company. According to MarketBeat, Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $506.70.

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.