Zacks Research Has Optimistic Outlook of VRTX Q1 Earnings

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) – Investment analysts at Zacks Research upped their Q1 2027 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report released on Wednesday, April 9th. Zacks Research analyst R. Department now forecasts that the pharmaceutical company will post earnings of $4.23 per share for the quarter, up from their prior forecast of $4.19. The consensus estimate for Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ current full-year earnings is $15.63 per share.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 10th. The pharmaceutical company reported $3.54 earnings per share 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%.

A number of other brokerages also recently commented on VRTX. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $480.00 price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $535.00 to $533.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 27th. StockNews.com raised Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 11th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $408.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Finally, HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating and issued a $550.00 price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $509.17.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Trading Down 1.4 %

NASDAQ:VRTX opened at $475.49 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $484.80 and a 200-day simple moving average of $464.12. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a one year low of $377.85 and a one year high of $519.88. The firm has a market cap of $122.10 billion, a P/E ratio of -216.13, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a current ratio of 2.69.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In other news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 244 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $455.06, for a total value of $111,034.64. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 67,695 shares in the company, valued at $30,805,286.70. This represents a 0.36 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale 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 that occurred 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 approximately $13,256,000. This represents a 10.86 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 4,315 shares of company stock valued at $2,121,012. 0.20% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Mascagni Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter worth approximately $35,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, Truvestments Capital LLC increased its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 30.3% in the fourth quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 99 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.