Diversify Advisory Services LLC Raises Holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Diversify Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 2.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,946 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after acquiring an additional 131 shares during the quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $2,026,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. increased its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 18.8% in the 2nd quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 5,892 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $2,761,000 after acquiring an additional 932 shares in the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 2.9% in the second quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 38,326 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $17,964,000 after purchasing an additional 1,085 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 6.5% during the second quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 94,794 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $44,432,000 after purchasing an additional 5,827 shares in the last quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 14.8% during the 2nd quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC now owns 2,881 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,350,000 after purchasing an additional 372 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Profund Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 12.1% in the 2nd quarter. Profund Advisors LLC now owns 29,546 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $13,849,000 after buying an additional 3,194 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have commented on VRTX shares. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $562.00 to $586.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. HC Wainwright dropped their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $600.00 to $535.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 20th. Barclays decreased their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $509.00 to $418.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 20th. Truist Financial dropped their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $550.00 to $460.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, December 23rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $490.00 to $494.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, December 16th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating, eighteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $490.38.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Price Performance

VRTX opened at $422.00 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 2.47 and a quick ratio of 2.20. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $440.94 and a 200 day moving average price of $466.09. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 12 month low of $377.85 and a 12 month high of $519.88.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last released its earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.61 by $0.77. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a negative net margin of 4.52% and a negative return on equity of 1.91%. The firm had revenue of $2.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.69 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $3.67 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post -1.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.