Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Has $265.59 Million Stock Holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. reduced its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 1.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 659,533 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 12,565 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. owned approximately 0.26% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals worth $265,594,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VRTX. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter worth $8,109,000. Telos Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 10.0% during the fourth quarter. Telos Capital Management Inc. now owns 17,627 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $7,098,000 after acquiring an additional 1,605 shares in the last quarter. McHugh Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter worth about $201,000. Bleakley Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 11.8% during the 4th quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC now owns 8,475 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $3,413,000 after purchasing an additional 896 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Choreo LLC increased its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 2.6% during the 4th quarter. Choreo LLC now owns 6,092 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $2,435,000 after purchasing an additional 154 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Down 1.5 %

NASDAQ:VRTX opened at $481.16 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $435.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $462.74. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 12 month low of $377.85 and a 12 month high of $519.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 2.20 and a current ratio of 2.47.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last issued its earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.38 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.61 by $0.77. The company had revenue of $2.77 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.69 billion. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a negative return on equity of 1.91% and a negative net margin of 4.52%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $3.67 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post -1.93 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Bank of America cut their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $545.00 to $522.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and set a $480.00 price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Raymond James reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Thursday, October 10th. Barclays reduced their price target 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. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Friday, January 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating, seventeen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $502.58.

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.