Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators Increases Stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators boosted its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 20.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 265 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the quarter. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators’ holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $107,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 70.6% during the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 58 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Truvestments Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. 90.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In related news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 310 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $459.83, for a total value of $142,547.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 64,021 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $29,438,776.43. This trade represents a 0.48 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Trading Up 0.8 %

Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock opened at $484.24 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $124.35 billion, a P/E ratio of -220.11, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 2.69 and a quick ratio of 2.35. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 1 year low of $377.85 and a 1 year high of $519.88. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $436.05 and its 200-day moving average price is $460.61.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on VRTX shares. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $550.00 price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $460.00 to $520.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $435.00 to $467.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $450.00 to $459.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company 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.