Moody National Bank Trust Division Has $1.40 Million Stock Position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Moody National Bank Trust Division decreased its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 4.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,485 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 176 shares during the period. Moody National Bank Trust Division’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $1,403,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Highline Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter valued at about $27,000. Dunhill Financial LLC lifted its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 70.6% in the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 58 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 24 shares during the period. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the second quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter valued at about $33,000. Institutional investors own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Up 0.9 %

NASDAQ:VRTX opened at $413.37 on Tuesday. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $447.69 and its 200-day simple moving average is $467.53. The firm has a market capitalization of $106.45 billion, a P/E ratio of -207.72 and a beta of 0.40. The company has a quick ratio of 2.20, a current ratio of 2.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 12-month low of $377.85 and a 12-month high of $519.88.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last posted its earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.61 by $0.77. The company had revenue of $2.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.69 billion. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a negative return on equity of 1.91% and a negative net margin of 4.52%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $3.67 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post -1.83 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have commented on VRTX shares. HC Wainwright reduced their price objective 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. Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $361.00 to $408.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $473.00 to $476.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $566.00 to $520.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 20th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating, eighteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $490.38.

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.