Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ Sells 14,251 Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ cut its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 7.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 171,034 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 14,251 shares during the quarter. Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ owned approximately 0.07% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals worth $68,302,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Apollon Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 10.7% in the third quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,196 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $3,812,000 after purchasing an additional 793 shares during the last quarter. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 3rd quarter valued at $635,000. Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 2.3% during the third quarter. Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,456 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,607,000 after buying an additional 78 shares in the last quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 19.6% in the third quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC now owns 18,716 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $8,704,000 after acquiring an additional 3,071 shares during the period. Finally, Souders Financial Advisors grew its stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 2.1% in the third quarter. Souders Financial Advisors now owns 1,466 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $682,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In other Vertex Pharmaceuticals news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 244 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $455.06, for a total transaction of $111,034.64. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 67,695 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $30,805,286.70. This represents a 0.36 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP David Altshuler sold 3,231 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total transaction of $1,615,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,512 shares in the company, valued at $13,256,000. This trade represents a 10.86 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 4,315 shares of company stock worth $2,121,012 over the last ninety days. 0.20% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Trading Up 1.4 %

VRTX opened at $495.42 on Thursday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $453.85 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $461.58. The firm has a market capitalization of $127.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -225.19, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.41. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $377.85 and a fifty-two week high of $519.88. 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 (NASDAQ:VRTX) last issued 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 return on equity of 2.02% and a negative net margin of 4.86%. As a group, research analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have issued reports on VRTX shares. BMO Capital Markets set a $545.00 target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Barclays increased their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $435.00 to $467.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $450.00 to $459.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. StockNews.com upgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Thursday, November 14th. They set a “buy” rating and a $575.00 price objective for the company. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average 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.