Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) Price Target Raised to $467.00

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) had its price target lifted by Barclays from $435.00 to $467.00 in a report published on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. Barclays currently has an equal weight rating on the pharmaceutical company’s stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $480.00 price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $437.00 to $451.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $490.00 to $494.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, December 16th. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $361.00 to $408.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets cut their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $566.00 to $520.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 20th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $505.29.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ VRTX opened at $455.22 on Tuesday. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $117.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -228.75, a PEG ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 0.41. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $435.95 and its 200-day simple moving average is $462.13. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a 12 month low of $377.85 and a 12 month high of $519.88.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 10th. The pharmaceutical company reported $3.54 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.99 by ($0.45). Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a negative net margin of 4.52% and a negative return on equity of 1.91%. Analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals will post -1.94 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in VRTX. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter worth $25,000. Highline Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. Dunhill Financial LLC raised its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 70.6% in the 3rd 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. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. acquired a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the third quarter worth about $33,000. 90.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.