ASB Consultores LLC Grows Stock Position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX)

ASB Consultores LLC increased its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 20.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 953 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after purchasing an additional 163 shares during the quarter. ASB Consultores LLC’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $443,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VRTX. Capital World Investors raised its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 17.2% in the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 25,567,184 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $10,687,339,000 after buying an additional 3,761,414 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 22,676,518 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $9,479,011,000 after acquiring an additional 394,338 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 61.0% in the 1st quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 5,743,882 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $2,401,000,000 after purchasing an additional 2,176,218 shares in the last quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 10.4% during the 1st quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 2,584,315 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,080,296,000 after purchasing an additional 244,336 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc grew its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1.2% in the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 2,422,677 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,135,556,000 after purchasing an additional 29,104 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on VRTX shares. Barclays lowered Vertex Pharmaceuticals from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $472.00 to $509.00 in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $431.00 to $425.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 4th. Scotiabank initiated coverage on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $480.00 price target for the company. UBS Group upped their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $477.00 to $562.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, StockNews.com cut Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $492.50.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Sangeeta N. Bhatia sold 646 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total value of $323,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 4,435 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,217,500. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Sangeeta N. Bhatia sold 646 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total value of $323,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 4,435 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,217,500. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CMO Carmen Bozic sold 2,280 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $476.75, for a total transaction of $1,086,990.00. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer now directly owns 23,259 shares in the company, valued at $11,088,728.25. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 6,710 shares of company stock worth $3,298,206 over the last three months. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Trading Up 0.4 %

VRTX opened at $472.80 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $474.34 and its 200 day simple moving average is $466.02. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 1-year low of $341.90 and a 1-year high of $510.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 2.26 and a current ratio of 2.52.

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.