Zacks Research Analysts Decrease Earnings Estimates for VRTX

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research lowered their FY2024 earnings per share estimates for shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report released on Tuesday, November 19th. Zacks Research analyst R. Department now anticipates that the pharmaceutical company will earn ($2.09) per share for the year, down from their previous forecast of ($2.07). The consensus estimate for Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ current full-year earnings is ($1.83) per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ Q4 2024 earnings at $3.33 EPS, Q1 2025 earnings at $3.82 EPS, Q2 2025 earnings at $3.93 EPS, Q3 2025 earnings at $3.99 EPS, Q4 2025 earnings at $3.94 EPS, FY2025 earnings at $15.69 EPS, Q1 2026 earnings at $3.96 EPS, Q2 2026 earnings at $4.09 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $4.28 EPS and FY2026 earnings at $16.84 EPS.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.38 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.61 by $0.77. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a negative net margin of 4.52% and a negative return on equity of 1.91%. The company had revenue of $2.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.69 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.67 EPS. Vertex Pharmaceuticals’s quarterly revenue was up 11.6% on a year-over-year basis.

A number of other equities analysts have also issued reports on VRTX. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $480.00 target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $600.00 target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Monday, October 21st. Oppenheimer lowered their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $550.00 to $540.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Scotiabank raised their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $480.00 to $486.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, eighteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $504.38.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of VRTX stock opened at $450.97 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $116.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -226.62 and a beta of 0.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 2.20 and a current ratio of 2.47. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $474.11 and its 200 day simple moving average is $473.36. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a twelve month low of $346.29 and a twelve month high of $519.88.

Insider Activity

In other Vertex Pharmaceuticals news, Chairman Jeffrey M. Leiden sold 3,784 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $499.00, for a total transaction of $1,888,216.00. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 9,994 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,987,006. This represents a 27.46 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Sangeeta N. Bhatia sold 646 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $500.00, for a total transaction of $323,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 4,435 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,217,500. This represents a 12.71 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 4,445 shares of company stock worth $2,218,394. Insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Highline Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter valued at about $27,000. Dunhill Financial LLC increased its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 70.6% in the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 58 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 24 shares during the period. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Stephens Consulting LLC acquired a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 2nd quarter valued at about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

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.