Bowen Hanes & Co. Inc. Grows Position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated $VRTX

Bowen Hanes & Co. Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) by 7.3% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 133,504 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after acquiring an additional 9,070 shares during the quarter. Bowen Hanes & Co. Inc.’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $60,525,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 24,216,865 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $9,484,293,000 after acquiring an additional 243,088 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 16,553,281 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $6,482,978,000 after purchasing an additional 444,990 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors lifted its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 77.9% in the 3rd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 4,689,059 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,836,550,000 after purchasing an additional 2,053,156 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 4,522,586 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,771,226,000 after purchasing an additional 144,266 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,440,149,000. 90.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

In related news, Director Sangeeta N. Bhatia sold 318 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $423.73, for a total value of $134,746.14. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 4,924 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,086,446.52. This represents a 6.07% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Joy Liu sold 1,104 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $425.02, for a total value of $469,222.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 20,729 shares in the company, valued at $8,810,239.58. This trade represents a 5.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 11,717 shares of company stock valued at $5,309,945 in the last quarter. 0.20% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

VRTX has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $445.00 to $466.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $612.00 to $616.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $580.00 target price on the stock. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $555.91.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Up 0.8%

NASDAQ:VRTX opened at $428.34 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $108.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 0.30. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $437.63 and its 200 day simple moving average is $451.81. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a twelve month low of $362.50 and a twelve month high of $507.92.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last announced its earnings results on Monday, May 4th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.47 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.24 by $0.23. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a net margin of 35.51% and a return on equity of 23.86%. The firm had revenue of $2.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.99 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.06 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 16.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Vertex Pharmaceuticals this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The FDA accepted Vertex’s Biologics License Application for povetacicept in adults with IgA nephropathy, putting the company one step closer to a potential new nephrology launch and a regulatory decision expected on November 30, 2026. This is an important pipeline milestone that could expand Vertex’s growth story beyond cystic fibrosis. FDA Accepts Vertex’s BLA for Povetacicept in IgA Nephropathy
• Positive Sentiment: Vertex will participate in the Goldman Sachs 47th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on June 10, with CEO Reshma Kewalramani scheduled for a fireside chat. Investors may view the event as an opportunity for management to discuss pipeline updates and long-term strategy. Vertex to Participate in the Goldman Sachs 47th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on June 10
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary suggests VRTX has been trading modestly above its last earnings level, with analysts debating whether the stock can keep advancing after its latest results. This is more of a valuation/expectations check than a direct catalyst. Vertex (VRTX) Up 0.2% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?
• Neutral Sentiment: Other articles highlighted that Vertex has recently underperformed the broader healthcare sector and that its shares have consolidated after a strong multi-year run. These pieces reflect investor debate around current valuation rather than a specific fundamental setback. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock: Is VRTX Underperforming the Healthcare Sector?

About Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc is a Boston-based biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapies for serious diseases. Founded in 1989, Vertex built its reputation on research-driven drug development and is best known for its work in cystic fibrosis (CF), where its portfolio of small-molecule CFTR modulators transformed standards of care for many people with the disease. The company operates research and development, manufacturing and commercial organizations and serves patients and healthcare systems in multiple international markets.

Vertex’s marketed products center on CFTR modulators that target the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis rather than just treating symptoms.