Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) EVP Mark Bunnage Sells 2,021 Shares

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) EVP Mark Bunnage sold 2,021 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $460.43, for a total value of $930,529.03. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 12,914 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,945,993.02. This represents a 13.53% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Price Performance

VRTX traded up $3.78 on Thursday, hitting $465.02. 1,816,913 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,542,259. The firm has a market capitalization of $117.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.79 and a beta of 0.30. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 12 month low of $362.50 and a 12 month high of $519.68. The business has a 50-day moving average of $459.11 and a two-hundred day moving average of $427.29.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The pharmaceutical company reported $5.03 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.05 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $3.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.18 billion. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 23.51% and a net margin of 31.35%. Equities research analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 15.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on VRTX shares. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $460.00 to $515.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Scotiabank began coverage on Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Thursday, November 13th. They set a “sector outperform” rating and a $495.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley set a $564.00 target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Friday, December 5th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $455.00 to $546.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $522.68.

Key Stories Impacting Vertex Pharmaceuticals

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 revenue and outlook: Vertex reported solid Q4 revenue (~$3.19B) with management forecasting 2026 revenue roughly in line with street expectations and reiterating growth from its cystic fibrosis portfolio and newer medicines — a near-term reassurance for revenue trajectory. Vertex Pharma forecasts 2026 revenue in-line, expects growth in cystic fibrosis treatments
• Positive Sentiment: Pipeline expansion: Vertex announced a partnership with WuXi to broaden its autoimmune program beyond cystic fibrosis — a strategic move that supports longer-term growth expectations and analyst bullishness on pipeline upside. Vertex Partners With WuXi To Broaden Autoimmune Pipeline Beyond Cystic Fibrosis
• Neutral Sentiment: Guidance roughly in line: The company updated FY‑2026 revenue guidance to about $13.0–13.1B (in line with consensus); EPS guidance details were limited in the release, leaving investors focused on execution rather than a big surprise. Vertex Q4 press release / slides
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst momentum/valuation coverage: Multiple analysts maintain bullish price targets (median target near $545), and commentary that VRTX is a long‑term momentum/valuation story likely helped sentiment despite mixed line‑items. Why Vertex is a Top Momentum Stock for the Long-Term
• Negative Sentiment: Small EPS miss and mixed beat: Reported EPS was $5.03 (slightly below consensus ~$5.05–5.07) — a modest disappointment even as revenue was essentially in-line/solid; some outlets noted the stock dipped on the headline EPS number. Vertex Q4 Earnings Miss Estimates (Zacks)
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Several senior executives (multiple EVPs and the CAO) sold shares around Feb. 11 — a visible round of insider selling that can concern some investors even if sales may be routine or for diversification. QuiverQuant summary including insider trades

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of VRTX. Chesapeake Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 110.0% during the third quarter. Chesapeake Asset Management LLC now owns 63 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Access Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Colonial Trust Co SC increased its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 118.8% in the 3rd quarter. Colonial Trust Co SC now owns 70 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Swiss RE Ltd. bought a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the second quarter valued at approximately $29,000. 90.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.