Zacks Research Lowers VRTX Q3 Earnings Forecast

On March 3rd, 2025, investment analysts at Zacks Research revised their earnings per share (EPS) projections for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) for the third quarter of 2026. In their research note, analyst R. Department now anticipates that Vertex will generate earnings of $4.13 per share, a slight decrease from the previous estimate of $4.15. In addition, the consensus forecast for the company's overall earnings for the current fiscal year stands at $15.63 per share, while Zacks has also forecasted the earnings for fiscal year 2027 to be $17.79 per share.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals recently reported its earnings on February 10th, revealing an EPS of $3.54 for the quarter. This figure fell short of the consensus estimate of $3.99 by $0.45, reflecting challenges in the company's financial performance. The company also exhibited a negative return on equity of 2.02% and a net margin of -4.86%, highlighting potential areas of concern for investors.

Other investment analysts have provided various outlooks for Vertex Pharmaceuticals recently. Morgan Stanley increased its price target for the stock from $450.00 to $459.00, maintaining an “equal weight” rating. Meanwhile, Citigroup initiated its coverage on the company with a “buy” rating, setting a price target of $575.00. Conversely, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Vertex from a “buy” to a “hold” rating. Canaccord Genuity Group upgraded its rating from “sell” to “hold” and adjusted their price target from $408.00 to $424.00, while Bank of America lowered its price target from $545.00 to $522.00, reaffirming a “buy” rating. Currently, 11 analysts rate the stock as a hold, with 15 suggesting to buy, and one analyst assigning a strong buy rating. Data from MarketBeat indicates that Vertex Pharmaceuticals holds a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” with a target price of $506.70.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

As of Wednesday, Vertex Pharmaceuticals' stock opened at $485.72. It has shown a 50-day moving average of $446.68 and a 200-day moving average of $461.50. With a market capitalization of $124.73 billion, the stock possesses a P/E ratio of -220.78, a price-to-earnings-growth (PEG) ratio of 2.11, and a beta of 0.41. The company’s debt-to-equity ratio stands at 0.01, with a quick ratio of 2.35 and a current ratio of 2.69. Over the last year, the stock has seen a low of $377.85 and a high of $519.88.

Institutional Trading Activity

Recent trading activity among institutional investors reveals a mix of increasing and decreasing positions in VRTX. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC increased its stake by 6.5%, now holding 475 shares valued at $223,000. Intact Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake worth approximately $326,000. Additionally, PDS Planning Inc. boosted its holdings by 3.3% to own 842 shares valued at $392,000. FSM Wealth Advisors LLC also took a new position worth around $204,000. Notably, ASB Consultores LLC enhanced its holdings by 20.6%, bringing its total to 953 shares valued at $443,000. Overall, institutional investors control about 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In recent insider activity, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 244 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals on February 18th at an average price of $455.06, totaling $111,034.64. Following this transaction, Tatsis retained ownership of 67,695 shares valued at approximately $30.8 million. This sale represents a 0.36% reduction in Tatsis’ ownership stake. There have been a total of 1,084 insider shares sold over the past ninety days, amounting to $505,512. Currently, corporate insiders own around 0.20% of the company's stock.

About Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated is a biotechnology firm that is focused on developing and commercializing therapies for cystic fibrosis. The company markets several products, including TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO, which is used for treating individuals with cystic fibrosis who have at least one F508del mutation, approved for ages as young as 2 years. Other products include SYMDEKO/SYMKEVI for individuals 6 years or older, ORKAMBI for those aged 1 year or older, and KALYDECO for patients 1 year and older with cystic fibrosis who can benefit from ivacaftor.

Earnings, Pharmaceuticals, Forecast