Analysts are fairly divided on Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX -3.15%). The biotech's shares are currently trading at $546, but price targets range from $350 to $672. Analysts at Goldman Sachs are comfortably in the bull camp. Not only does the bank have a "buy" rating and a $653 price target on the stock, but it also recently added Vertex Pharmaceuticals to its highest-conviction list. Should investors be equally excited about Vertex's prospects? Let's discuss the bull case for the drugmaker.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Vertex's expanding portfolio Vertex's strategy is simple. The company develops innovative medicines for diseases with high unmet needs, particularly (though not always) rare conditions. There are advantages and disadvantages to this approach. On the one hand, Vertex's addressable opportunity within some areas can be small. However, the company also faces less competition than it would in larger, more competitive markets. Vertex currently generates most of its revenue from its drugs that treat cystic fibrosis (CF), a rare disease that causes thick, sticky mucus to form in the lungs, disrupting breathing, trapping germs and bacteria, and leading to chronic infections.
CF patients need to take Vertex's treatments indefinitely, and since the company has virtually no competition, it benefits from tremendous pricing power. The result is a core CF business that generates consistent revenue and earnings and could continue to do so until Vertex's most important drugs lose patent exclusivity in the late 2030s. Though it is always possible that another biotech will develop a competing therapy, none has done so yet, and it isn't for lack of trying.
Still, Vertex has been seeking to diversify its lineup to mitigate the risk posed by competition to its prospects. It has had limited success so far. Newer launches like Casgevy, a gene-editing medicine that treats two rare blood diseases, and Journavx, a therapy for acute pain, have not yet generated significant revenue. But Vertex still has an attractive pipeline, which has recently become even more compelling following an acquisition. Vertex recently bought out Crinetics Pharmaceuticals for $10 billion in cash.
Premium Feature
Moneyball Superscore
90/100
Today's Change
(
-3.15
%) $
-17.22
Current Price
$
528.90
The company's portfolio now features Palsonify, a medicine approved last year for acromegaly, a rare disorder that causes patients' bones and organs to grow larger than normal, leading to various health problems. Vertex also inherited atumelnant through the acquisition. Atumelnant is an investigational medicine in phase 3 clinical trials for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a rare, genetic hormonal disease. Vertex estimates that Palsonify and atumelnant could generate more than $5 billion in combined peak sales.
The important thing here is that the company is casting a wide net. Between Casgevy, Journavx, and Palsonify, its portfolio of approved products is slowly expanding beyond CF, and there is a good chance it will add povetacicept to that list by year-end. Povetacicept is an investigational medicine for IgA nephropathy for which Vertex has requested regulatory approval in the U.S.
Vertex should make clinical progress elsewhere, too. The company's pipeline also includes inaxaplin, a potential medicine for APOL-1-mediated kidney disease. It boasts additional assets in phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials, too. That's in addition to its rock-solid CF portfolio that still has a solid growth runway.
A table-pounding buy Vertex Pharmaceuticals' revenue growth has slowed in recent years as it has achieved deeper penetration within its core CF market.
VRTX Revenue (Quarterly) data by YCharts
But top-line growth should jump as Journavx and Casgevy start generating more revenue (the latter recently earned an important label expansion), and it launches brand-new medicines across several therapeutic areas. There is always the risk of clinical and regulatory setbacks.
And some other pharmaceutical company might still launch competing CF therapies. But Vertex now has a large and diversified pipeline that helps mitigate these risks. Even the occasional clinical trial failure (and Vertex has experienced several in recent years) shouldn't be catastrophic for its prospects. For all those reasons, Vertex is also among my highest-conviction holdings. Long-term investors should seriously consider purchasing this stock.
The biotech industry is experiencing a strong rebound in 2026 after lagging the market in recent years. Based on several ongoing developments -- including breakthroughs in oncology and chronic weight management -- we may see a sustained run from the industry over the next few years. Even if we don't, several individual biotech companies look like strong medium-term options right now, including Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX -2.25%) and Regeneron (REGN -1.88%). There is a lot to like about both of these drugmakers, but which one is the better buy? Let's find out.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Vertex's core area is the backbone of a healthy business Vertex Pharmaceuticals doesn't have a long list of products like many of its similarly sized peers in the biotech industry. That's because it doesn't need to. The company famously dominates the market for cystic fibrosis (CF) drugs, a rare disease that causes difficulty breathing and recurrent infections.
Vertex makes consistent revenue and earnings thanks to its portfolio in this field. There is always the risk that another drugmaker will launch competing medicines and challenger Vertex. But so far, no one has been able to. Sionna Therapeutics (SION +5.93%), a small-cap biotech, recently added yet another name to the long list of candidates that have tried -- and failed -- to challenge Vertex's core franchise.
Premium Feature
Moneyball Superscore
89/100
Today's Change
(
-2.25
%) $
-12.57
Current Price
$
545.39
Here's the best part. Vertex Pharmaceuticals won't lose patent exclusivity for its most important CF products until the late 2030s. In the meantime, the company is diversifying its lineup. It has earned approval for Journavx, a non-opioid medicine for acute pain, and Casgevy, a gene-editing therapy for two rare diseases.
It should also earn approval for povetacicept, a drug for IgA nephropathy (a kidney disease), by the end of November. Further, Vertex has several promising mid and late-stage candidates. As the company continues to generate significant sales in its core area and launches new products, it could deliver solid returns.
Regeneron's rebound is in full swing Regeneron faced some challenges a couple of years ago due to biosimilar competition for Eylea, a medicine for several eye-related disorders that was one of its main growth drivers. However, the company has largely moved past that headwind thanks to a new, higher-dose (HD) version of Eylea that can be administered fewer times per year. The convenience of the new formulation is attracting many patients. Sales of the original Eylea are still dropping, but Eylea HD is making up for that.
Elsewhere, Regeneron's most important growth driver is Dupixent, a medicine for COPD and eczema that it co-markets with Sanofi (SNY -0.24%). This therapy continues to post solid sales growth. Although it could lose patent exclusivity in the U.S. in 2031, Regeneron and Sanofi plan to extend its patent life, notably by developing an HD version, just as Regeneron did with Eylea.
Premium Feature
Moneyball Superscore
75/100
Today's Change
(
-1.88
%) $
-15.82
Current Price
$
827.65
Regeneron also has several attractive pipeline candidates. Perhaps the most important are in the weight loss area. Regeneron is developing olatorepatide, a dual GLP-1 and GIP agonist that posted excellent phase 3 clinical trial results in China. Regeneron also has a highly differentiated weight loss medicine it is developing to help patients maintain muscle mass while they lose weight on GLP-1 drugs. Since the weight-loss market is one of the fastest-growing segments in the industry, investors should closely monitor Regeneron's progress. Between the drugmaker's current approved portfolio and pipeline, the future looks bright.
My view is that Vertex Pharmaceuticals is the better buy between the two, even though Regeneron typically generates higher revenue. Here's why.
VRTX Revenue (Quarterly) data by YCharts
First, Vertex edges Regeneron when we consider margins and free cash flow.
VRTX Gross Profit Margin (Quarterly) data by YCharts
Second, Vertex's core business has a much stronger competitive advantage. It has been defending its lead in the CF market for years, is still basically the only game in town, and benefits from substantial pricing power as a result. Dupixent is also a strong performer, but it operates in a much more competitive space, as does Eylea.
Third, although Regeneron's weight-loss candidates look promising, a clinical setback will significantly depress the stock price. And the company's strategy over the next decade also depends a lot on its ability to defend its Dupixent empire, which will be challenging.
Of note, even with Eylea HD's success, Regeneron faces stiff competition in this niche from Vabysmo, a medicine with overlapping indications and a friendlier dosing schedule than the original Eylea. Similarly, breakthroughs in immunology could pose a major challenge to Regeneron's long-term plans, even if it manages to extend Dupixent's patent life.
Meanwhile, Vertex's diversification plans are well underway, and it should make substantial progress over the next couple of years. Vertex isn't going after the weight-loss market (at least not yet). Instead, it is mostly targeting smaller areas with high unmet needs, where it will face little competition. Its success in the CF market shows the potential of this strategy. That's another reason Vertex is a better option.
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Sept. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vertex, Inc. (NASDAQ:VERX), the Decision-to-Defense™ global indirect tax and compliance company, today announced that Chris Young, President and Chief Executive Officer, and John Schwab, Chief Financial Officer, will participate in a fireside chat at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 1:05 PM Pacific Time.
A live webcast and replay of the presentation will be available on Vertex’s investor relations website at ir.vertex.com.
About Vertex
Vertex is the Decision-to-Defense™ global indirect tax and compliance company. Vertex helps enterprises bring control to indirect tax and compliance across the full transaction lifecycle — from tax determination and e-invoicing through reporting, filing, and audit defense — to make outcomes easier to prove and improve over time. Trusted by more than 60% of the Fortune 500, Vertex combines decades of tax expertise, deep global tax and compliance knowledge, and embedded integrations to help organizations operate globally with confidence. With headquarters in North America and offices in South America and Europe, Vertex's purpose is to ensure businesses and communities thrive through trusted transactions.
For more information, visit www.vertexinc.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn; or subscribe on YouTube.
Investor Relations contact:
Joe Crivelli
Vertex, Inc. [email protected]
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced the successful completion of the acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRNX), a global pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for endocrine diseases. Vertex also announced the expansion of its executive leadership team, in support of the Company's continued growth and diversification. Completion of Acquisition of Crinetic.
Key Takeaways Vertex Pharmaceuticals' stock gained 15.4% in a month after strong results and higher 2026 guidance.Alyftrek is boosting CF sales, while Journavx and Casgevy are gaining traction as non-CF products.Povetacicept and other renal candidates could diversify revenues, with potential approvals in 2026 and 2027. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX - Free Report) stock has risen 15.4% in a month, driven mainly by strong second-quarter results, higher 2026 guidance, growing confidence in its post-cystic fibrosis (CF) growth story and renewed optimism around its renal pipeline.
Vertex reported second-quarter revenues of $3.33 billion, up 12% year over year, and raised its full-year revenue outlook to $13.1-$13.2 billion from $12.95-$13.1 billion previously. Earnings of $4.73 per share rose around 5% year over year.
Let's take a closer look at these factors to assess the key drivers behind VRTX's recent rally and determine how investors should approach the stock after its strong price gain.
Consistent Rise in VRTX’s CF Product SalesVertex holds a leadership position in the CF market. With its five CF medicines, Vertex can treat nearly 95% of all people living with CF in core markets. Demand for its CF therapies continues to grow, as the company expands access globally and wins approvals in younger patient populations. Meanwhile, Vertex does not face any near-term headwinds from LOE or increased competition for its CF therapies.
Its CF products generated revenues of $6.1 billion in the first half of 2026, up 8.4% year over year, driven by Trikafta/Kaftrio as well as increasing contribution from Alyftrek, a next-in-class triple combination regimen and Vertex’s fifth and newest CF medicine.
Alyftrek continues to outperform expectations and generated sales worth $573.6 million in the second quarter, up 35% on a sequential basis. The rollout of Alyftrek in the United States and Europe is progressing well across all patient groups. The drug surpassed $1 billion in cumulative global revenues in the first half of 2026. Alyftrek’s once-daily dosing and improved sweat chloride profile continue to resonate with patients and doctors.
Vertex is also conducting studies to expand the labels of Alyftrek and Trikafta to additional mutations as well as to younger patients. Vertex recently began global regulatory filings for Alyftrek in children with cystic fibrosis aged 2 to 5 years.
Vertex expects incremental patients from the label expansions for Alyftrek and Trikafta, along with launches of Alyftrek in additional geographies and for treating younger patients, to drive CF growth through the rest of the year.
VRTX’s New Non-CF Drugs Show Strong Growth PotentialThe uptake of Vertex’s newly launched non-CF products, Journavx and Casgevy, was slower than expected in 2025. However, their sales are gradually picking up in 2026.
Journavx, a novel non-opioid pain medicine (suzetrigine), approved last year, has drawn significant investor attention because of the large unmet need for safer pain therapies amid the opioid crisis. Though Journavx’s sales have been slow since launch, its launch metrics and early reimbursement progress look positive. Vertex expects both sales and prescriptions to more than triple in 2026 versus 2025, reflecting the drug’s expanding market access and growing adoption. Journavx generated $49.6 million in sales in the second quarter, up 71% on a sequential basis, backed by strong underlying prescription growth.
Vertex and partner CRISPR Therapeutics’ (CRSP - Free Report) one-shot gene therapy, Casgevy, was approved for two blood disorders, sickle cell disease (SCD) and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia (TDT), in multiple regions in late 2023/early 2024. Vertex leads the global development and commercialization of Casgevy under the terms of the 2021 agreement with support from CRISPR Therapeutics.
Casgevy’s sales were $76.4 million in the second quarter, up 78% on a sequential basis and 151% on a year-over-year basis due to an increase in patient infusions. Casgevy recorded more than 100 patient initiations in the second quarter as the launch continues to progress. First-half 2026 infusions have already exceeded the total for 2025, supported by improved reimbursement and growing patient uptake across key markets. Vertex is also making rapid progress in the drug’s access and reimbursement. In July, the FDA approved Casgevy for expanded use in pediatric patients 2 years and older with TDT and SCD.
The company expects non-CF products to generate revenues of $500 million plus in 2026, representing year-over-year growth of around 185%, driven by growing Casgevy infusions and a meaningful ramp in Journavx prescriptions and revenues.
Vertex’s Expanding Renal Pipeline Could Diversify GrowthWhile Vertex’s main focus is on the development and strengthening of its CF franchise, the company also has a rapidly advancing mid - to late-stage pipeline in other disease areas beyond CF, like acute and neuropathic pain, APOL1-mediated kidney disease (AMKD), IgA nephropathy (IgAN), primary membranous nephropathy (pMN) and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD).
Many of these candidates represent multibillion-dollar opportunities. Many of these programs are in pivotal development, setting the stage for several potential regulatory filings in 2026 and early 2027, and potential new drug approvals in a couple of years.
Vertex’s candidates for kidney diseases are capturing investor attention. In kidney diseases, key pipeline candidates are VX-407 for ADPKD, inaxaplin for AMKD and povetacicept for IgAN and pMN. It is believed that povetacicept and inaxaplin represent significant commercial opportunities.
Povetacicept was added to Vertex’s portfolio from the Alpine acquisition in 2024. Vertex believes povetacicept has pipeline-in-a-product potential for B-cell-mediated diseases. Povetacicept is designed to target two proteins, namely BAFF and APRIL, which are jointly responsible for the cause of multiple serious autoimmune diseases. In June 2026, the FDA accepted the regulatory filing seeking approval for povetacicept for IgAN. A final decision from the FDA is expected on Nov. 30, 2026. If approved, povetacicept would become Vertex's first commercialized nephrology product. Positive commercial progress of a competitor, Otsuka's IgAN therapy Voyxact, launched in 2025, has increased investor confidence in the IgAN market’s commercial opportunities.
Vertex is also conducting a pivotal phase II/III study of povetacicept for a second potential renal indication, pMN. Vertex is also conducting a phase II study on povetacicept for the treatment of gMG.
Vertex expects its kidney portfolio to become a significant growth driver over the next several years and diversify the company’s revenue streams.
However, Vertex has faced regular pipeline setbacks. In 2026, Vertex ended the phase I/II clinical study on mRNA therapeutic VX-522 in CF, after observing persistent tolerability issues in the study. Vertex was developing VX-522 in partnership with Moderna (MRNA - Free Report) .
VRTX’s Price, Valuation and EstimatesVertex stock has risen 22.0% so far this year, outperforming the industry’s 17.9% growth.
VRTX Stock Outperforms IndustryImage Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, Vertex is slightly expensive. Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 27.52 forward earnings, higher than 19.44 for the industry. The stock is also trading above its five-year mean of 25.23.
VRTX Stock ValuationImage Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings has declined from $19.17 per share to $19.01 over the past 30 days, while that for 2027 has deteriorated from $20.97 per share to $20.66 per share over the same time frame.
VRTX Estimate MovementImage Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stay Invested in VRTX StockThe company has its share of headwinds like heavy dependence on the CF franchise, regular pipeline setbacks, intensifying competition as well as the risky nature of its non-CF pipeline programs.
However, Vertex dominates the CF market with drugs like Trikafta/Alyftrek and boasts a breakthrough non-CF pipeline. Vertex’s investment case has strengthened materially because the company is gradually transitioning from being predominantly a CF story toward a multi-pillar growth company.
In July 2026, Vertex agreed to acquire Crinetics Pharmaceuticals for about $10 billion, gaining Palsonify, its once-daily oral treatment for acromegaly. The acquisition will further diversify Vertex’s portfolio, adding rare endocrine diseases, which have high unmet need, as its fifth pillar. Vertex believes that Crinetics’ two lead assets, Palsonify and lead pipeline candidate atumelnant, together represent a peak sales opportunity of about $5 billion.
We believe Vertex is a good stock to have in one’s portfolio, considering its strong overall financial performance and robust pipeline progress. Vertex faces minimal competition in the CF franchise, which gives it pricing power. Vertex expects that both Casgevy and Journavx can become multibillion-dollar products in the long term. Long-term investors may retain this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock for now. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced management participation in four upcoming investor conferences. Susie Lisa, Senior Vice President of Investor Relations and Manisha Pai, Executive Director of Investor Relations, will participate in a fireside chat at the Wells Fargo 21st Annual Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. EDT. Susie Lisa and Manisha Pai will also participate in a fireside chat at the 2026 Cantor G.
Explore the exciting world of Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX +1.44%) with our contributing expert analysts in this Motley Fool Scoreboard episode. Check out the video below to gain valuable insights into market trends and potential investment opportunities!
*Stock prices used were the prices of June 17, 2026. The video was published on Aug. 21, 2026.
Anand Chokkavelu has positions in Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Dan Caplinger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Rick Munarriz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX -2.14%) has dominated the cystic fibrosis (CF) drug market -- where it has a virtual monopoly -- since it launched its first medicine in this field in 2012. As a result, it has performed extremely well over this period. However, the bears argue that because the biotech generates almost all of its sales from this therapeutic area, its business would crumble once it faces competition. And many thought that day was getting closer, as Sionna Therapeutics (SION -11.68%) seemed to be developing potentially better CF drugs. But recent developments have proved once again why Vertex won't easily lose its lead in its core market. Here's what investors need to know.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Sionna's leading candidate flops First, some background on CF. The disease is caused by mutations in the CFTR gene, which produces a defective CFTR protein. Vertex Pharmaceuticals' medicines can significantly improve CFTR function, but even with these drugs, most patients don't achieve normal CFTR protein function. Sionna Therapeutics is trying to change that. The company's medicines could stabilize CFTR function in most patients, at least that's what the company argues. But Sionna recently hit a roadblock.
Today's Change
(
-11.68
%) $
-0.73
Current Price
$
5.52
The company reported phase 2 clinical trial results for one of its leading candidates, SION-719. In this study, SION-719 was being investigated as a potential add-on treatment to Vertex's Trikafta. Unfortunately, SION-719 did not achieve its activity endpoint in the trial, sending Sionna Therapeutics' stock down by about 90% overnight. This episode made at least some Wall Street analysts much more bullish on Vertex's outlook.
What this means for Vertex's prospects Sionna Therapeutics isn't giving up. The company has other pipeline candidates it is still working on. However, this setback once again highlights how challenging it is to develop novel, effective therapies for CF. Sionna Therapeutics isn't the first to fail. AbbVie (ABBV -1.56%), a pharmaceutical leader, abandoned its CF goals several years ago after multiple failures. It seems Vertex Pharmaceuticals is the only one that has cracked the code. After launching its first CF product in 2012, it earned approval for several others.
The company's latest launch in this field, Alyftrek, can be taken once daily -- versus twice a day for the one before that. And Vertex's Trikafta and Alyftrek can now target about 95% of CF patients, whereas some of the therapies it had launched before targeted a much smaller subset of this population.
Today's Change
(
-2.14
%) $
-11.80
Current Price
$
540.26
In other words, Vertex Pharmaceuticals has significantly improved its CF portfolio over time, thereby expanding its addressable market and achieving better patient outcomes. The company has had setbacks in this field, too. But it has had enough successes to continue launching new drugs and post strong financial results. There are still other biotech companies developing potential competing CF medicines, but don't hold your breath for anyone to successfully challenge Vertex anytime soon.
So, the company could continue to deliver consistent financial results from this business until its most important drugs lose patent exclusivity in the late 2030s. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has also launched newer medicines in other fields. For instance, the company's Casgevy, a gene editing medicine for two rare blood diseases -- sickle cell disease (SCD) and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia (TDT) -- first earned approval in 2023. Vertex Pharmaceuticals developed this drug with CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -2.83%). Casgevy hasn't generated much in sales yet, partly because gene-editing therapies are expensive and complicated to administer.
However, Vertex has ramped up third-party coverage for it, and it recently earned a label expansion for Casgevy for patients as young as two. This regulatory win meaningfully expands the medicine's addressable market by allowing it to treat patients before they have had substantial health problems due to TDT and SCD. Vertex's Journavx, another relatively new launch, could also eventually be highly successful as it gives patients a non-opioid option to treat acute pain. Lastly, Vertex should earn additional brand-new approvals in the next few years, further improving its portfolio. The company's dominance in CF and diversification efforts make the stock an attractive pick.
The past couple of years have been volatile for Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX -2.07%). Between clinical setbacks and worse-than-expected financial results, the company has sometimes disappointed investors. However, Vertex has always bounced back, and it recently hit a new all-time high, though it has since receded from that. Even so, the future is bright for the drugmaker. Here is why there is plenty more upside ahead.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
The core business is still strong
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is best known for developing medicines that treat cystic fibrosis (CF), an area where it has no meaningful competition. Some investors worry that this might change soon, as several drugmakers are looking to launch competing CF medicines. Sionna Therapeutics, a much smaller biotech company, has an entire pipeline dedicated to that. Other companies are also on this trail, including Krystal Biotech.
However, for now, Vertex continues to dominate this field and generate significant revenue and earnings. In the second quarter, the company's sales came in at $3.33 billion, up 12% year over year. Vertex's earnings per share were $4.31, about 8% higher than the year-ago period. Potential competition in the CF area poses a significant risk to the company, given that CF revenue totaled $3.2 billion during the period. But it's not the first time that Vertex has faced this risk. Many previous attempts to challenge the company in CF have failed.
Several years ago, AbbVie (ABBV -0.54%), a pharmaceutical giant, gave up on challenging Vertex Pharmaceuticals after its leading CF programs flopped in clinical trials.
We can now add one of Sionna's leading candidates, which recently failed a mid-stage study, to that list. Meanwhile, Vertex has launched new medicines outside its core area in recent years. The company expects $500 million in non-CF revenue in 2026 -- that's not that significant, but Vertex's non-CF business should start ramping up. Vertex's Casgevy, a gene editing medicine for a pair of rare blood-related conditions, recently earned a label expansion and is now indicated to treat children as young as two. Journavx, the company's non-opioid treatment for acute pain, could also earn label expansions.
Today's Change
(
-2.07
%) $
-10.69
Current Price
$
505.75
Vertex's diversification efforts
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is racing toward the approval of povetacicept, an investigational medicine for IgA nephropathy, a kidney disease. The medicine completed a phase 3 study earlier this year and could get the nod from U.S. regulators by the end of November. Povetacicept may earn label expansions beyond that, too. The therapy could, eventually, meaningfully contribute to Vertex's financial results. Analysts estimate that it will generate well over $1 billion in annual sales at its peak.
Vertex has other promising pipeline candidates, including inaxaplin, which it is developing for APOL1-mediated kidney disease. Furthermore, the company has recently expanded its pipeline. Last month, Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced the acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (CRNX +0.31%), a smaller biotech, for about $10 billion in cash. Crinetics' portfolio includes Palsonify, a medicine for acromegaly, a rare hormonal disease that can cause bones to get bigger, and may be life-threatening.
Crinetics also has promising pipeline candidates across other hormonal conditions. Vertex estimates that Crinetics' entire portfolio could generate $5 billion in peak sales. It may not be quite that successful, but Vertex Pharmaceuticals is casting a broad net, with multiple candidates across several therapeutic areas and clinical trial phases. The company's diversification efforts should eventually succeed, allowing it to mitigate the risk posed by another drugmaker's potential launch of CF medicines. So, the stock hasn't peaked yet.
Vertex could deliver solid returns over the next five years and beyond as its financial results improve, driven by new launches in CF and elsewhere. Investors should stick with the stock.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Aug. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vertex, Inc. (NASDAQ:VERX) (“Vertex” or the “Company”), the Decision-to-Defense™ global indirect tax and compliance company, today released its 2026 Mid-Year U.S. Sales Tax Rates and Rules Report, revealing that the combined average U.S. sales tax rate climbed for the first time in four years to reach a 10-year high of 10.1881%.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX +2.39%) has dominated the market for cystic fibrosis (CF) medicines since it earned approval for its first drug in this niche in 2012. To this day, most of the company's revenue comes from its CF franchise. In the second quarter, Vertex posted $3.33 billion in revenue, representing a 12% year-over-year increase. CF-related sales were $3.2 billion. If Vertex faces stiff competition in this field, the company will lose some of its pricing power, resulting in significantly lower revenue and earnings. And many analysts fear that may happen soon, given the progress Sionna Therapeutics (SION +2.83%), a clinical-stage biotech, is making. Should investors be worried about Vertex Pharmaceuticals' prospects?
Image source: The Motley Fool.
David vs. Goliath Vertex Pharmaceuticals is worth almost $123 billion, compared to Sionna's $2.2 billion. But the smaller biotech has made it its mission to disrupt the CF drug market. Sionna focuses entirely on this area. To understand why many people are taking Sionna seriously, let's first review what causes CF. A misfolded CFTR protein -- which normally helps keep mucus in the lungs thin -- is behind this rare disease. It leads to thick, sticky mucus that clogs the airways, disrupts breathing, and traps germs and bacteria, contributing to recurrent infections.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals' products work by significantly improving the shape and function of the CFTR protein, leading to much improved symptoms. However, the underlying genetic mutation remains. That's where Sionna Therapeutics comes in. The company argues that its approach could help restore the CFTR protein's normal function, something Vertex's medicines do not achieve for most people with CF. If Sionna Therapeutics can be successful, we are looking at a large addressable market. Vertex generates over $12 billion in annual revenue, and many CF patients will switch to Sionna's drugs if they are as effective as it claims. So, investors are right to be worried about Vertex's future.
Should you forget Vertex? Before selling Vertex's shares and putting your money in Sionna Therapeutics, there are several things to remember. First, this won't be the first time a company tries to challenge Vertex's dominance in CF. The list of drugmakers that have sought to dip their toes in this market even includes pharmaceutical giants like AbbVie. But so far, they have all failed, and Vertex remains the only game in town.
That's no guarantee that Sionna will also fall short, but developing CF medicines has proved incredibly challenging. That's an important factor to remember. Second, Sionna Therapeutics' most advanced programs are still in phase 2 studies. It will be a while before the company can prove in late-stage clinical trials that its approach is as effective as it claims. And that's if it gets that far. There is always the possibility that Sionna will experience clinical setbacks along the way.
Today's Change
(
2.39
%) $
11.57
Current Price
$
495.60
Third, Vertex Pharmaceuticals has worked hard to diversify its portfolio. Its success has been somewhat limited so far, in fairness. The company's approved lineup now features Casgevy, a gene editing medicine for two rare blood disorders, and Journavx, a treatment for acute pain. Neither is generating meaningful revenue yet, but their sales should ramp up over the next couple of years. Further, Vertex should earn approval for other candidates that may perform better.
The company submitted an application to U.S. regulators for povetacicept, an investigational drug for IgA nephropathy (a kidney disease). It could be approved by the end of November. Vertex boasts several other pipeline candidates that could make a dent in its financial results down the line. It recently announced the $10 billion acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (CRNX -0.05%), which will add an approved product to its portfolio and a promising pipeline candidate being developed to treat a rare genetic condition called congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
This will help diversify Vertex's business. Besides, the company is still developing newer CF drugs. What does all this mean? Sionna Therapeutics' work is a risk to Vertex's future. However, the leader in the CF market remains so for now, boasts a deep pipeline, and should have a much broader, more diversified portfolio within a few years. Vertex Pharmaceuticals remains an attractive stock to buy and hold for the long term.
Growth stocks are attractive to many investors, as above-average financial growth helps these stocks easily grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. However, it isn't easy to find a great growth stock.
By their very nature, these stocks carry above-average risk and volatility. Moreover, if a company's growth story is over or nearing its end, betting on it could lead to significant loss.
However, the task of finding cutting-edge growth stocks is made easy with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.
Vertex (VERX - Free Report) is on the list of such stocks currently recommended by our proprietary system. In addition to a favorable Growth Score, it carries a top Zacks Rank.
Studies have shown that stocks with the best growth features consistently outperform the market. And for stocks that have a combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), returns are even better.
While there are numerous reasons why the stock of this company is a great growth pick right now, we have highlighted three of the most important factors below:
Earnings GrowthArguably nothing is more important than earnings growth, as surging profit levels is what most investors are after. And for growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is definitely preferable, and often an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.
While the historical EPS growth rate for Vertex is 31.2%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 27.1% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 23.9%.
Impressive Asset Utilization RatioAsset utilization ratio -- also known as sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio -- is often overlooked by investors, but it is an important indicator in growth investing. This metric exhibits how efficiently a firm is utilizing its assets to generate sales.
Right now, Vertex has an S/TA ratio of 0.64, which means that the company gets $0.64 in sales for each dollar in assets. Comparing this to the industry average of 0.62, it can be said that the company is more efficient.
While the level of efficiency in generating sales matters a lot, so does the sales growth of a company. And Vertex is well positioned from a sales growth perspective too. The company's sales are expected to grow 10.5% this year versus the industry average of 8.1%.
Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsSuperiority of a stock in terms of the metrics outlined above can be further validated by looking at the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is of course favorable here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
There have been upward revisions in current-year earnings estimates for Vertex. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 4.2% over the past month.
Bottom LineWhile the overall earnings estimate revisions have made Vertex a Zacks Rank #2 stock, it has earned itself a Growth Score of A based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
This combination positions Vertex well for outperformance, so growth investors may want to bet on it.
A banner Tuesday for U.S. stocks was also a prosperous one for Vertex Pharmaceuticals' (VRTX +1.70%) shares. The company reported encouraging, if not spectacular, quarterly results, and investors bought into it sufficiently to push it to a nearly 2% gain that trading session.
A small dose of bullishness Vertex unveiled its second-quarter results after market close on Monday, hence the following day's mildly positive investor reaction.
Image source: Getty Images.
This wasn't due to erosion in the fundamentals. The pharmaceutical company's revenue was $3.33 billion, up 12% year over year on sales of the company's cystic fibrosis (CF) drugs, and its diversification into new disease areas.
Regarding geography, Vertex's U.S. sales rose by 11% to $2.06 billion; the company attributed this, again, to CF drugs, plus sales of the sickle-cell disease treatment Casgevy and the moderate-to-severe pain medication Journavx.
As for the bottom line, Vertex's net income, not under generally accepted accounting principles (non-GAAP, or adjusted), crept up by 3% to nearly $1.21 billion, or $4.73 per share.
The consensus analyst estimates were $3.22 billion in revenue and $4.72 per share for adjusted net income.
Vertex also raised its full-year 2026 guidance. It's now expecting revenue of $13.1 billion to $13.2 billion, up from the previous estimate of just under $13 billion to $13.1 billion. It did not provide a net income forecast.
Today's Change
(
1.70
%) $
7.99
Current Price
$
478.71
The Crinetics factor The big story with Vertex isn't its legacy business; it's the recent deal to acquire Crinetics Pharmaceuticals. In the second-quarter earnings release, Vertex said that its asset-to-be will give the company its fifth "pillar," i.e., therapeutic area, with Crinetics' focus on rare endocrine diseases.
"With this breadth of commercial and clinical opportunities, we look forward to bringing more medicines to more patients around the globe and in so doing, creating long-term value," Vertex quoted CEO Reshma Kewalramani as saying.
To me, the absorption of Crinetics will be the development to watch with Vertex. I think it was a smart and opportunistic deal that, while expensive at an enterprise value of $8.8 billion, could really give Vertex's business a lift if properly integrated.
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vertex Inc. (NASDAQ: VERX), the Decision-to-Defense™ global indirect tax and compliance company, today announced three additions to its leadership team to support its next phase of growth: Chatelle Lynch as Chief People Officer, Carlos Mercuriali as Senior Vice President and Regional Manager of Europe, and Bala Chandran as Chief Product and Technology Officer.
Vertex Inc (NASDAQ:VERX) reported upbeat earnings for the second quarter on Monday.
The company posted quarterly earnings of 20 cents per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of 19 cents per share. The company reported quarterly sales of $203.970 million which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $202.296 million.
Vertex said it sees third-quarter sales of $208.000 million-$211.000 million, versus market estimates of $211.696 million.
Vertex shares fell 2% to $13.13 in pre-market trading.
These analysts made changes to their price targets on Vertex following earnings announcement.
Considering buying VERX stock? Here’s what analysts think:
Photo via Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is executing a pivotal transition year, evolving from a CF-dominated biotech to a multi-franchise growth platform. 2Q26 revenue rose 12% to $3.33 billion, with strong CF performance and early scaling of Casgevy and Journvax supporting raised FY26 guidance to $13.1–$13.2 billion. VRTX is aggressively reinvesting in pipeline and commercial launches, leveraging a $13.6 billion cash position and diversifying with the Crinetics acquisition.
Vertex (VERX - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.2 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.19 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.15 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +5.26%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this company would post earnings of $0.16 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.17, delivering a surprise of +6.25%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.
Vertex, which belongs to the Zacks Internet - Software industry, posted revenues of $203.97 million for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.98%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $184.56 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Vertex shares have lost about 35.4% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 9.4%.
What's Next for Vertex?While Vertex has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Vertex was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.21 on $211.19 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $0.79 on $827.05 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Internet - Software is currently in the bottom 44% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Arteris, Inc. (AIP - Free Report) , another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 6.
This company is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.05 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +54.6%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 7.7% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.
Arteris, Inc.'s revenues are expected to be $23.45 million, up 42.1% from the year-ago quarter.
For the quarter ended June 2026, Vertex (VERX - Free Report) reported revenue of $203.97 million, up 10.5% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.20, compared to $0.15 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.98% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $202 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.19, the EPS surprise was +5.26%.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how Vertex performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Annual Recurring Revenue: $703.4 million compared to the $699.88 million average estimate based on four analysts.Net Revenue Retention Rate: 105% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 105%.Revenues- Services: $29.22 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $28.58 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +9.4%.Revenues- Software subscriptions: $174.75 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $173.47 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +10.7%.View all Key Company Metrics for Vertex here>>>
Shares of Vertex have returned +0.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Vertex’s Crinetics Deal Balances Growth with Integration RiskVertex Pharmaceuticals NASDAQ: VRTX reported second-quarter 2026 revenue growth of 12% year over year to $3.3 billion, driven by continued growth in its cystic fibrosis franchise and rising contributions from newer products CASGEVY and JOURNAVX.
Chief Executive Officer and President Reshma Kewalramani said the company made progress across commercial operations, clinical development and regulatory activities during the quarter. Vertex raised its full-year revenue guidance to $13.1 billion to $13.2 billion, while maintaining its expectation that non-cystic-fibrosis products will generate at least $500 million in 2026 revenue.
Get Vertex Pharmaceuticals alerts:
Cystic Fibrosis Franchise Continues to Expand CRISPR Therapeutics Gains After Earnings as Pipeline Hope GrowsGlobal cystic fibrosis revenue increased 11% from a year earlier, supported by uptake of ALYFTREK and continued performance from TRIKAFTA. Chief Commercial Officer Duncan McKechnie said ALYFTREK surpassed $1 billion in revenue during the first half of 2026.
In the U.S., ALYFTREK growth included patients new to therapy, patients returning to therapy and patients switching from TRIKAFTA. McKechnie said most ALYFTREK revenue continued to come from patients switching from TRIKAFTA. In Germany and the United Kingdom, more than one-third of eligible cystic fibrosis patients are now using ALYFTREK, according to the company.
How Royalty Pharma Prints Cash Without Biotech's Biggest RisksVertex has initiated global regulatory submissions for ALYFTREK in children ages 2 to 5 and is progressing submissions for TRIKAFTA in patients ages 1 to 2. The company expects data in the second half of 2026 from VX-828, its next-generation 3.0 CFTR modulator. Kewalramani said Vertex will advance future CF candidates only if they show potential to surpass ALYFTREK on measures including the number of patients reaching sweat chloride levels below 30 millimoles per liter, along with once-daily dosing and favorable drug-interaction properties.
CASGEVY and JOURNAVX Gain Momentum CASGEVY generated $76 million in second-quarter revenue, representing approximately 75% sequential growth and more than 150% growth from the prior year, McKechnie said. The company reported more CASGEVY infusions in the first half of 2026 than in all of 2025 and said the second quarter marked the third consecutive quarter with more than 100 patient initiations.
The FDA approved CASGEVY for children as young as 2 with sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia last month. Vertex said the approval came 53 days after filing and that its first pediatric patient had initiated therapy and completed cell collection. The company also cited reimbursement progress in Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and the Middle East.
JOURNAVX, Vertex’s treatment for moderate-to-severe acute pain, recorded $50 million in second-quarter revenue, up about 70% sequentially. Prescriptions rose approximately 45% sequentially to roughly 535,000 in the quarter, bringing first-half prescriptions to more than 900,000.
McKechnie said revenue benefited from channel inventory build following a first-quarter drawdown, adding that quarterly revenue may remain affected by wholesaler and retail buying patterns. The company said JOURNAVX is now included on about 1,400 hospital pathways and 130 integrated delivery network pathways. Vertex added approximately 18,000 healthcare professional prescribers during the quarter.
JOURNAVX has coverage for approximately 260 million of a potential 320 million lives, including 180 million lives with unrestricted access, Vertex said. The company expects gross-to-net deductions to normalize in the first half of 2027 as physician education and payer access improve.
Renal Pipeline and Povi Launch Preparation Vertex is preparing for a potential U.S. launch of povetacicept, or Povi, in immunoglobulin A nephropathy. The FDA accepted the biologics license application and set a Nov. 30 PDUFA date. Kewalramani said the company plans to present the full interim data set from the RAINIER Phase III trial at a fall medical conference.
Vertex has completed hiring its renal field force, with about 90% of representatives having nephrology experience, according to McKechnie. The company expects Povi to compete based on its efficacy profile, tolerability and once-monthly, low-volume at-home autoinjector administration.
In primary membranous nephropathy, the independent data monitoring committee selected an 80-milligram subcutaneous dose administered every four weeks for the Phase III portion of the OLYMPUS study. Vertex said the committee based the decision on efficacy data involving PLA2R, a disease biomarker, and safety data.
Vertex also expects results this fall from the AMPLIFIED Phase II basket study of inaxaplin in expanded populations with APOL1-mediated kidney disease. Enrollment in the pivotal AMPLITUDE study is expected to finish by year-end, with an interim analysis planned for early 2027. The company said the potential accelerated-approval filing pathway for AMPLITUDE would be based on the one-year estimated glomerular filtration rate endpoint.
Diabetes Program and Crinetics Deal Vertex resumed dosing in its zimislecel Phase I/II/III type 1 diabetes study following a voluntary pause for manufacturing analysis. The FDA also cleared the investigational new drug application for VX-017, a type O, or universal-donor, islet-cell therapy designed for patients of all blood types.
Kewalramani said VX-017 could expand the addressable market from about 60,000 to about 120,000 patients in the U.S. and Europe. Vertex expects to begin the VX-017 Phase I/II study in the near term and plans to provide updated type 1 diabetes development and commercialization plans later this year.
The company also expects its acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals to close in the third quarter. Vertex agreed to acquire Crinetics for approximately $8.8 billion net of cash acquired and expects to fund the transaction through cash and a $4.5 billion term loan. Vertex said the transaction is expected to become accretive to non-GAAP operating income in 2029 and would establish rare endocrine diseases as its fifth commercial pillar.
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Charles Wagner said Vertex ended the quarter with approximately $13.6 billion in cash and investments. Second-quarter non-GAAP earnings per share rose 5% year over year to $4.73. The company reiterated combined non-GAAP operating expense guidance of $5.65 billion to $5.75 billion, while now expecting to land at the high end of that range.
About Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX)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.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Should You Invest $1,000 in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Right Now?Before you consider Vertex Pharmaceuticals, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Vertex Pharmaceuticals wasn't on the list.
While Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
The AI wave will soon hit public markets with Anthropic and OpenAI set to go public later this year. However, you don't have to wait to invest. This report shows seven AI stocks that you can buy today while the big model providers get ready to go public.
Tax Software Specialist Vertex In Buy Zone After Base BreakoutVertex NASDAQ: VERX reported second-quarter revenue at the high end of its guidance range and raised its full-year adjusted EBITDA outlook, as the tax technology company cited cost discipline, stable customer retention and growing demand for e-invoicing solutions.
Revenue rose 10.5% year over year to $204 million, while adjusted EBITDA increased 33% to $51 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded by more than four percentage points from a year earlier to 25%, according to President and Chief Executive Officer Chris Young.
Get Vertex alerts:
3 Small Financial Software Makers Showing Strong Chart Action “Our second quarter results demonstrate two key points,” Young said. “First, the durability of the Vertex business. Second, we are beginning to translate greater operating focus and cost discipline into meaningful earnings leverage.”
Retention Remains Stable, While Expansion Needs Improvement Vertex reported gross revenue retention of 95% and net revenue retention of 105% for the second consecutive quarter. Young said those results reflect a durable installed base and the company’s position in mission-critical tax and compliance workflows.
Vertex Should Benefit From a Renewed Focus on GlobalizationHowever, he also acknowledged that expansion within the installed base and new-logo performance “are not yet at the level we expect.” Cloud conversions have moved more slowly than anticipated this year, affecting the company’s growth outlook for cloud revenue.
Chief Financial Officer John Schwab said the slower cloud-conversion pace is primarily a timing issue rather than a loss of revenue or customers. Customers are continuing to use Vertex products in subscription or on-premise deployments, but are taking longer to move workloads to the cloud.
Young said customers are increasingly operating in mixed environments, with some Vertex products deployed in the cloud and others remaining in legacy systems. He said customer IT priorities, ERP migration timing and internal planning cycles have affected the pace of those conversions.
E-Invoicing Activity Builds Ahead of European Mandates E-invoicing was among Vertex’s strongest areas of execution during the quarter, management said. Demand has been supported by approaching mandates in France and Germany, as well as broader customer interest in managing global compliance requirements.
Young said the company recorded several six-figure enterprise e-invoicing wins during the quarter, including a mid-six-figure expansion with an existing customer related to compliance requirements in France and Finland. Vertex is aligning its country roadmap with customer demand and integrating capabilities across Vertex, Ecosio and Brinta.
Management expects e-invoicing activity to contribute to cloud growth as customers prepare for mandates. Schwab said e-invoicing adoption should begin to affect annual recurring revenue in the third quarter, with a greater revenue impact expected in the fourth quarter as transaction volumes ramp.
While mandates remain the primary catalyst for purchases, Young said some multinational customers are beginning to consider broader consolidation of e-invoicing providers as country-level requirements proliferate. Vertex expects that customers initially adopting its products for one country may expand to additional countries after successful implementations.
AI Efforts Focus on Productivity and Future Product Value Vertex said it is using artificial intelligence both to improve internal operations and to develop customer-facing tax and compliance capabilities. Young said AI-attributable revenue is not yet material, but the company is measuring progress through operational improvements, customer usage and the development of a commercial pipeline.
Active use of core AI tools across Vertex increased to 89% from 68% in January, according to management. The company said internal measures indicate a 34% improvement in engineering efficiency across most teams, while pull-request merge rates increased 30% from the January baseline.
Vertex also cited AI-driven improvements in customer delivery. AI-supported generation of e-invoicing business rules has reduced onboarding time by about 50% in applicable workflows, Young said. A country-expansion agent enabled the company to onboard roughly 3,500 rules across more than 50 formats, about 70% faster than the prior process.
The company is developing an AI-first connected tax platform and said it has seen early adoption of its Smart Categorization technology. Young said the near-term emphasis is on validating products with customers, moving appropriate capabilities into production and establishing commercial models. He expects more detail on product roadmap developments at Vertex Exchange in the fourth quarter, while characterizing 2026 primarily as a build year for AI products and 2027 as a potential commercial ramp year.
Guidance and Capital Allocation For the third quarter, Vertex forecast revenue of $208 million to $211 million and adjusted EBITDA of $55 million to $57 million. The company narrowed its full-year revenue outlook to $825 million to $830 million and raised its adjusted EBITDA guidance to $206 million to $210 million, from its prior range of $202 million to $208 million.
Vertex now expects full-year cloud revenue growth of 18%. Schwab said management incorporated the slower cloud-conversion trend, e-invoicing activity and longer sales cycles into its outlook.
Subscription software revenue increased 10.7% in the quarter, services revenue rose 9.4%, and annual recurring revenue grew 10.5%. Cloud revenue increased 17.9%, bringing year-to-date cloud revenue growth to 19.3%. Average annual revenue per direct customer rose 9.2% year over year to $142,997, while scaled customer growth was 8%.
Free cash flow was $2.7 million, affected by severance and consulting costs related to the company’s value creation plan. On a pro forma basis excluding those costs, free cash flow was $13.2 million, representing a 6.5% margin.
Vertex repurchased $26.5 million of shares during the quarter at an average price of $13.17. Since launching its $150 million repurchase program in November, the company has repurchased $56.6 million in shares, leaving $93.4 million available under the authorization.
About Vertex (NASDAQ:VERX)Vertex Energy, Inc NASDAQ: VERX is a specialty refiner and marketer of transportation fuels and petrochemical feedstocks in the United States. The company collects and processes a variety of waste petroleum products, including used motor oil and industrial lubricants, which it converts into ultra-low-sulfur diesel, asphalt, and other refined products. By leveraging proprietary re-refining technologies and strategic feedstock sourcing, Vertex Energy aims to deliver cost-effective, lower-carbon fuel solutions to wholesale and retail customers across the country.
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Vertex operates a network of refining and blending facilities in key regions, including the Central, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Should You Invest $1,000 in Vertex Right Now?Before you consider Vertex, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Vertex wasn't on the list.
While Vertex currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Looking to profit from the electric vehicle mega-trend? Click the link to see our list of which EV stocks show the most long-term potential.
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today reported consolidated financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, and updated its full year 2026 revenue guidance. “Vertex delivered excellent second quarter results, expanding our leadership in cystic fibrosis; delivering strong revenue growth in sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, and acute pain; and with the pending acquisition of Crinetics, adding rare endocrine diseases as our fifth pilla.
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Aug. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vertex, Inc. (NASDAQ: VERX) (“Vertex” or the “Company”), the Decision-to-Defense™ global indirect tax and compliance company, today announced financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2026.
“Vertex delivered solid second-quarter results, with revenue at the high end of our guidance and adjusted EBITDA exceeding our expectations,” said Christopher Young, President and Chief Executive Officer. “The quarter demonstrated the durability of our business and the earnings leverage we can generate through greater operating focus and discipline. Customer retention remained stable, and e-invoicing momentum improved as enterprises prepare for expanding global mandates and seek more comprehensive compliance solutions.”
“We are making tangible progress in the transformation of Vertex. Our “AI-First” strategy is beginning to improve the speed and efficiency of selected engineering and customer-delivery workflows, and we have strengthened our leadership team to accelerate product innovation, operational execution, and growth. While we have more work to do, we enter the second half with a stronger operating foundation and clear opportunities to create additional value for customers and stockholders.”
Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results
Total revenues of $204.0 million, up 10.5% year-over-year.Software subscription revenues of $174.8 million, up 10.7% year-over-year.Cloud revenues of $101.7 million, up 17.9% year-over-year.Annual Recurring Revenue (“ARR”) was $703.4 million, up 10.5% year-over-year.Average Annual Revenue per direct customer (“AARPC”) was $142,997 at June 30, 2026, compared to $130,934 at June 30, 2025, and $140,464 at March 31, 2026.Net Revenue Retention (“NRR”) was 105%, compared to 108% at June 30, 2025, and 105% at March 31, 2026.Gross Revenue Retention (“GRR”) was 95%, consistent with June 30, 2025 and March 31, 2026.Loss from operations of $4.4 million, compared to $3.9 million for the same period in the prior year.Non-GAAP operating income of $44.3 million, compared to $32.2 million for the same period in the prior year.Net income (loss) of $9.0 million, compared to $(1.0) million for the same period in the prior year.Net income per basic and diluted Class A and Class B shares of $0.06, compared to net loss per basic and diluted Class A and Class B shares of $0.01 for the same period in the prior year.Non-GAAP net income of $33.3 million and Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) of $0.20.Adjusted EBITDA of $51.0 million, compared to $38.4 million for the same period in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA margin of 25.0%, compared to 20.8% for the same period in the prior year. Definitions of certain key business metrics and the non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release and reconciliations of such measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are included below under the headings “Definitions of Certain Key Business Metrics” and “Use and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”
Financial Outlook
For the third quarter of 2026, the Company currently expects:
Revenues of $208.0 million to $211.0 million; andAdjusted EBITDA of $55.0 million to $57.0 million. For the full-year 2026, the Company currently expects:
Revenues of $825.0 million to $830.0 million;
Cloud revenue growth of 18%; and
Adjusted EBITDA of $206.0 million to $210.0 million. John Schwab, Chief Financial Officer added, “Our second quarter performance reflects solid execution against our strategic and financial objectives. The consistency of our first-half results and the strength of our operating model increased our confidence in the full year, allowing us to narrow our revenue guidance range while raising our adjusted EBITDA outlook. We continue to focus on balancing growth investments with operating discipline, which we expect to result in expanding profitability and stronger cash generation in the third and fourth quarters.”
The Company is unable to reconcile forward-looking Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, without unreasonable efforts because the Company is currently unable to predict with a reasonable degree of certainty the type and extent of certain items that would be expected to impact net income (loss) for these periods but would not impact Adjusted EBITDA. Such items may include stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization of capitalized software costs and acquired intangible assets, severance expense, acquisition contingent consideration, changes in the fair value of acquisition contingent earn-outs, amortization of cloud computing implementation costs, severance expenses, acquisition-related retained employee compensation, transaction costs, and other items. The unavailable information could have a significant impact on the Company’s net income (loss). The foregoing forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s expectations as of today’s date. Given the number of risk factors, uncertainties and assumptions discussed below, actual results may differ materially. The Company does not intend to update its financial outlook until its next quarterly results announcement.
Important disclosures in this earnings release about and reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are provided below under “Use and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”
Conference Call and Webcast Information
Vertex will host a conference call at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time today, Monday, August 3, 2026, to discuss its second quarter 2026 financial results.
Those wishing to participate should register in advance for the live event at https://vertex-earnings-q2-2026.open-exchange.net/registration.
A live webcast of the event will also be available at the Company’s investor relations website at https://ir.vertexinc.com. An audio-only replay of the conference call will be available on the investor relations website for one year.
About Vertex
Vertex is the Decision-to-Defense™ global indirect tax and compliance company. Vertex helps enterprises bring control to indirect tax and compliance across the full transaction lifecycle — from tax determination and e-invoicing through reporting, filing, and audit defense — to make outcomes easier to prove and improve over time. Trusted by more than 60% of the Fortune 500, Vertex combines decades of tax expertise, deep global tax and compliance knowledge, and embedded integrations to help organizations operate globally with confidence. With headquarters in North America and offices in South America and Europe, Vertex's purpose is to ensure businesses and communities thrive through trusted transactions.
For more information, visit www.vertexinc.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements made in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements and should be evaluated as such. Forward-looking statements include information concerning possible or assumed future results of operations, including descriptions of our business plan and strategies, and our stock repurchase program. Forward-looking statements are based on Vertex management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, them. Because such statements are based on expectations as to future financial and operating results and are not statements of fact, actual results may differ materially from those projected. Factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: our ability to maintain and grow revenue from existing customers and new customers, and expand their usage of our solutions; our ability to maintain and expand our strategic relationships with third parties; our ability to adapt to technological change and successfully introduce new solutions or provide updates to existing solutions; risks related to failures in information technology or infrastructure; risks related to our reliance on government infrastructure to support our e-invoicing services; challenges in using and managing use of Artificial Intelligence in our business; incorrect or improper implementation, integration or use of our solutions; failure to attract and retain qualified technical and tax-content personnel; competitive pressures from other tax software and service providers and challenges of convincing businesses using native enterprise resource planning functions to switch to our software; our ability to accurately forecast our revenue and other future results of operations based on recent success; our ability to offer specific software deployment methods based on changes to customers’ and partners’ software systems; our ability to continue making significant investments in software development and equipment; our ability to sustain and expand revenues, maintain profitability, and to effectively manage our anticipated growth; our ability to successfully diversify our solutions by developing or introducing new solutions or acquiring and integrating additional businesses, products, services, or content; our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and to realize the anticipated benefits of such acquisitions; risks related to the fluctuations in our results of operations; risks related to our expanding international operations; our exposure to liability from errors, delays, fraud or system failures, which may not be covered by insurance; our ability to adapt to organizational changes and effectively implement strategic initiatives; risks related to our determinations of customers’ transaction tax and tax payments; risks related to changes in tax laws and regulations or their interpretation or enforcement; our ability to manage cybersecurity and data privacy risks; our involvement in material legal proceedings and audits; risks related to undetected errors, bugs or defects in our software; risks related to utilization of open-source software, business processes and information systems; our ability to effectively protect, maintain, and enhance our brand; changes in application, scope, interpretation or enforcement of laws and regulations; global economic weakness and uncertainties, including the economic uncertainty created by the changing legal, regulatory, or taxation landscape in the United States, and disruption in the capital and credit markets; business disruptions related to natural disasters, epidemic outbreaks, including a global endemic or pandemic, terrorist acts, political events, or other events outside of our control; our ability to comply with anti-corruption, anti-bribery, and similar laws; our ability to protect our intellectual property; changes in interest rates, security ratings and market perceptions of the industry in which we operate, or our ability to obtain capital on commercially reasonable terms or at all; our ability to maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting, or ability to remediate any material weakness in our internal controls; risks related to our Class A common stock and controlled company status; risks related to our stock repurchase program; risks related to our indebtedness and adherence to the covenants under our debt instruments; our expectations regarding the effects of the Capped Call Transactions (as defined in our Form 10-K) and regarding actions of the Option Counterparties (as defined in our Form 10-K) and/or their respective affiliates; risks associated with our Value Creation Plan; and the other factors described under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 (“Form 10-K”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 24, 2026, as may be subsequently updated by our other SEC filings. Copies of such filings may be obtained from the Company or the SEC.
All forward-looking statements reflect our beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.
Definitions of Certain Key Business Metrics
Annual Recurring Revenue (“ARR”)
We derive the vast majority of our revenues from recurring software subscriptions. We believe ARR provides us with visibility to our projected software subscription revenues in order to evaluate the health of our business. Because we recognize subscription revenues ratably, we believe investors can use ARR to measure our expansion of existing customer revenues, new customer activity, and as an indicator of future software subscription revenues. ARR is based on monthly recurring revenues (“MRR”) from software subscriptions for the most recent month at period end, multiplied by twelve. MRR is calculated by dividing the software subscription price, inclusive of discounts, by the number of subscription covered months. MRR only includes direct customers with MRR at the end of the last month of the measurement period. AARPC represents average annual revenue per direct customer and is calculated by dividing ARR by the number of software subscription direct customers at the end of the respective period.
Net Revenue Retention (“NRR”)
We believe that our NRR provides insight into our ability to retain and grow revenues from our direct customers, as well as their potential long-term value to us. We also believe it demonstrates to investors our ability to expand existing customer revenues, which is one of our key growth strategies. Our NRR refers to the ARR expansion during the 12 months of a reporting period for all direct customers who were part of our customer base at the beginning of the reporting period. Our NRR calculation takes into account any revenues lost from departing direct customers or those who have downgraded or reduced usage, as well as any revenue expansion from migrations, new licenses for additional products or contractual and usage-based price changes.
Gross Revenue Retention (“GRR”)
We believe our GRR provides insight into and demonstrates to investors our ability to retain revenues from our existing direct customers. Our GRR refers to how much of our MRR we retain each month after reduction for the effects of revenues lost from departing direct customers or those who have downgraded or reduced usage. GRR does not take into account revenue expansion from migrations, new licenses for additional products or contractual and usage-based price changes. GRR does not include revenue reductions resulting from cancellations of customer subscriptions that are replaced by new subscriptions associated with customer migrations to a newer version of the related software solution.
Customer Count
The following table shows Vertex’s direct customers, as well as indirect small business customers sold and serviced through the Company’s one-to-many channel strategy.
CustomersQ2 2025Q3 2025Q4 2025Q1 2026Q2 2026Direct4,8624,8564,8674,8954,919Indirect504516515530540Total5,3665,3725,3825,4255,459 Use and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to our results determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”) and key business metrics described above, we have calculated non-GAAP cost of revenues, non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP research and development expense, non-GAAP selling and marketing expense, non-GAAP general and administrative expense, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP diluted EPS, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, free cash flow and free cash flow margin, which are each non-GAAP financial measures. We have provided tabular reconciliations of each of these non-GAAP financial measures to its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.
Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to understand and compare operating results across accounting periods, for internal budgeting and forecasting purposes, and to evaluate financial performance and liquidity. Our non-GAAP financial measures are presented as supplemental disclosure as we believe they provide useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our results, prospects, and liquidity period-over-period without the impact of certain items that do not directly correlate to our operating performance and that may vary significantly from period to period for reasons unrelated to our operating performance, as well as comparing our financial results to those of other companies. Our definitions of these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from similarly titled measures presented by other companies and therefore comparability may be limited. In addition, other companies may not publish these or similar metrics. Thus, our non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, or in isolation from, the financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP, and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on February 24, 2026 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, to be filed with the SEC.
We calculate these non-GAAP financial measures as follows:
Non-GAAP cost of revenues, software subscriptions is determined by adding back to GAAP cost of revenues, software subscriptions, the stock-based compensation expense, and depreciation and amortization of capitalized software and acquired intangible assets included in cost of subscription revenues for the respective periods.Non-GAAP cost of revenues, services is determined by adding back to GAAP cost of revenues, services, the stock-based compensation expense included in cost of revenues, services for the respective periods.Non-GAAP gross profit is determined by adding back to GAAP gross profit the stock-based compensation expense, and depreciation and amortization of capitalized software and acquired intangible assets included in cost of subscription revenues for the respective periods.Non-GAAP gross margin is determined by dividing non-GAAP gross profit by total revenues for the respective periods.Non-GAAP research and development expense is determined by adding back to GAAP research and development expense the stock-based compensation expense and transaction costs related to acquired technology included in research and development expense for the respective periods.Non-GAAP selling and marketing expense is determined by adding back to GAAP selling and marketing expense the stock-based compensation expense and the amortization of acquired intangible assets included in selling and marketing expense for the respective periods.Non-GAAP general and administrative expense is determined by adding back to GAAP general and administrative expense the stock-based compensation expense, amortization of cloud computing implementation costs, severance expense, acquisition-related retained employee compensation, and transaction costs included in general and administrative expense for the respective periods.Non-GAAP operating income is determined by adding back to GAAP loss or income from operations the stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization of capitalized software and acquired intangible assets, amortization of cloud computing implementation costs, severance expense, acquisition contingent consideration, changes in the fair value of acquisition contingent earn-outs, acquisition-related retained employee compensation, and transaction costs included in GAAP loss or income from operations for the respective periods.Non-GAAP net income is determined by adding back to GAAP net income or loss income tax benefit or expense, stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization of capitalized software and acquired intangible assets, amortization of cloud computing implementation costs, severance expense, acquisition contingent consideration, changes in the fair value of acquisition contingent earn-outs, acquisition-related retained employee compensation, and transaction costs included in GAAP income or loss from operations for the respective periods, to determine non-GAAP income or loss before income taxes. Non-GAAP income or loss before income taxes is then adjusted for income taxes calculated using the respective statutory tax rates for applicable jurisdictions, which for purposes of this determination were assumed to be 25.5%.Non-GAAP net income per diluted share of Class A and Class B common stock (“Non-GAAP diluted EPS”) is determined by dividing non-GAAP net income by the weighted average shares outstanding of all classes of common stock, inclusive of the impact of dilutive common stock equivalents to purchase such common stock, including stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and employee stock purchase plan shares. Additionally, the dilutive effect of shares issuable upon conversion of the senior convertible notes is included in the calculation of Non-GAAP diluted EPS by application of the if-converted method.Adjusted EBITDA is determined by adding back to GAAP net income or loss the net interest income or expense, income tax expense or benefit, depreciation and amortization of property and equipment, depreciation and amortization of capitalized software and acquired intangible assets, amortization of cloud computing implementation costs, severance expense, acquisition contingent consideration, changes in the fair value of acquisition contingent earn-outs, acquisition-related retained employee compensation, and transaction costs included in GAAP net income or loss for the respective periods.Adjusted EBITDA margin is determined by dividing Adjusted EBITDA by total revenues for the respective periods.Free cash flow is determined by adjusting net cash provided by (used in) operating activities by purchases of property and equipment and capitalized software additions for the respective periods.Free cash flow margin is determined by dividing free cash flow by total revenues for the respective periods. We encourage investors and others to review our financial information in its entirety, not to rely on any single financial measure and to view these non-GAAP financial measures in conjunction with the related GAAP financial measures.
Vertex, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited) As of June 30, As of December 31,(In thousands, except per share data) 2026 2025 (unaudited) Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 230,489 $ 314,009 Funds held for customers 26,497 24,286 Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $12,271 and $11,466, respectively 153,432 183,446 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 81,527 38,966 Total current assets 491,945 560,707 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 220,471 209,727 Capitalized software, net of accumulated amortization 34,262 35,480 Goodwill and other intangible assets 402,734 396,006 Deferred commissions 29,166 31,907 Deferred income tax asset 127 85 Operating lease right-of-use assets 8,366 9,678 Long-term investment 15,000 15,000 Other assets 8,076 12,245 Total assets $ 1,210,147 $ 1,270,835 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 37,313 $ 37,557 Accrued expenses 34,549 43,642 Customer funds obligations 24,639 21,802 Accrued salaries and benefits 20,612 23,992 Accrued variable compensation 27,552 34,593 Deferred revenue, current 382,151 382,839 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 4,470 4,283 Current portion of finance lease liabilities 33 55 Purchase commitment and contingent consideration liabilities, current 33,100 25,900 Total current liabilities 564,419 574,663 Deferred revenue, net of current portion 4,750 5,209 Debt, net of current portion 338,605 337,477 Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion 6,776 8,903 Finance lease liabilities, net of current portion 38 54 Purchase commitment and contingent consideration liabilities, net of current portion 40,900 79,600 Deferred income tax liabilities 13,172 5,664 Deferred other liabilities 380 345 Total liabilities 969,040 1,011,915 Stockholders' equity: Preferred shares, $0.001 par value, 30,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding — — Class A voting common stock, $0.001 par value, 300,000 shares authorized; 79,414 and 77,580 shares issued and outstanding, respectively 79 77 Class B voting common stock, $0.001 par value, 150,000 shares authorized; 82,156 and 82,156 shares issued and outstanding, respectively 82 82 Treasury stock, at cost, 3,888 and 504 shares, respectively (56,696) (10,094)Additional paid in capital 347,768 316,327 Accumulated deficit (39,571) (46,104)Accumulated other comprehensive loss (10,555) (1,368)Total stockholders' equity 241,107 258,920 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 1,210,147 $ 1,270,835 Vertex, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
(Unaudited) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, (In thousands, except per share data)2026 2025 2026 2025 (unaudited) (unaudited)Revenues: Software subscriptions$ 174,753 $ 157,844 $ 341,899 $ 308,605 Services 29,217 26,715 58,717 53,016 Total revenues 203,970 184,559 400,616 361,621 Cost of revenues: Software subscriptions 52,170 44,459 103,346 88,704 Services 20,500 18,900 41,101 38,723 Total cost of revenues 72,670 63,359 144,447 127,427 Gross profit 131,300 121,200 256,169 234,194 Operating expenses: Research and development 24,805 20,582 49,355 41,468 Selling and marketing 51,899 48,454 104,534 96,609 General and administrative 51,142 43,392 105,481 88,420 Depreciation and amortization 6,720 6,187 13,162 12,067 Change in fair value of acquisition contingent earn-outs (100) 2,300 (5,838) (12,400)Other operating expense, net 1,277 4,149 4,524 7,408 Total operating expenses 135,743 125,064 271,218 233,572 Income (loss) from operations (4,443) (3,864) (15,049) 622 Interest income, net (344) (1,228) (1,301) (2,767)Income (loss) before income taxes (4,099) (2,636) (13,748) 3,389 Income tax benefit (13,142) (1,675) (20,281) (6,780)Net income (loss) 9,043 (961) 6,533 10,169 Other comprehensive (income) loss: Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax 2,737 (29,734) 9,187 (44,839)Unrealized loss on investments, net of tax — — — 9 Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax 2,737 (29,734) 9,187 (44,830)Total comprehensive income (loss)$ 6,306 $ 28,773 $ (2,654) $ 54,999 Net income (loss) per share of Class A and Class B, basic$ 0.06 $ (0.01) $ 0.04 $ 0.06 Net income (loss) per share of Class A and Class B, diluted$ 0.06 $ (0.01) $ 0.04 $ 0.06 Vertex, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited) Six months ended June 30,(In thousands) 2026 2025 (unaudited)Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $6,533 $10,169 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 56,177 45,694 Amortization of cloud computing implementation costs 2,395 2,024 Provision for subscription cancellations and non-renewals 629 (136)Amortization of deferred financing costs 1,361 1,361 Change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities (5,838) (12,200)Stock-based compensation expense 32,270 33,034 Deferred income taxes 6,051 (1,641)Non-cash operating lease costs 2,226 1,595 Other 15 (71)Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of the effects of business acquisition(s): Accounts receivable 29,887 22,320 Prepaid expenses and other current assets (44,994) (13,406)Deferred commissions 2,741 (258)Accounts payable (288) (5,886)Accrued expenses (9,185) 6,446 Accrued and deferred compensation (11,333) (29,766)Deferred revenue (812) 2,374 Operating lease liabilities (2,827) (2,057)Payments for purchase commitment and contingent consideration liabilities in excess of initial fair value — (200)Other 3,863 1,412 Net cash provided by operating activities 68,871 60,808 Cash flows from investing activities: Acquisition of businesses and assets, net of cash acquired (21,968) — Long-term investment — (15,000)Property and equipment additions (47,831) (42,906)Capitalized software additions (10,648) (10,565)Purchase of investment securities, available-for-sale — (2,398)Proceeds from sales and maturities of investment securities, available-for-sale — 11,607 Net cash used in investing activities (80,447) (59,262)Cash flows from financing activities: Net increase (decrease) in customer funds obligations 2,838 (3,493)Repurchases of shares (46,602) — Proceeds from purchases of stock under ESPP 1,807 1,782 Payments for taxes related to net share settlement of stock-based awards (7,936) (26,105)Proceeds from exercise of stock options 441 7,687 Payments for acquisition contingent cash earn-out (19,600) — Payments of finance lease liabilities (39) (28)Net cash used in financing activities (69,091) (20,157)Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (642) 3,307 Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (81,309) (15,304)Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period 338,295 326,066 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period $256,986 $310,762 Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash to the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, end of period: Cash and cash equivalents $230,489 $284,386 Restricted cash—funds held for customers 26,497 26,376 Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period $256,986 $310,762 Summary of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
(Unaudited) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) 2026 2025 2026 2025 Non-GAAP cost of revenues, software subscriptions $29,205 $26,556 $58,550 $52,719 Non-GAAP cost of revenues, services $19,566 $17,876 $38,496 $36,003 Non-GAAP gross profit $155,199 $140,127 $303,570 $272,899 Non-GAAP gross margin 76.1% 75.9% 75.8% 75.5%Non-GAAP research and development expense $22,365 $18,070 $43,049 $34,604 Non-GAAP selling and marketing expense $47,080 $44,648 $93,847 $86,466 Non-GAAP general and administrative expense $34,587 $38,071 $71,631 $74,673 Non-GAAP operating income $44,295 $32,182 $81,916 $63,521 Non-GAAP net income $33,256 $24,891 $61,997 $49,385 Non-GAAP diluted EPS $0.20 $0.15 $0.37 $0.30 Adjusted EBITDA $51,015 $38,369 $95,078 $75,588 Adjusted EBITDA margin 25.0% 20.8% 23.7% 20.9%Free cash flow $2,733 $19,587 $10,392 $7,337 Free cash flow margin 1.3% 10.6% 2.6% 2.0% Vertex, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures
(Unaudited) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, (Dollars in thousands) 2026 2025 2026 2025 Non-GAAP Cost of Revenues, Software Subscriptions: Cost of revenues, software subscriptions $52,170 $44,459 $103,346 $88,704 Stock-based compensation expense (1,083) (1,233) (2,828) (3,460) Depreciation and amortization of capitalized software and acquired intangible assets – cost of subscription revenues (21,882) (16,670) (41,968) (32,525) Non-GAAP cost of revenues, software subscriptions $29,205 $26,556 $58,550 $52,719 Non-GAAP Cost of Revenues, Services: Cost of revenues, services $20,500 $18,900 $41,101 $38,723 Stock-based compensation expense (934) (1,024) (2,605) (2,720) Non-GAAP cost of revenues, services $19,566 $17,876 $38,496 $36,003 Non-GAAP Gross Profit: Gross profit $131,300 $121,200 $256,169 $234,194 Stock-based compensation expense 2,017 2,257 5,433 6,180 Depreciation and amortization of capitalized software and acquired intangible assets – cost of subscription revenues 21,882 16,670 41,968 32,525 Non-GAAP gross profit $155,199 $140,127 $303,570 $272,899 Non-GAAP Gross Margin: Total Revenues $203,970 $184,559 $400,616 $361,621 Non-GAAP gross margin 76.1 % 75.9 % 75.8 % 75.5 % Non-GAAP Research and Development Expense: Research and development expense $24,805 $20,582 $49,355 $41,468 Stock-based compensation expense (2,440) (2,512) (6,306) (6,864) Non-GAAP research and development expense $22,365 $18,070 $43,049 $34,604 Non-GAAP Selling and Marketing Expense: Selling and marketing expense $51,899 $48,454 $104,534 $96,609 Stock-based compensation expense (4,297) (3,235) (9,640) (9,041) Amortization of acquired intangible assets – selling and marketing expense (522) (571) (1,047) (1,102) Non-GAAP selling and marketing expense $47,080 $44,648 $93,847 $86,466 Non-GAAP General and Administrative Expense: General and administrative expense $51,142 $43,392 $105,481 $88,420 Stock-based compensation expense (5,008) (3,986) (10,891) (10,949) Severance expense(1) (2,689) (317) (10,097) (774) Acquisition-related retained employee compensation(2) (1,250) — (1,667) — Transaction costs(3) (6,250) — (8,800) — Amortization of cloud computing implementation costs – general and administrative expense (1,358) (1,018) (2,395) (2,024) Non-GAAP general and administrative expense $34,587 $38,071 $71,631 $74,673 Vertex, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures (continued)
(Unaudited) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, (In thousands, except per share data)2026 2025 2026 2025 Non-GAAP Operating Income: Income (loss) from operations$(4,443) $(3,864) $(15,049) $622 Stock-based compensation expense 13,762 11,990 32,270 33,034 Depreciation and amortization of capitalized software and acquired intangible assets – cost of subscription revenues 21,882 16,670 41,968 32,525 Amortization of acquired intangible assets – selling and marketing expense 522 571 1,047 1,102 Amortization of cloud computing implementation costs – general and administrative expense 1,358 1,018 2,395 2,024 Severance expense(1) 2,689 317 10,097 774 Acquisition contingent consideration — 200 — 200 Change in fair value of acquisition contingent earn-outs (100) 2,300 (5,838) (12,400) Acquisition-related retained employee compensation(2) 1,250 — 1,667 — Transaction costs(3) 7,375 2,980 13,359 5,640 Non-GAAP operating income$44,295 $32,182 $81,916 $63,521 Non-GAAP Net Income: Net income (loss)$9,043 $(961) $6,533 $10,169 Income tax benefit (13,142) (1,675) (20,281) (6,780) Stock-based compensation expense 13,762 11,990 32,270 33,034 Depreciation and amortization of capitalized software and acquired intangible assets – cost of subscription revenues 21,882 16,670 41,968 32,525 Amortization of acquired intangible assets – selling and marketing expense 522 571 1,047 1,102 Amortization of cloud computing implementation costs – general and administrative expense 1,358 1,018 2,395 2,024 Severance expense(1) 2,689 317 10,097 774 Acquisition contingent consideration — 200 — 200 Change in fair value of acquisition contingent earn-outs (100) 2,300 (5,838) (12,400) Acquisition-related retained employee compensation(2) 1,250 — 1,667 — Transaction costs(3) 7,375 2,980 13,359 5,640 Non-GAAP income before income taxes 44,639 33,410 83,217 66,288 Income tax adjustment at statutory rate(4) (11,383) (8,519) (21,220) (16,903) Non-GAAP net income$33,256 $24,891 $61,997 $49,385 Non-GAAP Diluted EPS: Non-GAAP net income$33,256 $24,891 $61,997 $49,385 Interest expense (net of tax), convertible senior notes(5) 903 903 1,806 1,806 Non-GAAP net income used in dilutive per share computation$34,159 $25,794 $63,803 $51,191 Weighted average Class A and B common stock, diluted 161,392 162,589 161,337 162,656 Dilutive effect of convertible senior notes(5) 9,498 9,498 9,498 9,498 Total average Class A and B shares used in dilutive per share computation 170,890 172,087 170,835 172,154 Non-GAAP diluted EPS$0.20 $0.15 $0.37 $0.30 (1) The three and six months ended June 30, 2026 periods include $1,713 and $7,883, respectively, in severance costs related to the Value Creation Plan. (2) The acquisition-related compensation expenses recorded for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026 are related to the additional cash consideration payments of $10,000 to the sellers (the “Additional Cash Consideration”) in connection with the acquisition of Finta Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Brinta”). (3) The three and six months ended June 30, 2026 periods include $6,250 and $8,800, respectively, in costs incurred to support the execution of our Value Creation Plan, recorded in general and administrative expense. Amounts also include legal expenses associated with pending litigation related to claims the Company has made against a competitor. (4) Non-GAAP income before income taxes is adjusted for income taxes using the respective statutory tax rates for applicable jurisdictions, which for purposes of this determination were assumed to be 25.5%. (5) We use the if-converted method to compute diluted earnings per share with respect to our convertible senior notes. Interest expense and additional dilutive shares related to the notes are added back to the calculation when their impact is dilutive. In periods when the impact is anti-dilutive, there is no add-back of interest expense or additional dilutive shares related to the notes. Vertex, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures (continued)
(Unaudited) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, (Dollars in thousands)2026 2025 2026 2025 Adjusted EBITDA: Net income (loss)$9,043 $(961) $6,533 $10,169 Interest income, net (344) (1,228) (1,301) (2,767) Income tax benefit (13,142) (1,675) (20,281) (6,780) Depreciation and amortization – property and equipment 6,720 6,187 13,162 12,067 Depreciation and amortization of capitalized software and acquired intangible assets – cost of subscription revenues 21,882 16,670 41,968 32,525 Amortization of acquired intangible assets – selling and marketing expense 522 571 1,047 1,102 Amortization of cloud computing implementation costs – general and administrative expense 1,358 1,018 2,395 2,024 Stock-based compensation expense 13,762 11,990 32,270 33,034 Severance expense(1) 2,689 317 10,097 774 Acquisition contingent consideration — 200 — 200 Change in fair value of acquisition contingent earn-outs (100) 2,300 (5,838) (12,400) Acquisition-related retained employee compensation(2) 1,250 — 1,667 — Transaction costs(3) 7,375 2,980 13,359 5,640 Adjusted EBITDA$51,015 $38,369 $95,078 $75,588 Adjusted EBITDA Margin: Total revenues$203,970 $184,559 $400,616 $361,621 Adjusted EBITDA margin 25.0 % 20.8 % 23.7 % 20.9 %(1)The three and six months ended June 30, 2026 periods include $1,713 and $7,883, respectively, in severance costs related to the Value Creation Plan.(2)The acquisition-related compensation expenses recorded for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026 are related to the Additional Cash Consideration obligation associated with the acquisition of Brinta.(3)The three and six months ended June 30, 2026 periods include $6,250 and $8,800, respectively, in costs incurred to support the execution of our Value Creation Plan. Amounts also include legal expenses associated with pending litigation related to claims the Company has made against a competitor. Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, (Dollars in thousands) 2026 2025 2026 2025 Free Cash Flow: Cash provided by operating activities $30,896 $46,003 $68,871 $60,808 Property and equipment additions (23,171) (21,512) (47,831) (42,906) Capitalized software additions (4,992) (4,904) (10,648) (10,565) Free cash flow $2,733 $19,587 $10,392 $7,337 Free Cash Flow Margin: Total revenues $203,970 $184,559 $400,616 $361,621 Free cash flow margin 1.3 % 10.6 % 2.6 % 2.0 % Investor Relations Contact:
Joe Crivelli
Vertex, Inc. [email protected]
A U.S. flag flies in front of the world headquarters of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., October 23, 2019. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
CompaniesAug 3 (Reuters) - Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX.O), opens new tab on Monday raised the upper end of its annual revenue forecast, banking on robust demand for its cystic fibrosis treatments.
The company expects its annual revenue to be between $13.1 billion and $13.2 billion, compared with $12.95 billion to $13.1 billion previously. Analysts on average expect 2026 revenue of $13.07 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.
Jumpstart your morning with the latest legal news delivered straight to your inbox from The Daily Docket newsletter. Sign up here.
Vertex said its annual outlook excludes the pending Crinetics acquisition and that an updated forecast will be provided after the deal closes, which is expected in the third quarter.
Here are more details:
Vertex's $10 billion acquisition of Crinetics expands its reach beyond cystic fibrosis, adding endocrine disorders to a diversification strategy that already includes povetacicept in kidney, Casgevy in sickle cell and Journavx in pain, analysts had said.
The company's new cystic fibrosis drug, once-daily triple combination therapy Alyftrek, brought in sales of $573.6 million during the second quarter, compared with $156.8 million a year ago.
The company's older cystic fibrosis drug, combination therapy Trikafta, posted quarterly sales of $2.50 billion, missing estimates of $2.65 billion.
Cystic fibrosis is a rare and progressive genetic disorder caused by the absence of a protein regulating salt and water transport in and out of cells, leading to severe respiratory and digestive problems.
Second-quarter total revenue rose 12% to $3.33 billion from a year ago, beating estimates of $3.23 billion. The growth was driven by the continued performance of cystic fibrosis therapies, the company said.
Vertex reported quarterly profit of $4.73 per share on an adjusted basis, in line with estimates.
Reporting by Sneha S K in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
Information in Investor’s Business Daily is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer, recommendation, solicitation, or rating to buy or sell securities. The information has been obtained from sources we believe to be reliable, but we make no guarantee as to its accuracy, timeliness, or suitability, including with respect to information that appears in closed captioning. Historical investment performances are no indication or guarantee of future success or performance. Authors/presenters may own the stocks they discuss. We make no representations or warranties regarding the advisability of investing in any particular securities or utilizing any specific investment strategies. Information is subject to change without notice. For information on use of our services, please see our Terms of Use.
*Real-time prices by Nasdaq Last Sale. Real-time quote and/or trade prices are not sourced from all markets. Ownership data provided by LSEG and Estimate data provided by FactSet.
IBD, IBD Digital, IBD Live, IBD Weekly, Investor's Business Daily, Leaderboard, MarketDiem, MarketSurge and other marks are trademarks owned by Investor's Business Daily, LLC.
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., July 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vertex, Inc. (NASDAQ: VERX) (“Vertex” or the “Company”), the Decision-to-Defense™ global indirect tax and compliance company, today released new research pointing to a structural shift in how global enterprises must manage indirect tax and compliance. As governments move compliance obligations directly into the transaction — with invoice-level precision that varies by market and changes continuously — the research finds that indirect tax has outgrown its back-office origins and become a real-time, board-level discipline: an era Vertex defines as Decision-to-Defense.
The research identifies two compounding forces that work against every transaction record from the moment a decision is made to the moment it must be defended at audit:
Defensibility Drift™ — the widening gap between the decisions a business makes at the point of transaction and its ability to prove those outcomes to authorities across a global, fragmenting landscape of jurisdictions. Today, 58% of enterprises face highly complex indirect tax audits, 45% cite keeping up with changing tax regulations as a top compliance challenge, and 80% can reach audit readiness only through significant manual effort — with 46% of audit issues stemming from a mix of factors, not a single cause, a signature of systemic drift rather than isolated error.CompOps Drag™ (Compliance Operations Drag) — the compounding operational cost of running compliance without a coordinating discipline: the manual rework, integration friction, and delayed audit response created by fragmented tax, ERP, e-commerce, and reporting systems never designed to run continuous compliance in real time. Integrating tax with existing systems is cited by 56% of enterprise leaders as their most common challenge. 59% want easier integration above all else, and even as 94% expect closer IT-Tax-Finance collaboration, only 12% have achieved full end-to-end integration of those systems. Left ungoverned, drift and drag compound into a vicious cycle of complexity — where every new mandate, manual workaround, and failed audit deepens exposure and drains strategic capacity. Their cumulative cost has a name and a number: the Compliance Confidence Gap™ — the growing distance between the revenue an enterprise could book with defensible confidence and the revenue it conservatively reports because it cannot prove every determination. When confidence erodes, enterprises play it safe at the transaction. The result: 1 in 3 US enterprises leave $1M+ on the table every year, by their own estimate, for example by treating uncertain transactions as taxable, missing exemptions, or not reclaiming eligible indirect tax.
“For decades, indirect tax was treated as a back-office calculation — something you filed and forgot. That era is ending. Global compliance increasingly lives inside the transaction, and the enterprises that lead the next decade will be the ones that can prove, defend, and improve every outcome they decide — not just report it,” said Allison Cerra, Chief Marketing Officer at Vertex. “The enterprises we studied are not describing a tooling problem — they are describing a control problem that disjointed systems and operating models were never built to solve.”
The same lifecycle that produces the vicious cycle can compound the other way — into a virtuous cycle of control. The Decision-to-Defense approach describes what that discipline demands of any enterprise, organized around four operational pillars — Determine, Prove, Defend, and Improve — coordinated by Govern as one continuous flow:
Determine — accurate tax calculation and compliance in real time, the starting point of every decision.Prove — every determination backed by an audit-defensible source of tax truth.Defend — readiness for audit, notice, appeal, and litigation, where the determination is tested and stands.Improve — configurability and continuous learning that adapt controls and tax logic as business, regulation, and risk change. Governed end-to-end, the lifecycle turns compliance from a cost of doing business into a source of growth — where outcomes are accurate, audits are answerable, and the Compliance Confidence Gap closes.
“Our research shows that enterprises are struggling to keep pace with escalating regulatory requirements and are seeking a coordinating discipline to manage complexity,” said Tammy Kaneshige, Partner and Chief Executive Officer at Emerald Research Group. “The organizations that will pull ahead are those that stop treating compliance as a series of disconnected steps and start governing it as one continuous lifecycle.”
For more information on Vertex and its Decision-to-Defense approach to global indirect tax and compliance, visit https://www.vertexinc.com/decision-to-defense.
About the research
The findings draw on the most comprehensive evidence base Vertex has assembled on the state of indirect tax and compliance: more than 2,100 senior enterprise decision-makers surveyed in 2026 across two research firms. Emerald Research Group conducted two quantitative studies — one among 402 enterprise decision-makers in the US and Germany ($150M+/€150M+ revenue; 1,000+ employees), and one among 650 enterprise decision-makers across the US and Europe ($250M+ revenue; 1,000+ employees) — each with authority over enterprise tax and compliance software. Censuswide, on behalf of Vertex, surveyed an additional 1,050 senior IT, Finance, and Tax leaders across the UK, US, France, DACH, the Nordics, and Benelux. Full methodology and question-level sourcing are available on request.
About Vertex
Vertex is the Decision-to-Defense™ global indirect tax and compliance company. Vertex helps enterprises bring control to indirect tax and compliance across the full transaction lifecycle — from tax determination and e-invoicing through reporting, filing, and audit defense — to make outcomes easier to prove and improve over time. Trusted by more than 60% of the Fortune 500, Vertex combines decades of tax expertise, deep global tax and compliance knowledge, and embedded integrations to help organizations operate globally with confidence. With headquarters in North America and offices in South America and Europe, Vertex's purpose is to ensure businesses and communities thrive through trusted transactions.
For more information, visit www.vertexinc.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn; or subscribe on YouTube.
The information contained herein is intended for information purposes only, may change at any time in the future, and is not legal or tax advice. Any product direction and potential roadmap information is not a guarantee, may not be incorporated into any contract, and is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality. This information should not be relied upon in making purchasing, legal, or tax decisions. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described for Vertex’s products remains at the sole discretion of Vertex, Inc. Any statements in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties described in Vertex’s filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. Vertex cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which Vertex has no obligation to update and which speak only as of their dates.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $ABCL--AbCellera Announces Collaboration with Vertex to Discover Multispecific T-Cell Engagers for Autoimmune Diseases and Other Conditions.
Key Takeaways VRTX is set to report Q2 results on Aug. 3, with consensus estimates of $3.23B for revenues and $4.85 for EPS.Vertex's Q2 2026 results are expected to be led by CF drugs Trikafta/Kaftrio and Alyftrek.VRTX expects Alyftrek, Casgevy and Journavx growth in Q2 backed by rising prescriptions. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) is scheduled to report its second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 3, after market close. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter’s revenues is pegged at $3.23 billion, while the same for earnings is $4.85 per share.
Let’s see how things might have shaped up before the announcement.
Factors Likely to Influence VRTX's Q2 ResultsVertex’s revenues in the to-be-reported quarter are likely to have been driven by strong demand for its blockbuster cystic fibrosis (“CF”) medicine, Trikafta/Kaftrio (Trikafta’s brand name in Europe). The drug accounts for the majority of Vertex’s total revenues.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Trikafta/Kaftrio sales is currently pegged at $2.45 billion for the second quarter of 2026.
Meanwhile, higher Trikafta/Kaftrio sales are likely to have caused sales erosion of VRTX’s other CF drugs — Symdeko (marketed as Symkevi in Europe), Orkambi and Kalydeco.
As Vertex’s CF franchise sales continue to grow, we expect investors to focus on the sales performance of its fifth CF medicine, Alyftrek (vanza triple), during the second quarter.
Alyftrek sales increased sequentially in the last reported quarter, a trend most likely to have continued in the to-be-reported quarter. Per management, the U.S. and European launch of Alyftrek is progressing well across all patient groups.
The company expects rising patient numbers from the label expansions for Alyftrek and Trikafta, along with launches of Alyftrek in additional geographies for treating younger patients, to drive CF growth in the to-be-reported quarter.
Year to date, shares of Vertex have risen 5.3% compared with the industry’s increase of 2.6%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Q2 Sales Expectation for VRTX’s Non-CF ProductsVertex and its partner CRISPR Therapeutics’ (CRSP - Free Report) one-shot gene therapy, Casgevy, is approved for two blood disorders — sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia.
Vertex leads the global development and commercialization of Casgevy under the terms of the 2021 agreement, with support from CRISPR Therapeutics.
Casgevy sales decreased on a sequential basis in the last quarter due to quarter-to-quarter variability in infusions. It remains to be seen whether the same trend continued or reversed in the quarter to be reported. Nonetheless, the launch of Casgevy has been gaining traction across the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Vertex is also making rapid progress in the drug’s access and reimbursement. An update is expected on the call.
VRTX’s novel non-opioid pain medicine Journavx (suzetrigine) was approved by the FDA in January 2025. Journavx’s sales improved sequentially in the last quarter, driven by strong prescription growth. Also, the drug’s launch metrics and early reimbursement progress look favorable. Vertex expects higher sales from Journavx in the second quarter as prescription volumes are rising.
Several updates related to Vertex’s pipeline candidates, which are in mid- to late-stage studies for treating diseases like acute and neuropathic pain, APOL1-mediated kidney disease, IgA nephropathy, primary membranous nephropathy, and cell therapy for type I diabetes, are also expected on the upcoming earnings call.
VRTX’s Recent Key DevelopmentsIn June 2026, the FDA accepted VRTX’s regulatory filing seeking approval for its investigational candidate, povetacicept, for treating adults with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), a rare progressive kidney disease. A final decision from the FDA is expected on Nov. 30, 2026.
Also, Vertex recently agreed to acquire all outstanding shares of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals for $85 per share, valuing the deal at around $10 billion. The transaction is expected to be closed in the third quarter of 2026.
The impending acquisition will add Crinetics’ first marketed drug, Palsonify, which is the first once-daily oral therapy approved for treating adults with acromegaly, to Vertex’s commercial portfolio. The company will also add several of Crinetics’ pipeline candidates to its portfolio.
VRTX's Earnings Surprise HistoryVertex has a mixed record of earnings surprises over the trailing four quarters. The company beat earnings estimates in three of the trailing four quarters, while missing the same on the remaining occasion, delivering an average surprise of 4.24%. In the last reported quarter, VRTX delivered an earnings surprise of 5.67%.
Earnings Whispers for VRTX StockOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Vertex this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here, as you will see below. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they're reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
VRTX’s Earnings ESP: Vertex’s Earnings ESP is -0.86% as the Most Accurate Estimate currently stands at $4.80, lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.85.
VRTX’s Zacks Rank: Vertex currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Stocks to ConsiderHere are some stocks worth considering from the healthcare space, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.
Acadia Pharmaceuticals (ACAD - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +25.00% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
Shares of ACAD have lost 7% year to date. Acadia’s earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed on the remaining occasion, delivering an average surprise of 20.83%. Acadia is scheduled to report second-quarter results on Aug. 4.
Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +2.07% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
Shares of Pfizer have risen 3.7% so far this year. Pfizer beat earnings estimates in each of the last four reported quarters, delivering an average earnings surprise of 21.93%. Pfizer is scheduled to report second-quarter results on Aug. 4.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX 0.07%) has dominated the cystic fibrosis (CF) drug market for more than a decade. This has been a very lucrative business for the biotech, and it could continue generating steady revenue and earnings from its CF products until the late 2030s, when its most important products will lose patent exclusivity. However, since it takes a long time to develop brand-new drugs, it's a good idea for Vertex Pharmaceuticals to start preparing for these patent cliffs.
Besides, there is always the possibility (however remote, considering past attempts) that another company will succeed in cracking the CF code and market competing medicines. If that happens, Vertex's shares could fall off a cliff. That's why it's important for the company to diversify its portfolio, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals recently announced an acquisition that will help it do so.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
A new acquisition could move the needle On July 6, Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced it was acquiring Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (CRNX 0.06%), a biotech focused on developing medicines for endocrine diseases, for $10 billion in cash. The buyout will grant Vertex Pharmaceuticals access to Palsonify, a medicine approved to treat acromegaly, a rare condition caused by a benign pituitary tumor that produces too much growth hormone, causing abnormal growth of bones, organs, and other tissues.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Palsonify in 2025. Beyond this marketed product, Crinetics Pharmaceuticals boasts several interesting pipeline candidates that Vertex will inherit. For instance, Crinetics is developing atumelnant, an investigational therapy for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a group of rare genetic disorders that can be dangerous, even life-threatening, for newborns in severe cases.
Today's Change
(
-0.07
%) $
-0.36
Current Price
$
485.67
Vertex Pharmaceuticals believes that Crinetics Pharmaceuticals' Palsonify and phase 3 assets have a combined peak revenue potential of about $5 billion. That's a meaningful amount for a company that generated $12 billion in revenue last year. That's why this acquisition -- and the clinical and commercial progress Vertex could make thanks to it -- is worth keeping an eye on for investors.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals' strong outlook Vertex Pharmaceuticals has already made good progress in diversifying its lineup and pipeline. The company's approved portfolio includes Journavx, a medicine for acute pain, and Casgevy, a gene editing therapy for two rare blood-related disorders. It could also get regulatory approval for povetacicept, an investigational medicine for IgA nephropathy, by the end of November. It boasts several other pipeline programs as well and should earn additional approvals and label expansions over the next few years.
In the meantime, Vertex Pharmaceuticals' core business should continue driving strong financial results. In other words, the company's long-term prospects look increasingly strong, as it rides the success of its CF business and launches new products. The bottom line: Vertex is a top biotech stock to buy.
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., July 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vertex, Inc. (NASDAQ:VERX), a leading provider of enterprise compliance technology for global commerce, today announced that it will release second quarter 2026 financial results after the market close on Monday, August 3, 2026. A conference call to discuss the results will be held at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time that same day.
Those wishing to participate should register in advance for the live event at https://vertex-earnings-q2-2026.open-exchange.net/registration.
A live webcast of the event will also be available at the company’s investor relations website at https://ir.vertexinc.com. An audio-only replay of the conference call will be available on the investor relations website for one year.
About Vertex
Vertex, Inc. is a leading provider of tax and compliance technology for global commerce, combining deep domain expertise with advanced technologies and responsible AI to help businesses transact, comply, and grow with confidence. Powered by AI-driven tax automation, Vertex enables global enterprises to manage complex tax workflows with greater speed, accuracy, and agility. Headquartered in North America, and with offices in South America and Europe, Vertex empowers the world’s leading brands to simplify the complexity of continuous compliance.
For more information, visit www.vertexinc.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn.
Investor Relations contact:
Joe Crivelli
Vertex, Inc. [email protected]
When a company acquires another business, there's often going to be a premium involved, especially if it's in good shape or has some promising assets in its portfolio. But normally, you don't see a company pay double what its current valuation is.
That's what Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX 1.00%) recently did when it announced a $10 billion purchase of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (CRNX +0.10%), a company that specializes in endocrine disorders and diseases. Vertex agreed to pay a 102% premium for the stock, slightly more than double its valuation. While it was great news for Crinetics investors, it didn't sit all that well with Vertex investors, and the stock proceeded to fall sharply on the news.
Why did Vertex pay so much for the healthcare company?
Image source: Getty Images.
Management was "floored" by this one drug Vertex expects the assets it gets from Crinetics to add as much as $5 billion in revenue. And what really stood out to management was a particularly attractive drug: atumelnant. The drug isn't approved yet, but Vertex executives were thrilled with its progress in clinical trials as a treatment for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).
Atumelnant is a once-daily pill that has been well-tolerated in trials without serious adverse events and which helped bring patients' hormone levels back down to near normal levels. It has the potential to be a leading therapy for CAH, assuming it obtains approval.
"When we saw that data, we were floored. That is very, very important to this field."
"We are also excited by the significant potential of atumelnant to transform the treatment landscape for CAH, setting a new standard of care where patients do not have to choose between managing their excess adrenal androgens and enduring the side effects of high-dose steroids."
- Dr. Reshma Kewalramani, Vertex CEO
Today's Change
(
-1.00
%) $
-4.85
Current Price
$
480.54
Vertex remains a top growth stock to own The high price tag that Vertex paid for Crinetics stock may have alarmed investors, as shares of Vertex fell sharply on the news. Prior to the announcement on July 6, the stock was trading near its 52-week high at around $530, but would end up falling to just over $485 as of the end of last week. While it's not a huge sell-off, it does indicate that investors had a bit of initial apprehension when it was announced.
If, however, management is correct in assessing the value of the drugs it acquired and they do generate significant revenue and profit growth for Vertex, buying the stock today could prove to be a good move in the long run. Paying top dollar for quality assets can be necessary, and the good news here is that Vertex didn't have to take on debt to do the deal and is funding it via cash.
Overall, it looks like a good low-risk move for Vertex to make, reinforcing why it's an excellent growth stock to hold for the long run, as it's always looking for ways to expand.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX 1.00%) has a robust business that centers around cystic fibrosis therapies. But its growth rate has been slowing down of late. And despite having a stellar pipeline and encouraging growth prospects, the stock's returns over the past year have been nominal.
Now, with the company announcing plans for a big $10 billion acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (CRNX +0.11%), could that make the pharma stock a much better buy, perhaps even a no-brainer buy at its current valuation?
Image source: Getty Images.
The deal could inject a ton of growth into Vertex's business Crinetics is a company that develops treatments for endocrine diseases and disorders. This is a company that's still in its early growth stages, as last year its revenue totaled less than $8 million and its net loss was over $465 million.
But it has multiple promising assets in its portfolio, including Palsonify, which was approved last year to treat acromegaly, which is a hormonal disorder that can cause an enlargement of certain parts of the body. Atumelnant is not approved yet, but it is in the midst of clinical trials and is a treatment for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which relates to multiple genetic conditions that impact the adrenal glands. Combined, these drugs could add $5 billion in annual revenue to Vertex's top line. The deal is expected to close fairly soon -- in the third quarter of this year.
That is significant given that last year, Vertex's revenue totaled $12 billion, which was an increase of nearly $1 billion, or about 9%, from the previous year. This acquisition could drastically grow its business.
Today's Change
(
-1.00
%) $
-4.85
Current Price
$
480.54
Should investors buy the dip on Vertex Pharmaceuticals? Despite the promising growth angle here, Vertex's stock has fallen after announcing the cash deal. That isn't entirely surprising, as the acquiring company normally sees its shares fall after a major acquisition, as investors may be concerned about the price paid for the business, the drag on earnings in the short term, and whether it will truly pay off. In short, it adds some risk.
However, with Vertex's management doing a great job of growing the business over the years and raking in some strong profits, it appears to be a well-calculated move. The healthcare stock is a bit expensive, trading at 29 times its trailing earnings, but given how much more diverse the business has become and its enhanced growth prospects, it could be a no-brainer buy on weakness right now, particularly for long-term investors.
Vertex’s Crinetics Deal Balances Growth with Integration RiskVertex Pharmaceuticals NASDAQ: VRTX said it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Crinetics Pharmaceuticals for $85 per share in cash, a transaction Vertex executives described as a strategic expansion into specialty endocrinology.
On a conference call announcing the deal, Vertex CEO and President Dr. Reshma Kewalramani said the transaction has a total equity value of about $10 billion, or $8.8 billion net of estimated cash acquired. She said Crinetics brings two lead endocrine assets that Vertex believes could generate more than $5 billion in combined peak annual sales: PALSONIFY, an approved oral therapy for acromegaly, and atumelnant, an investigational therapy in pivotal development for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, or CAH.
Get Vertex Pharmaceuticals alerts:
CRISPR Therapeutics Gains After Earnings as Pipeline Hope Grows“Crinetics is an excellent strategic fit for Vertex,” Kewalramani said, citing the company’s focus on serious diseases, specialty markets, well-understood biology and potentially best-in-class medicines.
PALSONIFY Seen as Blockbuster Opportunity Kewalramani said PALSONIFY is the first and only once-daily oral therapy for adults with acromegaly, a rare hormonal disorder caused by excess growth hormone. She said the drug was launched in the U.S. in October 2025 and was more recently approved by the European Medicines Agency.
How Royalty Pharma Prints Cash Without Biotech's Biggest RisksVertex executives emphasized that many patients with acromegaly continue to need lifelong medical therapy after surgery. Kewalramani said current injectable somatostatin receptor ligands can be inconvenient, painful and associated with low patient compliance.
In Phase 3 data discussed on the call, Kewalramani said 83% of patients switching from injectable therapies maintained IGF-1 levels within the normal range on PALSONIFY, compared with 4% on placebo. In a separate study that included treatment-naive patients and others who had stopped prior treatment, 56% of PALSONIFY-treated patients achieved IGF-1 normalization, compared with 5% on placebo.
Duncan McKechnie, Vertex’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, said PALSONIFY generated $10.3 million in net product revenue in the first quarter of 2026, based on data previously disclosed by Crinetics. He said the product achieved a 40% to 50% share of new-to-brand prescriptions in its second quarter of launch, with uptake across pituitary centers and community endocrinologists.
McKechnie said payer coverage currently stands at 60% through formal coverage or medical exceptions, and Crinetics has indicated it is on track to reach 75% coverage by the third quarter of 2026.
Atumelnant Positioned for CAH and Cushing’s Syndrome Vertex also highlighted atumelnant, a once-daily oral ACTH receptor antagonist currently enrolling patients in a Phase 3 CAH study. Kewalramani said classic CAH affects about 17,000 people in the U.S. and more than 15,000 outside the U.S.
She said patients with CAH require lifelong glucocorticoid therapy, often at high doses, to manage androgen excess. That creates what Vertex described as a dual burden: androgen-related complications and the long-term consequences of supraphysiologic glucocorticoid exposure.
McKechnie said Phase 2 data from the TouCAHn study showed a 67% reduction from baseline in mean A4 androgen levels, even as glucocorticoid dosing was tapered. He said 87% of patients achieved physiologic glucocorticoid dosing while A4 reduction was maintained.
“We believe atumelnant achieves the previously unattainable holy grail of CAH management,” McKechnie said, describing the ability to normalize androgen levels while allowing physiologic glucocorticoid dosing.
Kewalramani also pointed to potential use in ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome, where atumelnant is in Phase 2 development. She said early study data showed rapid lowering of urine-free cortisol, including normalization in five of six patients in an 80 mg cohort while on physiologic glucocorticoid doses.
Financial Terms and Closing Timeline Charles Wagner, Vertex’s executive vice president and chief operating and financial officer, said Vertex expects to finance the acquisition with cash on hand and debt supported by $4.5 billion of fully committed bridge financing.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Crinetics shareholders and regulatory approvals. Vertex currently expects the deal to close in the third quarter of 2026.
Wagner said the acquisition is expected to have a modest impact on 2026 revenue and non-GAAP operating expenses, assuming the anticipated closing timeline. Vertex plans to provide updated 2026 guidance at closing. He added that the transaction is expected to be accretive to non-GAAP operating income in 2029.
Wagner said endocrinology will become Vertex’s fifth disease-area pillar, alongside cystic fibrosis, heme, acute pain and renal disease. He cited Vertex’s current marketed and pipeline products, including ALYFTREK, TRIKAFTA, CASGEVY, JOURNAVX and povetacicept, while saying Crinetics adds an on-market endocrine product and a pivotal-stage program.
Executives Address Deal Premium and Development Risks During the question-and-answer portion of the call, analysts asked about the transaction price, the peak sales outlook and safety considerations for atumelnant.
In response to a question from Michael Yee of UBS about the acquisition premium, Wagner said Vertex sees “a lot of intrinsic value” in Crinetics, pointing to the potential for best-in-class products and more than $5 billion in peak sales. He said the valuation was roughly 2 times peak sales, which he described as in line with other deals involving high-quality commercial or near-commercial assets.
Asked about liver safety for atumelnant, Kewalramani said Vertex reviewed the available data across CAH and ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome. She said the company saw a handful of minor liver function test elevations, with no cases involving both liver function tests and bilirubin, and that most resolved without intervention while patients continued therapy.
Vertex executives said they do not expect the acquisition to change the company’s capital allocation strategy, which remains focused on internal and external innovation. Kewalramani said the timing of the deal reflects the availability of the company, the maturity of the data and Vertex’s view that it can support PALSONIFY’s global launch and prepare for atumelnant’s potential commercialization.
About Vertex Pharmaceuticals NASDAQ: VRTXVertex 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.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Should You Invest $1,000 in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Right Now?Before you consider Vertex Pharmaceuticals, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Vertex Pharmaceuticals wasn't on the list.
While Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Click the link to see MarketBeat's list of seven stocks and why their long-term outlooks are very promising.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX 0.45%) is a biotech company that has steadily delivered growth to investors, thanks to its dominance in cystic fibrosis (CF) treatment. The company's portfolio of CF drugs has transformed the lives of patients and helped Vertex's earnings soar well into the billions of dollars. This is likely to continue as Vertex's solid intellectual property extends its leadership through at least the late 2030s.
And in recent years, Vertex has made moves to make this story even brighter. This is by broadening its presence into other areas, with launches of a gene editing treatment for blood disorders and a pain management drug. The company has also used acquisitions to grow, and this brings me to the recent $10 billion move.
Vertex this week announced its acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (CRNX +0.16%), a company that may add $5 billion in peak annual revenue to Vertex's top line. With this deal taking shape, is Vertex a buy? Let's find out.
Image source: Getty Images.
Vertex's CF leadership First, let's take a look at Vertex's portfolio and general situation prior to the Crinetics move. As mentioned, the biotech is the global CF leader, specializing in CFTR modulators. These therapies correct the malfunctioning protein that causes symptoms of the disease. Since genetic mutations result in different problems with the protein, one CFTR modulator may not work for every patient. But Vertex's top drugs, Alyftrek and Trikafta, cover a lot of territory: They have the potential to treat more than 90% of the CF population.
Meanwhile, the company continues to work on possible treatments, in partnership with Moderna, for patients who can't be treated by the company's CFTR modulators. And Vertex is also developing its next generation of CF therapies. Considering the company's expertise in this area and deep pipeline, there's reason to be optimistic about leadership lasting well into the future -- and fueling steady growth. And an advancing pipeline in serious rare diseases, as well as the more common area of pain, should further bolster growth over the long run.
This expansion into other treatment areas is already bearing fruit. Earlier this year, the biotech predicted that non-CF products would contribute at least $500 million to 2026 revenue. The company has established a long track record of growth, with revenue climbing more than 600% over the past decade to $12 billion in the latest full year. And profit has also advanced, reaching more than $3 billion.
Today's Change
(
-0.45
%) $
-2.24
Current Price
$
496.19
A recently approved drug Now, let's consider the Crinetics move. Vertex is buying the company, which offers it access to the recently approved Palsonify for acromegaly, a chronic disorder caused by the overproduction of growth hormone. About 20,000 Americans are living with this disorder today. Palsonify could stand out because it's the first daily, oral treatment -- a more convenient option than the current infusions. The companies say early uptake of the drug has been strong.
Along with a pipeline of candidates and research, the deal also gives Vertex phase 3 asset atumelnant for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). The disorder, impacting 17,000 people in the U.S., involves excess androgen production that results in a variety of serious symptoms. Atumelnant could reshape the treatment landscape for this disease and also holds potential to treat Cushing's syndrome.
Together, these treatments may bring in peak revenue of $5 billion, and Vertex says this would support its goal of producing sustained revenue growth in the double digits.
Vertex is paying $10 billion, or $85 per share, in an all-cash deal. This is two times the projected peak sales figure -- and this level of sales isn't necessarily guaranteed since atumelnant hasn't yet reached the regulatory approval stage. So, this isn't a dirt cheap price, and the intended goals aren't guaranteed. This means some risk is involved.
Still, it's a fair price considering the strength of the late-stage pipeline and a wise move for Vertex as Crinetics fits nicely into its portfolio. Crinetics' specialty in rare endocrine disorders resembles Vertex's focus on CF: Both companies prioritize serious diseases within a specialty area and with significant unmet need. And these diseases involve well-understood biology that may be targeted to transform their treatment. Vertex is also entering this story at the right time, shortly after the Palsonify launch, so that it may apply its commercialization expertise early on. And this adds an important new specialty area to the Vertex portfolio.
Though this deal may not generate enormous results overnight -- it's expected to be accretive to non-GAAP operating income in 2029 -- I think it's worth the wait. And that makes Vertex a fantastic biotech growth stock to buy and hold.
On Monday, Crinetics and Vertex entered into a definitive agreement under which Vertex will acquire Crinetics for $85 per share in cash, representing a total equity value of approximately $10 billion.
Don’t forget to check out our premarket coverage here
Liz Young Thomas, SoFi’s head of investment strategy, recommended Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares (NYSE:VNQ).
Joseph M. Terranova, senior managing director for Virtus Investment Partners, picked NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA).
Nvidia shares gained Wednesday following reports suggesting China will let the top AI firms buy a limited amount of Nvidia H200 chips.
Price Action Vertex shares fell 4.6% to close at $498.43 on Wednesday. Roundhill Memory ETF rose 2.4% during the session. Nvidia shares gained 3.7% to close at $204.12 on Wednesday. Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares fell 1.6% during the session. Photo via Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Vertex Pharmaceuticals NASDAQ: VRTX recently announced its plans to acquire Crinetics Pharmaceuticals NASDAQ: CRNX for $10 billion. The deal, which has already been approved by the board of directors of both companies, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Today
VRTX
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
$522.25 -7.34 (-1.39%)
As of 07/7/2026 04:00 PM Eastern
52-Week Range$362.50▼
$533.67P/E Ratio30.98
Price Target$557.09
Vertex will pay $85 per share in cash for a total equity value of approximately $10 billion, or approximately $8.8 billion net of estimated cash acquired. Vertex expects to finance the acquisition using a combination of cash on hand and debt.
Get Vertex Pharmaceuticals alerts:
At the time of the announcement, CRNX was trading at around $42 per share. Vertex is willing to pay a $85 per share premium for the company's pipeline depth outside its core cystic fibrosis (CF) franchise. The Crinetics pipeline will also strengthen Vertex’s position in specialty therapeutics.
Investors liked what they heard, with CRNX up around 98% immediately after the announcement. The larger question is what the deal means, and doesn’t mean, for the broader biotech sector.
Big Pharma Will Still Pay Up for De-Risked Biotech AssetsDeals like this are not uncommon in the biopharmaceutical space. Companies like Crinetics assume the risk of moving a drug through the clinical trial stage (sometimes with the financial backing of a larger biotech company). Then, when regulatory approval is granted, or is a near certainty, a company like Vertex buys the company for access to its pipeline.
In this case, Vertex has been looking to expand beyond its leadership role in the CF space. But drug development is time-consuming and expensive. That’s why it was willing to pay a premium for Crinetics, which has enticing, de-risked assets.
What Does Crinetics Add to the Vertex Portfolio?Immediately, Vertex will start to see revenue from PALSONIFY. This is the only once-daily oral therapy for adults with acromegaly, a rare and debilitating condition caused by a pituitary tumor that secretes growth hormone. There are an estimated 20,000 cases in the United States as of this writing.
Crinetics received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for PALSONIFY in September 2025. The drug was also recently approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and is under review by other global regulatory bodies. Since its approval and launch, PALSONIFY has shown strong demand across all patient segments, prescribing activity expansion, and—crucially—growing reimbursement coverage.
Crinetics also has an advanced pipeline candidate, Atumelant, a once-daily oral adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) receptor antagonist for treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). The drug is currently in Phase 3 development.
Classic CAH is a rare, chronic genetic condition affecting the adrenal glands, and there are significant unmet needs. The most severe form of the disease impacts 17,000 patients in the United States. In the Phase 2 study, Atumelnant was generally well tolerated with no treatment-related severe or serious adverse events to date.
What This Deal Doesn’t Say About the Biotech TradeMany analysts are forecasting a breakout in the biotech sector. There are several reasons for this belief:
Patent cliffs at large pharmaceutical companies
Depressed biotech valuations
Cash-rich balance sheets
Pipeline productivity concerns
Vertex has a long patent runway for its cystic fibrosis portfolio. CASGEVY (developed in partnership with CRISPR Therapeutics NASDAQ: CRSP) and JOURNAVX, which provide exposure to gene therapy and non-opioid pain medication, have only recently been approved, so there’s plenty of runway.
Trading at around 31x earnings, VRTX is trading at a premium to its historic average and right around the S&P 500 average as of July 7. Plus, as of March 31, Vertex’s trailing 12 month (TTM) free cash flow was $3.71 billion. That’s healthy, but the company has had volatility with FCF over the last five years.
That leaves pipeline concerns. While it’s not fair to say that Vertex is concerned about the depth of its pipeline, this acquisition does help with the breadth. Having treatments in endocrinology will be the company’s fifth major business pillar to go with cystic fibrosis, hematology, pain, and renal therapies.
Current Price$522.25High Forecast$641.00Average Forecast$557.09Low Forecast$436.00Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Forecast Details
Here’s where investors should be watching closely. The Vertex analyst forecasts on MarketBeat don’t indicate that analysts have rerated or repriced VRTX since the announcement.
However, H.C. Wainwright maintains its Buy rating with a Street-high $641 price target. That’s 15% above the consensus price target as of July 7.
The company’s earnings are coming up on August 3, and analysts may be waiting to hear what management says on the earnings call before reconsidering their outlook. But the strategic fit is clear. Vertex is buying its way into the rare disease space, but it’s a purchase that investors believe will pay off for shareholders.
Should You Invest $1,000 in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Right Now?Before you consider Vertex Pharmaceuticals, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Vertex Pharmaceuticals wasn't on the list.
While Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Nuclear energy is entering a new growth cycle as rising power demand, expanding data centers, and renewed policy support bring the sector back into focus. After strong gains in recent years, the most impactful phase of nuclear investment may still be ahead. This report highlights seven nuclear energy stocks positioned across the value chain—combining near-term revenue with long-term upside as next-generation technologies scale. Click the link below to unlock the full list.
In the latest big-ticket deal in the pharmaceutical industry, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX 1.31%) and Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (CRNX +98.74%) announced in a joint press release that Vertex is acquiring Crinetics. This won’t come cheap, to put it mildly; it’s a premium-priced deal that will cost billions of dollars. Here’s a look at whether that’s likely to be capital well spent.
Quite a pricey premiumVertex is paying $85 per share to acquire Crinetics, to be paid entirely in cash. This values the latter pharmaceutical company at approximately $10 billion, or roughly $8.8 billion when accounting for the cash and short-term investments Crinetics has on hand. As for the per-share price, $85 is slightly more than double the level at which Crinetics closed on Monday.
Image source: Getty Images.
The boards of directors at both companies have unanimously approved the deal, which is expected to close in the third calendar quarter of this year.
Vertex is buying a company that recently earned its first Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. This was for its Palsonify, a treatment for the rare endocrine disorder acromegaly (characterized by excessive growth hormone production). This medication was greenlit by the regulator last September for adult use, and since it’s currently the only approved acromegaly treatment administered as a once-daily pill (as opposed to a monthly injection), it has quite a strong position in the market — in its first full quarter following approval, the drug brought in $10.7 million in revenue.
Palsonify was also approved for the same indication by the 27-country European Union’s European Commission at the end of this past April.
Crinetics also has a pipeline distinguished by one standout drug candidate in particular. This is atumelnant, which targets the most severe form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), an affliction of the adrenal glands. While this disorder is rarer than acromegaly, it has a significant unmet medical need — meaning that if it comes to market, it’ll have excellent sales potential from the start. That might not be too far in the future, as the drug is currently in late Phase 3 clinical development.
Other pipeline drugs in Crinetics lab target afflictions such as hyperparathyroidism, Graves’ disease, diabetes, and obesity, with the latter a durably hot segment of the pharmaceutical market.
Today's Change
(
-1.31
%) $
-6.94
Current Price
$
522.65
Immediate return on investmentIn the press release, the two companies quoted Vertex CEO Reshma Kewalramani as saying that his company “can build on the strong momentum of the Palsonify launch by applying our experience in commercializing medicines for rare genetic diseases.”
He added that “we are also excited by the significant potential of atumelnant to transform the treatment landscape for CAH.”
His company clearly believes owning Crinetics will produce immediate results thanks to the latter company’s already-popular commercialized drug. It described atumelnant as a product with multi-billion dollar potential if it can also earn approval for another affliction, Cushing’s syndrome (a hormonal disorder that arises from over-exposure to cortisol). So we can assume management feels that $10 billion is a reasonable price for the investigational drug alone.
Together, Palsonify and the potentially dual-indication atumelnant could bring in $5 billion in annual sales for the Crinetics-owning Vertex.
Future blockbusters?In short, Vertex could eventually have in its portfolio not one but two blockbuster drugs (i.e., those that generate at least $1 billion in annual sales). It’s got plenty of cash in its coffers, with over $5.5 billion in greenbacks as of the end of March. It’s also secured a $4.5 billion bridge loan from lenders Bank of America (BAC 0.07%) and Morgan Stanley (MS 0.03%).
I think this is a bold and impressive move by Vertex, which gives the company, at the very least, an already-strong commercialized product with Palsonify, despite the fairly limited size of the product’s addressable market. So far, it looks like atumelnant has similar potential and could even be the company’s No. 1 if it’s ultimately approved for both desired indications. This deal is definitely worth it, in my view, despite the gasp-inducing price tag and monster premium to Crinetics’ share price.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX 1.31%) is making its biggest bet in years. On Monday, the company agreed to acquire Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (CRNX +98.74%) for $85 per share in cash. That works out to a total equity value of about $10 billion, or roughly $8.8 billion net of the cash Crinetics holds. Both companies' boards approved the deal unanimously, and Vertex expects it to close in the third quarter of 2026.
For a company that has spent decades built almost entirely around cystic fibrosis, this is a meaningful step into a new disease area. Here's what the deal buys, how Vertex is paying for it, and whether the price looks reasonable.
Image source: Getty Images.
What Crinetics brings Perhaps the biggest asset Crinetics brings is a drug called PALSONIFY -- the first and only once-daily oral therapy approved for adults with acromegaly. It won U.S. approval in September 2025 and was recently cleared in Europe. Vertex says its early launch has shown strong demand across patient groups. Until PALSONIFY arrived, most patients relied on large-needle injectable treatments, so an oral option fills a real gap.
Behind it sits atumelnant, a once-daily oral drug in late-stage development for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, another rare endocrine condition. The drug has also shown early promise in Cushing's syndrome.
Together, Vertex says these assets boast more than $5 billion in combined annual peak-sales potential.
Crinetics notably also brings a drug-discovery platform focused on endocrine diseases -- a pipeline of earlier-stage programs, and intellectual property protection that extends into the 2040s.
How Vertex is paying for it This is an all-cash deal, and Vertex isn't paying entirely out of pocket. The company plans to fund the purchase with a mix of cash on hand and debt, supported by $4.5 billion of fully committed bridge financing from Bank of America and Morgan Stanley.
Vertex can afford it. The company held about $13 billion in cash and marketable securities at the end of the first quarter, and its base cystic fibrosis business keeps generating substantial cash. First-quarter revenue rose 8% year over year to about $3 billion, and the company reaffirmed full-year guidance of roughly $13 billion. Layering some debt on top to close a $10 billion acquisition is well within reach for a company generating this kind of recurring cash flow.
It helps that Vertex isn't overleveraging itself. The bridge financing is meant to be temporary, refinanced over time rather than left on the balance sheet as permanent leverage. In other words, this is a well-capitalized business adding to its portfolio.
Today's Change
(
-1.31
%) $
-6.94
Current Price
$
522.65
Whether the price is disciplined Here's the part that matters most for Vertex shareholders. At $85 per share and more than $5 billion in combined peak-sales potential, Vertex is paying about two times peak sales. And peak sales, by definition, are years away and far from guaranteed. Atumelnant is still in trials, and even PALSONIFY's launch is only a few quarters old.
Vertex acknowledges the timeline. It expects the deal to become accretive to non-GAAP (adjusted) operating income only in 2029, though it says PALSONIFY's ongoing launch should start adding to revenue right away.
Even so, there is a solid case that the price is fair. Vertex isn't a serial acquirer reaching outside its expertise. It's buying assets that fit its stated strategy of targeting serious diseases with well-understood biology, small commercial footprints, and high unmet need. That is the same profile that made its cystic fibrosis franchise so profitable. The deal also solves a real problem. Vertex needs growth engines beyond cystic fibrosis, and building a new specialty franchise from scratch would take far longer than buying one with an approved, launching drug.
So, is this a smart deal for Vertex?
Overall, I think it's a reasonable one. But the company is paying full price for assets whose biggest payoffs are still ahead. That said, Vertex is buying under a strategy it knows well, using a balance sheet that can absorb the cost, and addressing its diversification needs in a single move. So, for a business that has long needed a second act, paying up for a new growth pillar looks like a solid idea. Now we just need the pipeline to deliver.
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) will report its second quarter 2026 financial results on Monday, August 3, 2026, after the financial markets close. The company will host a conference call and webcast at 4:30 p.m. ET. To access the call, please dial (833) 630-2124 (U.S.) or +1 (412) 317-0651 (International) and reference the “Vertex Pharmaceuticals Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Call.”
The conference call will be webcast live and a link to the webcast can be accessed through Vertex's website at www.vrtx.com in the "Investors" section. To ensure a timely connection, it is recommended that participants register at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled webcast. An archived webcast will be available on the company's website.
About Vertex
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases and conditions. The company has approved therapies for cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia and acute pain, and it continues to advance clinical and research programs in these areas. Vertex also has a robust clinical pipeline of investigational therapies across a range of modalities in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including IgA nephropathy, neuropathic pain, APOL1-mediated kidney disease, primary membranous nephropathy, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, type 1 diabetes, generalized myasthenia gravis, and myotonic dystrophy type 1.
Vertex was founded in 1989 and has its global headquarters in Boston, with international headquarters in London. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Latin America and the Middle East. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry's top places to work, including 16 consecutive years on Science magazine's Top Employers list and one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. For company updates and to learn more about Vertex's history of innovation, visit www.vrtx.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X.
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals shares surged after Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced an agreement to acquire the endocrinology-focused biotech company in a deal valued at approximately $10 billion.
The all-cash transaction values Crinetics at $85 per share and is expected to close during the current quarter, subject to customary conditions.
The acquisition sparked a sharp rally in CRNX stock.
CRNX shares climbed nearly 100% in pre-market trading on Tuesday to around $83.69.
Vertex shares, meanwhile, declined modestly following the announcement.
The transaction comes amid a wave of pharmaceutical industry acquisitions, as large drugmakers seek to strengthen their development pipelines by acquiring smaller biotechnology companies with promising therapies.
According to a joint press release, Vertex expects Crinetics' portfolio, including its approved acromegaly treatment Palsonify and investigational therapy Atumelnant, to contribute an estimated $5 billion in peak annual sales.
Crinetics focuses on therapies for endocrine disorders.
The company markets Palsonify, a once-daily oral treatment approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in September for acromegaly, a rare hormonal disorder caused in most cases by a noncancerous pituitary gland tumour that leads to excessive growth hormone production during adulthood.
The disease can result in enlargement of the face, jaw, hands, and feet, along with symptoms including joint pain, headaches, and nausea.
Crinetics said Palsonify works by lowering insulin-like growth factor to help alleviate these symptoms.
The company's pipeline also includes Atumelnant, a once-daily oral treatment under development for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a group of inherited disorders affecting the adrenal glands.
The condition leads to excessive production of male sex hormones known as androgens.
Patients with CAH are commonly treated with high-dose glucocorticoids, which are associated with multiple side effects.
Crinetics is developing Atumelnant as an alternative treatment approach.
The company also said the therapy has demonstrated potential in treating Cushing's syndrome, a rare hormonal disorder characterised by excessive cortisol levels that can cause rapid weight gain, muscle weakness, bruising and high blood pressure.
Vertex Chief Executive Officer Reshma Kewalramani described the acquisition as strategically aligned with the company's long-term growth plans.
"Its focus on serious diseases in specialty markets with significant unmet need, well-understood causal human biology, and potentially best-in-class medicines could deliver transformative benefit to patients," she said in a statement.
Kewalramani added that Vertex intends to build on its experience in rare genetic diseases to continue expanding the commercial potential of Palsonify.
Vertex has established its business around treatments for cystic fibrosis and has also expanded into gene-editing therapies through its partnership with CRISPR Therapeutics.
Crinetics closed at slightly above $42 per share before the announcement, meaning Vertex's offer represents a premium of more than 100%.
According to the companies, the acquired portfolio could generate approximately $5 billion in peak annual sales.
Vertex reported total revenue of $12 billion last year, making the acquisition a significant addition to its long-term growth strategy.
Market analysts also viewed the strategic rationale positively.
Citi analyst Geoff Meacham said the acquisition aligns well with Vertex's existing strengths in specialty diseases and biologically targeted medicines.
"The fit is clear, given existing expertise in specialty markets, serious diseases, causal biology, and measurable biomarkers. The $5 billion peak sales framing adds another route to sustain double-digit topline growth."
Meacham maintained a Buy rating on Vertex and set a price target of $585, indicating further upside from the stock's previous closing level.
Vertex expects to finance the acquisition using a combination of cash on hand and debt, supported by $4.5 billion of fully committed bridge financing.
Vertex’s cash, cash equivalents, and total marketable securities as of March 31, 2026, were $13.0 billion.
The transaction was approved by both the Vertex and Crinetics Boards of Directors and is anticipated to close in the third quarter of 2026.
Palsonify And Atumelnant Expand Vertex’s Rare Disease Portfolio"Crinetics is an excellent strategic fit for Vertex," said Reshma Kewalramani, CEO and President of Vertex.
Crinetics’ marketed medicine, Palsonify (paltusotine), received FDA approval in September 2025.
The European Medicines Agency recently approved Palsonify.
It is the first and only once-daily oral therapy for adults with acromegaly, a rare and debilitating condition caused by a pituitary tumor that secretes excess growth hormone, which affects an estimated 20,000 diagnosed people in the U.S.
Crinetics’ most advanced pipeline candidate, atumelnant, is a once-daily oral adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) receptor antagonist currently in Phase 3 development for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).
Classic CAH, the most severe form of the disease, with 17,000 addressable patients in the U.S., is a rare, chronic genetic condition affecting the adrenal glands.
In Phase 2 studies, patients taking atumelnant were able to achieve near normalization of excess androgen levels on physiologic replacement doses of glucocorticoids.
Vertex Expects Revenue And Profit Growth From AcquisitionThe transaction is expected to contribute immediately to Vertex’s revenue growth via the ongoing launch of Palsonify, which has blockbuster potential in acromegaly.
Longer term, atumelnant has the potential to be a multi-billion-dollar opportunity in CAH, with additional upside from its potential in Cushing’s syndrome.
At peak, these assets have the potential to deliver more than $5 billion in combined annual revenue, which will further Vertex’s goal of delivering sustained double-digit revenue growth, in addition to operating margins.
The transaction is expected to become accretive to adjusted operating income in 2029.
Analyst Sees UpsideWilliam Blair on Monday wrote, "…it is the first time we have heard of a multi-billion dollar sales potential for a CAH product."
Analyst Myles Minter further added that the deal is on the higher side on a stock price premium basis, but views this as reasonable if the peak sales number can be achieved.
William Blair also wrote, "Based on management commentary, we believe significantly more of the >$5 billion peak sales potential is weighted toward the atumelnant opportunity, which carries more risk given the late-clinical-stage nature of the ACTH receptor antagonist."
Price Action: Crinetics Pharmaceuticals shares were up 98.88% at $83.59, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals shares were down 0.30% at $528.00 during premarket trading on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Photo: courtesy of Vertex
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Founder's ClubSwingTraderLeaderboardMarketSurgeeIBDIBD DigitalIBD LiveCustomer Center
My Stock Lists
Email Preferences
Help & Support
Sign Out
Search stocks or keywords
Sections
My IBD
MARKET TREND
STOCK LISTS
STOCK RESEARCH
NEWSECONOMY
VIDEOS & PODCASTS
HOW TO INVESTEDUCATIONAL RESOURCESStoreMy Products
Founder's ClubSwingTraderLeaderboardMarketSurgeeIBDIBD DigitalIBD Live
Recently Searched
Dow Jones Futures Rise, Techs Jump; Apple, SpaceX, Sandisk, Robinhood In Focus
Stock Market Week Ahead: Oil Hints At A Paradigm Shift
Robinhood, Dell Lead 5 Stocks Near Buy Points With AI Tailwinds Crinetics stock nearly doubled late Monday after Vertex Pharmaceuticals pledged $10 billion to buy the endocrinology-focused biotech company. The smaller company sells Palsonify, a treatment for acromegaly, and is working on a treatment for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, or CAH, called atumelnant. Both drugs are daily pills and, together with the rest of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals' (CRNX) pipeline, would add an estimated…
The acquisition would add to Vertex's pipeline and potentially grow its annual revenue by $5 billion with the addition of Crinetics-developed drugs Palsonify and Atumelnant, the company said.
When a stock hits a 52-week high, that's a great sign the business is doing well. And when it hits a new all-time high, then you know the market is really excited about what's ahead for the business. But at the same time, there can also be concerns that its valuation is getting too steep, and that there may be plenty of downside risk.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX +0.27%) is a top healthcare company and a leader in cystic fibrosis treatments. Its stock has been doing exceptionally well this year, with gains of around 17%, far above the S&P 500's returns of about 10% thus far. And amid the rise in value, the stock has hit a new all-time high. Is it too late to buy shares of Vertex, or could there still be more gains ahead?
Image source: Getty Images.
Investors are hopeful for much more growth ahead for Vertex In its most recent earnings results, Vertex's numbers didn't look all that impressive; the pharma company's sales were up just 8%, totaling roughly $3 billion for the period ending March 31. And its growth rate has been declining in recent years.
But the hope for investors is that in the long run, there may be much more growth to come, with gene therapy Casgevy still in its early rollout. Non-opioid pain medication Journavx was also approved just over a year ago, and thus, Vertex still has some levers to pull on to drive its growth rate higher in the future. Plus, it has many ongoing trials that could unlock many more opportunities in the future.
Today's Change
(
0.27
%) $
1.42
Current Price
$
529.46
Is Vertex's stock still worth buying right now? Vertex is currently trading at around 31 times its trailing earnings, which is far higher than the S&P 500 average of 25. Even based on the company's expected future earnings, the stock may be a bit expensive as its price-to-earnings-growth (PEG) multiple is around 2.0, which factors in the growth that analysts expect from the business over the next five years. When a stock's PEG is around 1.0 or lower, it's considered a good buy, but with Vertex being well above that, this may be a sign that there may be too much future growth already priced into the stock's value right now. It may rise higher, but it may also be approaching a peak.
Although Vertex's business looks promising and it has plenty of growth potential, it's not a stock I'd buy today because of its high valuation, as that can drastically impact future returns. There are better and more reasonably priced growth stocks to choose from today.
BOSTON & SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) and Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRNX), a global pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for endocrine diseases, today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which Vertex will acquire Crinetics for $85.00 per share in cash, for a total equity value of approximately $10.0 billion, or approximately.
A sign hangs in front of the world headquarters of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., October 23, 2019. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
CompaniesJuly 6 (Reuters) - Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX.O), opens new tab will buy Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (CRNX.O), opens new tab for a total equity value of about $10 billion, the companies said on Monday.
Shares of Crinetics more than doubled in extended trading, while those of Vertex were marginally down.
Jumpstart your morning with the latest legal news delivered straight to your inbox from The Daily Docket newsletter. Sign up here.
The acquisition gives Vertex access to Palsonify, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September 2025 to treat adults with acromegaly, a rare hormonal disorder caused by excess growth hormone. The companies said the once-daily oral therapy has shown early commercial momentum since launch.
Crinetics’ experimental drug, atumelnant, is in late-stage development for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, or CAH, a rare genetic disorder affecting the adrenal glands.
The companies said Palsonify and atumelnant could together generate more than $5 billion in peak annual sales. Vertex expects the deal to add immediately to revenue growth and become accretive to non-GAAP operating income in 2029.
Vertex will pay $85 per Crinetics share, the companies said, with the deal expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
Reporting by Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Ananda
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
Key Takeaways Vertex gained FDA approval to expand Casgevy to patients aged two and older with SCD or TDT.VRTX's Casgevy is the first genetic therapy approved for children as young as two with both disorders.VRTX said label expansion applications remain under review in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) announced that the FDA has approved its one-shot gene therapy, Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel), for the treatment of individuals aged two years and older with either sickle cell disease (SCD) with recurrent vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) or transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT).
Following the latest nod, Casgevy became the first and only genetic therapy to be approved for treating children as young as two years for both severe SCD and TDT, both inherited blood disorders.
Regulatory filings seeking approval for the label expansion of Casgevy are currently under review in the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the given indication.
Casgevy was previously approved for treating SCD and TDT in patients aged 12 years and older.
VRTX’s Price PerformanceYear to date, shares of Vertex have rallied 9.8% compared with the industry’s increase of 7%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
More on VRTX’s Ongoing Activities With CasgevyWe remind investors that Vertex leads the global development and commercialization of Casgevy under the terms of the 2021 agreement, with support from CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP - Free Report) .
Per the collaboration agreement, Vertex splits the program costs and profits in a 60:40 ratio with CRISPR Therapeutics.
In the first quarter of 2026, Casgevy’s sales were $42.9 million, down from $54.3 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025 due to quarter-to-quarter variability in Casgevy infusions.
Nonetheless, Casgevy’s launch metrics look positive with growing cell collections and product infusions. Vertex is also making rapid progress in the drug’s access and reimbursement.
In May 2026, Vertex signed a reimbursement agreement with Germany’s GKV-Spitzenverband for Casgevy, ensuring sustainable patient access for eligible individuals aged 12 years and older with severe SCD or TDT.
In 2026, Vertex expects continued quarter-to-quarter variability in Casgevy infusions, which the company expects will smooth out in 2027 and beyond. If commercialization of Casgevy ramps up successfully over the next few years, Vertex Pharmaceuticals believes the therapy has multibillion-dollar commercial potential.
VRTX Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderVertex currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the biotech sector are Immunocore (IMCR - Free Report) and Liquidia Corporation (LQDA - Free Report) , each currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Over the past 60 days, estimates for Immunocore’s 2026 bottom line have improved from a loss of 88 cents per share to earnings of 6 cents. Over the same period, EPS estimates for 2027 have risen from 24 cents to 87 cents. IMCR stock has lost 8.8% year to date.
Immunocore’s earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters, while missing the same on the remaining occasion, with the average surprise being 46.66%.
Over the past 60 days, estimates for Liquidia’s 2026 earnings per share have risen from $1.50 to $3.02, while estimates for 2027 have increased from $2.91 to $4.92 during the same time. LQDA shares have surged 130% year to date.
Liquidia’s earnings beat estimates in three of the trailing four quarters, while missing the same on the remaining occasion, with the average surprise being 54.40%.
A sign hangs in front of the world headquarters of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., October 23, 2019. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
CompaniesJuly 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved expanded use of Vertex Pharmaceuticals' (VRTX.O), opens new tab gene therapy in children as young as two with inherited blood disorders, including sickle cell disease, the first such treatment cleared for this age group.
Casgevy, a one-time treatment made from a patient's own blood stem cells, was previously approved for patients aged 12 and older with sickle cell disease or transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia.
Jumpstart your morning with the latest legal news delivered straight to your inbox from The Daily Docket newsletter. Sign up here.
Here are further details: -
Sickle cell disease is a painful, inherited blood disorder in which the body makes sickle-shaped hemoglobin, preventing red blood cells from properly carrying oxygen to the body's tissues.
In a trial of children aged five to under 12 with sickle cell disease, all eight evaluable patients had no severe vaso-occlusive crises or painful episodes for at least 12 straight months within the first 24 months of infusion.
In beta thalassemia, eight of nine evaluable children achieved transfusion independence for 12 consecutive months, with a median duration of 20.1 months.
The FDA granted approval to Vertex in 53 days after filing under the Commissioner's National Priority Voucher, its new fast-track program designed to shorten review time for a drug application.
In 2023, the FDA approved Vertex's and Genetix Biotherapeutics' gene therapies for sickle cell disease in patients 12 years and older.
Other long-term treatment options for sickle cell disease include bone marrow transplant, which requires matching donors, and the chemotherapy drug hydroxyurea.
Reporting by Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved expanded use of CASGEVY® (exagamglogene autotemcel) for the treatment of people ages 2 years and older with either sickle cell disease (SCD) with recurrent vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) or transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT). CASGEVY is the first approved genetic therapy indicated for children as young as 2 years for both SCD and TDT.