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BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced the publication of Phase 3 RAINIER results for povetacicept in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), presentation of these data at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2026 in Denver, Colorado, and advancement of the povetacicept clinical research program in IgAN. Vertex will also host an investor event during ASN on October 23 at 6:15-7 p.m. MDT (8:15-9 p.m. EDT). Further details a.

Choosing between established dividend payers and high-growth innovators is a classic investor dilemma. This comparison pits AbbVie (ABBV +2.26%) against Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX +2.53%) to determine which company offers the best balance of risk and reward.

AbbVie is a diversified pharmaceutical giant known for its robust immunology portfolio and high shareholder returns. Vertex is a biotechnology pioneer that has cornered the market for cystic fibrosis treatments. Both companies are now racing to diversify their pipelines as they face new competitive and regulatory landscapes in 2026.

The case for AbbVieAbbVie operates as a global biopharmaceutical leader with a heavy focus on immunology, oncology, and aesthetics. The company relies on a network of wholesale distributors to reach patients, with McKesson Corp. (MCK +1.95%), Cardinal Health (CAH +1.94%), and Cencora (COR +0.96%) handling the vast majority of its sales. Customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business, as these three entities facilitate nearly all of its domestic pharmaceutical distribution.

In its latest annual report, filed for FY 2025, revenue reached about $61.2 billion, representing roughly 8.6% growth over the previous year. This performance was driven by the rapid adoption of newer pharmaceutical stocks in its portfolio, specifically Skyrizi and Rinvoq. Despite the revenue climb, the company reported a net income of about $4.2 billion, reflecting the ongoing costs associated with integrating recent acquisitions and managing patent transitions.

As of its December 2025 balance sheet, its current ratio is roughly 0.7x, which measures a company's ability to cover short-term liabilities with its short-term assets. AbbVie reported a debt-to-equity ratio of negative 21.1x, which means total liabilities exceed shareholder equity. However, the business remains a cash powerhouse, generating approximately $17.8 billion in free cash flow, which is the cash remaining after the company pays for its operating expenses and capital expenditures.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has built a formidable moat by providing the only therapies that treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis. The company distributes its specialized medicines through specialty pharmacies and distributors, ensuring its treatments reach a highly specific patient population. By focusing its efforts on healthcare providers and government-supported clinics, Vertex maintains high efficiency in its commercial operations while expanding its reach into acute pain management.

In FY 2025, revenue came in at just over $12 billion, which is a 9.6% increase compared to the prior fiscal year. The company reported an impressive net income of approximately $4 billion, resulting in a net margin of roughly 33%. This net margin, which shows how much of each dollar of revenue remains as profit, highlights the high-value nature of the company's specialized biotechnology treatments.

As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the company maintains a very strong financial position with a current ratio of roughly 2.9x. The debt-to-equity ratio is approximately 0.2x, indicating that the company uses very little debt to finance its operations. Vertex also generated roughly $3.2 billion in free cash flow during FY 2025, providing plenty of capital to fund its ongoing research into gene therapies and new disease areas.

Risk profile comparisonAbbVie faces significant competitive threats from generics and biosimilars, particularly as patent protections for key products like Humira expire. Revenue concentration is a major factor, with Skyrizi and Rinvoq accounting for approximately 42% of total 2025 net revenues. Regulatory risks include intense pricing pressure from government entities, such as price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as potential legal challenges or loss of intellectual property. The company also faces operational risks related to complex biologic manufacturing processes and reliance on third-party suppliers.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals is heavily dependent on its cystic fibrosis product line for the majority of its net product revenues, creating significant concentration risk. The company faces high operational risks in developing and commercializing its complex cell and gene therapies, such as Casgevy, which require intensive manufacturing and specialized administration. Competitive risks include the development of new treatments by competitors like CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -0.32%), which could render existing therapies obsolete. Furthermore, Vertex faces regulatory and reimbursement risks, including potential government price controls and the inability to maintain current pricing levels.

Valuation comparisonAbbVie offers a lower entry price based on sales and future earnings estimates, while Vertex commands a premium for its superior profit margins and cleaner balance sheet.

MetricAbbVieVertex PharmaceuticalsForward P/E20.3x26.9xP/S ratio7.8x10.1xValuation metrics include those sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from those of other data providers.

The P/S ratio measures market cap divided by sales over the past twelve months. The Forward P/E ratio compares the current stock price to projected future earnings estimates for the coming year.

Which stock would I buy in 2026?AbbVie is buying growth with its recent deal to acquire Apogee Therapeutics. The two relatively new immunology products from AbbVie, Skyrizi and Rinvoq, have proven to be true growth drivers for the business, and investors are hopeful that an FDA decision on a Parkinson's treatment later this year will bode well for the company. AbbVie is expected to see net income grow from $4.2 billion to $14.6 billion this year. Sales should grow to $67.2 billion.

AbbVie has a drug pipeline that some on Wall Street believe could include blockbusters (more than $1 billion in lifetime revenue) for treating schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, psychosis from Alzheimer's, and certain solid tumors.

Vertex Pharma, meanwhile, continues to benefit from its focus on cystic fibrosis (CF). Its recently launched Alyftrek, a once-daily, next-in-class, triple-combination CF regimen, is seen encouragingly by investors. Alyftrek marks a notable improvement to the twice-daily dosage of Vertex's other CF products and was approved in Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, the European Union, the U.K., and Canada over the course of 2025, after the U.S. approved it in 2024. Plenty more jurisdictions are evaluating the treatment today. In the U.S., label extensions (the expansion of FDA approval for use) mean Vertex can treat 95% of people with cystic fibrosis in the country today.

Vertex has expanded into treating other conditions. Povetacicept, an investigational recombinant fusion protein therapeutic, continues to show best-in-class potential as a treatment for three chronic autoimmune diseases: IgA nephropathy (IgAN), primary membranous nephropathy (pMN), and generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). The FDA has granted its Breakthrough Therapy Designation for IgAN, with potential approval by November 30 this year, as well as Fast Track Designation for pMN. If approved across the IgAN, pMN, and gMG indications, peak annual sales could reach $4 billion to $7 billion, according to equity analyst firm Argus.

For fiscal 2026, Vertex sales should rise about 10% to $13.3 billion, with net income coming in roughly even with 2025.

Which stock is the better buy? Both are intriguing investment opportunities in pharma. AbbVie, with its more affordable P/S and P/E rations and its larger pipeline of potential blockbusters, looks like the better long-term buy right now.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.

Over the past month, shares of this drugmaker have returned -1.5%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, which Vertex falls in, has lost 0.5%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

Vertex is expected to post earnings of $4.92 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +2.5%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +1.6%.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $18.9 points to a change of +2.7% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.4%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $20.61 indicates a change of +9.1% from what Vertex is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.7%.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Vertex is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.

In the case of Vertex, the consensus sales estimate of $3.4 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +10.6%. The $13.22 billion and $14.67 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +10.1% and +11%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryVertex reported revenues of $3.33 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +12.5%. EPS of $4.73 for the same period compares with $4.52 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.23 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +3.32%. The EPS surprise was -1.25%.

Over the last four quarters, Vertex surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.

As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Vertex is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Vertex. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Can the pioneer of mRNA vaccines outpace the king of cystic fibrosis treatments? Choosing between Moderna (MRNA -5.00%) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX -0.60%) requires weighing high-growth potential against established, profitable market dominance.

Moderna seeks to prove its mRNA technology works across many diseases, while Vertex focuses on specialized medicines for serious conditions. Both companies are major players in the biotechnology space, but they offer vastly different financial profiles and risk levels for investors eyeing 2026. Choosing the right one depends on your personal appetite for volatility.

The case for ModernaModerna sells mRNA-based medicines, primarily focusing on infectious disease vaccines like Spikevax and mNEXSPIKE for COVID-19. The company maintains a global manufacturing footprint and operates in the biotech stocks landscape. It frequently collaborates with partners like Merck (MRK -0.10%) on oncology candidates and recently partnered with Recordati to advance new therapeutics.

In FY 2025, revenue reached nearly $1.9 billion, representing a significant revenue growth decline of roughly 39.2% compared to the prior year. This drop reflects the tapering demand for COVID-19 products as the market shifts toward seasonal cycles. The company reported a net loss of approximately $2.8 billion for the year, resulting in a net margin of negative 145.2%.

As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the current ratio stands at approximately 3.3x, which measures a company's ability to cover short-term obligations. The debt-to-equity ratio is roughly 0.2x, meaning total debt, which includes both short-term and long-term debt, is small relative to equity. The company reported negative free cash flow of nearly $2.1 billion during FY 2025, which is the cash a business generates after paying for capital expenditures.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals focuses on transformative medicines for serious diseases, holding a dominant position in the cystic fibrosis market. In its latest annual report, filed for the period ending December 31, 2025, the company highlighted its global workforce and specialty drug portfolio. The firm also collaborates with CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP -3.45%), Zai Lab (ZLAB -1.60%), and Entrada Therapeutics (TRDA -3.00%) on various clinical programs.

In FY 2025, revenue reached close to $12.1 billion, showing revenue growth of approximately 9.6% year over year. Unlike many younger firms, this company is consistently profitable, posting net income of nearly $4.0 billion for the fiscal period. This performance resulted in a net margin of roughly 32.7%, which measures how much of each dollar in sales is kept as profit.

As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the current ratio is approximately 2.9x, indicating how well the company can meet short-term liabilities. The debt-to-equity ratio stands at roughly 0.2x, showing that total debt, comprising both short-term and long-term obligations, is low relative to shareholder equity. In FY 2025, the company generated close to $3.2 billion in free cash flow, representing the cash remaining after all capital expenditures are paid.

Risk profile comparisonModerna faces intense competition from established giants like Pfizer (PFE +0.42%), Sanofi (SNY -0.82%), and GSK (GSK +0.90%) in the vaccine market. Legal risks are also prominent, including a $950 million settlement with Arbutus Biopharma (ABUS -1.66%) in March 2026 regarding intellectual property. The company also deals with manufacturing complexity and reported a significant net loss of $1.34 billion in Q1 2026.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals carries significant revenue concentration risk, as its business is heavily dependent on its cystic fibrosis portfolio. The company also faces clinical development risks, illustrated by the recent discontinuation of its VX-264 program for diabetes. Gene therapies like CASGEVY involve complex manufacturing, and the firm is also involved in patent litigation regarding CRISPR technology.

Valuation comparisonVertex Pharmaceuticals appears significantly cheaper based on future earnings estimates, while Moderna commands a much higher multiple as it transitions its portfolio.

MetricModernaVertex PharmaceuticalsForward P/EN/A27.3xP/S ratio40.1x10.3xThe P/S ratio measures a company's market value against its sales over the past twelve months. Investors also use the Forward P/E to compare the stock price against future earnings estimates for the coming year.

Valuation metrics include sourcing from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers.

Which stock would I buy in 2026?I'd go with Vertex, though Moderna is tough to dismiss. It cracked one of the hardest problems in medicine with its COVID vaccine, and the question now is how many other diseases it can take on with the same approach.

But Vertex is the company actually delivering on that kind of ambition right now. Its cystic fibrosis drugs now treat the vast majority of patients living with a disease that once had very few options. A new pain drug is gaining commercial traction, a kidney disease drug is awaiting an imminent FDA decision, and the balance sheet is flush with cash. Management raised its full-year outlook in Q2 2026, and the pipeline keeps getting broader.

Moderna is playing a longer game. The platform itself is a universal medicine-making engine that can be retooled for almost any disease, which represents a long-term opportunity that is exciting to think about. But Moderna is still working toward consistent profitability while Vertex is already delivering it across multiple disease areas. For investors thinking in years rather than quarters, that difference matters.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.

Shares of this drugmaker have returned -7.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.6% change. The Zacks Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, to which Vertex belongs, has lost 4.6% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.

Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, Vertex is expected to post earnings of $4.86 per share, indicating a change of +1.3% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -4.5% over the last 30 days.

The consensus earnings estimate of $18.85 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +2.5%. This estimate has changed -1% over the last 30 days.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $20.53 indicates a change of +8.9% from what Vertex is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -0.2%.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Vertex is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.

For Vertex, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $3.4 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +10.4%. For the current and next fiscal years, $13.21 billion and $14.7 billion estimates indicate +10.1% and +11.2% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryVertex reported revenues of $3.33 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +12.5%. EPS of $4.73 for the same period compares with $4.52 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.23 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +3.32%. The EPS surprise was -1.25%.

Over the last four quarters, Vertex surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.

As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Vertex is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Vertex. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

In the latest close session, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) was down 3.07% at $506.74. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily gain of 0.2%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.04%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.04%.

Shares of the drugmaker witnessed a loss of 6.1% over the previous month, trailing the performance of the Medical sector with its loss of 1.75%, and the S&P 500's loss of 0.35%.

The upcoming earnings release of Vertex Pharmaceuticals will be of great interest to investors. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $4.86, showcasing a 1.25% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $3.4 billion, up 10.43% from the prior-year quarter.

For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $18.85 per share and a revenue of $13.21 billion, signifying shifts of +2.45% and +10.09%, respectively, from the last year.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.

Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.95% lower. As of now, Vertex Pharmaceuticals holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Looking at valuation, Vertex Pharmaceuticals is presently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 27.73. This expresses a premium compared to the average Forward P/E of 22.46 of its industry.

We can also see that VRTX currently has a PEG ratio of 2.03. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. By the end of yesterday's trading, the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.91.

The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry is part of the Medical sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 182, placing it within the bottom 27% of over 250 industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) closed at $522.38 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.17% move from the prior day. This change outpaced the S&P 500's 0.03% loss on the day. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a drop of 0.31%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw an increase of 0.01%.

Heading into today, shares of the drugmaker had lost 5.66% over the past month, lagging the Medical sector's loss of 4.15% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.53%.

Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company is expected to report EPS of $4.84, up 0.83% from the prior-year quarter. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $3.4 billion, up 10.43% from the year-ago period.

For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $18.86 per share and a revenue of $13.21 billion, demonstrating changes of +2.5% and +10.08%, respectively, from the preceding year.

Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.

Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, running from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), holds an admirable track record of superior performance, independently audited, with #1 stocks contributing an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 1.04% downward. At present, Vertex Pharmaceuticals boasts a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, Vertex Pharmaceuticals is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 27.38. This expresses a premium compared to the average Forward P/E of 25.2 of its industry.

Meanwhile, VRTX's PEG ratio is currently 2. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. VRTX's industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.91 as of yesterday's close.

The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry is part of the Medical sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 174, placing it within the bottom 30% of over 250 industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $508.34, moving -1.55% from the previous trading session. The stock's performance was behind the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.17%. At the same time, the Dow lost 0.18%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.4%.

Coming into today, shares of the drugmaker had lost 4.43% in the past month. In that same time, the Medical sector gained 0.65%, while the S&P 500 lost 1.29%.

The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in its upcoming release. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $4.84, reflecting a 0.83% increase from the same quarter last year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $3.4 billion, up 10.43% from the year-ago period.

For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $18.86 per share and a revenue of $13.21 billion, demonstrating changes of +2.5% and +10.08%, respectively, from the preceding year.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the business outlook.

Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 1.04% fall in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. As of now, Vertex Pharmaceuticals holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, Vertex Pharmaceuticals is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 27.38. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 23.81, so one might conclude that Vertex Pharmaceuticals is trading at a premium comparatively.

We can also see that VRTX currently has a PEG ratio of 2. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. By the end of yesterday's trading, the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.94.

The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry is part of the Medical sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 161, this industry ranks in the bottom 35% of all industries, numbering over 250.

The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.

Baird Financial Group Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX – Free Report) by 53.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,126 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 4,645 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $2,050,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of VRTX. XY Planning Network Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the second quarter valued at about $373,000. Hudock Inc. bought a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the second quarter valued at about $233,000. Arizona State Retirement System boosted its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 1.5% during the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 70,580 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $35,059,000 after purchasing an additional 1,065 shares during the last quarter. West Family Investments Inc. grew its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 33.0% in the 2nd quarter. West Family Investments Inc. now owns 1,695 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $842,000 after purchasing an additional 421 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Waverly Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. Waverly Advisors LLC now owns 23,131 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $11,490,000 after buying an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Price Performance Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock opened at $516.34 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $131.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.05, a PEG ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 0.32. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a one year low of $374.17 and a one year high of $560.25. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $511.35 and a 200-day moving average price of $473.92.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.73 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.74 by ($0.01). Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 23.09% and a net margin of 35.00%.The company had revenue of $3.33 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.23 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.52 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 16.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on VRTX shares. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, June 28th. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $590.00 to $595.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. TD Cowen increased their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $525.00 to $550.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $500.00 target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $570.83.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on VRTX

Insider Activity In related news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $524.99, for a total value of $787,485.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 45,321 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $23,793,071.79. This trade represents a 3.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CMO Carmen Bozic sold 596 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $482.50, for a total transaction of $287,570.00. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer owned 15,337 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,400,102.50. The trade was a 3.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 3,637 shares of company stock worth $1,874,834 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Company Profile (Free Report)

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated is a global biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing medicines for serious diseases. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the company combines research in human genetics with drug discovery and development.

Vertex is best known for its cystic fibrosis portfolio, which includes CFTR modulator therapies such as Kalydeco, Orkambi, Symdeko and the combination marketed as Trikafta in the United States and Kaftrio in other markets.

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Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) Morgan Stanley 24th Annual Global Healthcare Conference September 14, 2026 7:00 AM EDT

Company Participants

Reshma Kewalramani - CEO, President & Director

Conference Call Participants

Terence Flynn - Morgan Stanley, Research Division

Presentation

Terence Flynn
Morgan Stanley, Research Division

Great. Good morning, everybody. I'm Terence Flynn, Morgan Stanley's U.S. biopharma analyst. Pleased to be kicking off our 24th Annual Healthcare Conference here in New York City. For important disclosures, please see the Morgan Stanley research disclosure website at www.morganstanley.com/researchdisclosures. If you have any questions, please reach out to your Morgan Stanley sales representative. I'm very pleased to be kicking off the conference this morning with Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Joining me is Reshma Kewalramani, who is the company's CEO and President. Thank you so much, Reshma. It's great to see you this morning, bright and early.

Reshma Kewalramani
CEO, President & Director

Good morning, Terence.

Question-and-Answer Session

Terence Flynn
Morgan Stanley, Research Division

So maybe I'll turn it over to you to just give us an update on the company's diversification journey. I know that's been a big focus of yours as the CEO here. There's been a lot of movement on the company's pipeline and also the Crinetics acquisition recently. And so maybe just give us a mark-to-market on kind of where you stand on that journey.

Reshma Kewalramani
CEO, President & Director

You bet. Well, good morning all and for you, brave souls, who've made it here at 7:00 a.m. It's very nice to see you. We have been on a journey, it's more than 10 years now, to diversify our company and continue to grow. I do want to make sure that we talk about CF for 1 minute. CF has been and remains important to us, and we see more growth in CF as we now launch ALYFTREK around the world and get down to

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) Presents at Wells Fargo 21st Annual Healthcare Conference Transcript

In the latest trading session, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) closed at $528.90, marking a -3.15% move from the previous day. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 0.58%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a drop of 1.18%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw a decrease of 0.32%.

Heading into today, shares of the drugmaker had gained 4.24% over the past month, outpacing the Medical sector's gain of 2.73% and the S&P 500's loss of 0.36%.

Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in its upcoming release. On that day, Vertex Pharmaceuticals is projected to report earnings of $4.94 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 2.92%. Alongside, our most recent consensus estimate is anticipating revenue of $3.4 billion, indicating a 10.36% upward movement from the same quarter last year.

For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $19.02 per share and a revenue of $13.2 billion, signifying shifts of +3.37% and +10.01%, respectively, from the last year.

Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the business and profitability.

Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 0.08% rise in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Vertex Pharmaceuticals is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Looking at valuation, Vertex Pharmaceuticals is presently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 28.71. This indicates a premium in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 21.65.

Also, we should mention that VRTX has a PEG ratio of 2.1. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. The average PEG ratio for the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry stood at 1.93 at the close of the market yesterday.

The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry is part of the Medical sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 162, which puts it in the bottom 35% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.

Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: VRTX) in the undefined quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 17,047 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock, valued at approximately $8,466,000. A number of other hedge funds have

EP Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 9,027 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,484,000.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 2nd quarter worth $26,000. Community Financial Services Group LLC bought a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the second quarter valued at about $26,000. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 103.7% in the second quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 55 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 28 shares during the last quarter. Motiv8 Investments LLC acquired a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Finally, Swiss RE Ltd. acquired a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.96% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Weiss Ratings raised Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $560.00 to $565.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $590.00 to $595.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $543.00 to $570.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $525.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $563.50.

View Our Latest Analysis on VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals Price Performance Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock opened at $548.05 on Friday. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 1 year low of $374.17 and a 1 year high of $555.32. The business has a 50-day moving average of $492.65 and a two-hundred day moving average of $465.92. The company has a market capitalization of $139.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.30.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.73 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.74 by ($0.01). Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 23.09% and a net margin of 35.00%.The business had revenue of $3.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.23 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.52 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 16.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vertex Pharmaceuticals In other news, EVP Duncan Mckechnie sold 1,541 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $519.00, for a total value of $799,779.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 11,001 shares in the company, valued at $5,709,519. This represents a 12.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CMO Carmen Bozic sold 4,062 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $450.00, for a total transaction of $1,827,900.00. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer directly owned 16,953 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,628,850. This represents a 19.33% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 10,464 shares of company stock valued at $4,959,397. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

(Free Report)

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.

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Allworth Financial LP acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 4,487 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,229,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the second quarter worth $11,975,849,000. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter valued at $1,440,149,000. AIGH Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 2nd quarter valued at $26,725,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 2nd quarter worth about $830,842,000. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 2nd quarter worth about $784,391,000. 90.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vertex Pharmaceuticals In other news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $524.99, for a total transaction of $787,485.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 45,321 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $23,793,071.79. This represents a 3.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CMO Carmen Bozic sold 4,062 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $450.00, for a total transaction of $1,827,900.00. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer owned 16,953 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,628,850. This represents a 19.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 10,464 shares of company stock worth $4,959,397. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Up 1.4% Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock opened at $548.05 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $492.65 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $465.92. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a twelve month low of $374.17 and a twelve month high of $555.32. The company has a market capitalization of $139.10 billion, a PE ratio of 31.90, a P/E/G ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.30. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.74 by ($0.01). Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a net margin of 35.00% and a return on equity of 23.09%. The company had revenue of $3.33 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.23 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $4.52 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 12.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts expect that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 16.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In VRTX has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Truist Financial lifted their target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $560.00 to $565.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $543.00 to $570.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Sanford C. Bernstein raised shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $436.00 to $442.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $612.00 to $616.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $563.50.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Company Profile (Free Report)

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.

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AssuredPartners Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 4,147 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,060,000.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in VRTX. Community Financial Services Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Motiv8 Investments LLC bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 103.7% during the 2nd quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 55 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 28 shares during the period. Finally, Swiss RE Ltd. acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. 90.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades VRTX has been the subject of several recent research reports. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $545.00 to $585.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $500.00 price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $436.00 to $442.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $612.00 to $616.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $563.50.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Vertex Pharmaceuticals Insider Activity In other news, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $524.99, for a total transaction of $787,485.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 45,321 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $23,793,071.79. The trade was a 3.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CMO Carmen Bozic sold 4,062 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $450.00, for a total value of $1,827,900.00. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer directly owned 16,953 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,628,850. This represents a 19.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 10,464 shares of company stock worth $4,959,397 over the last three months. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock opened at $552.06 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $140.11 billion, a PE ratio of 32.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 0.30. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 52 week low of $374.17 and a 52 week high of $553.69. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $488.69 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $464.85.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.73 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.74 by ($0.01). Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 23.09% and a net margin of 35.00%.The firm had revenue of $3.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.23 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.52 earnings per share. Vertex Pharmaceuticals’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 16.86 EPS for the current year.

(Free Report)

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.

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NEW YORK & NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (“KSF”) are investigating the proposed sale of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NasdaqGS: CRNX) to Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NasdaqGS: VRTX). Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Crinetics will receive $85.00 in cash for each share of Crinetics that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this considerati.

Key Takeaways Vertex raised its 2026 revenue guidance to $13.1-$13.2B after Q2 sales rose 12% to $3.33B.ALYFTREK topped $1B in first-half revenues, helping drive 11% global cystic fibrosis growth.CASGEVY and JOURNAVX gained scale as Vertex prepared povetacicept for its Nov. 30 PDUFA date. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX - Free Report) raised its 2026 revenue outlook as cystic fibrosis growth and contributions from newer products accelerated.

Management framed 2026 as an execution year, with commercial scaling, a near-term renal launch and the pending Crinetics acquisition shaping diversification.

VRTX Raises Outlook as Investment BuildsChief operating officer and CFO Charles Wagner said that second-quarter 2026 revenues rose 12% to $3.33 billion, topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.23 billion. Non-GAAP earnings of $4.73 per share missed the consensus estimate of $4.79 by 6 cents.

Wagner raised its full-year revenue guidance to $13.1-$13.2 billion from $12.95-$13.1 billion. The outlook still assumes at least $500 million from CASGEVY and JOURNAVX, and a 150-basis-point foreign-exchange benefit.

He kept non-GAAP operating expense guidance at $5.65-$5.75 billion but expects spending near the high end. The gross margin is expected just below 86%, reflecting product mix and manufacturing investments.

Vertex Reinforces CF LeadershipCEO and president Reshma Kewalramani emphasized ALYFTREK as the new standard of care in cystic fibrosis. Management said that global CF revenues grew 11%, supported by ALYFTREK uptake, TRIKAFTA demand and higher U.S. net pricing.

Chief commercial officer Duncan McKechnie said that ALYFTREK exceeded $1 billion in first-half revenues. Most sales came from patients switching from TRIKAFTA, with new, returning and rare-mutation patients also contributing.

Kewalramani set a demanding bar for next-generation CF programs. Vertex will advance assets only if they can move more patients below the 30-millimoles-per-liter sweat chloride threshold while retaining once-daily dosing and favorable drug properties.

VRTX Sees New Products Gaining ScaleChief commercial officer Duncan McKechnie said that CASGEVY revenues were $76 million, surging about 75% sequentially and more than 150% year over year. More infusions occurred in the first half than in all of 2025.

JOURNAVX generated $50 million, with prescriptions rising about 45% sequentially to roughly 535,000. McKechnie said that prescription growth is ahead of the 2026 forecast, though inventory and patient-support usage continue to affect recognized revenues.

McKechnie expects gross-to-net levels to normalize in the first half of 2027. He tied the timing to payer restrictions and heavier patient-support use as physician adoption outpaces access education.

Vertex Positions Povetacicept for LaunchKewalramani highlighted the Nov. 30 PDUFA date for povetacicept in IgA nephropathy and said that launch preparation is in its final stages. Vertex has completed hiring a renal field force, with about 90% bringing nephrology experience.

McKechnie said that the commercial case rests on efficacy, tolerability and once-monthly at-home administration. Vertex expects its field organization, payer work and patient-support programs to support adoption upon approval.

The renal pipeline extends beyond IgAN. Kewalramani said that inaxaplin’s AMPLITUDE interim analysis remains on track for early 2027, while AMPLIFIED results and VX-670 data in myotonic dystrophy type 1 are due in the second half of 2026.

VRTX Q&A Clarifies Key BenchmarksA JPMorgan analyst asked whether new IgAN drugs could separate on kidney-function outcomes. Kewalramani said that deeper reductions in proteinuria, hematuria and disease-driving antibodies should matter through their effect on progression to dialysis, transplant or death.

A Citi analyst pressed on Vertex’s next CF generation. Kewalramani reiterated that sweat chloride distribution, safety, once-daily dosing and drug-drug interaction profiles will determine whether a candidate advances.

A Wells Fargo analyst asked about JOURNAVX treatment duration. McKechnie said that prescriptions average five days in hospitals and 12-14 days in retail, producing an overall average of 10-11 days that has remained stable.

Vertex Keeps Execution-First PostureManagement’s tone remained confident but spending-aware. The company is prioritizing launch execution in pain and renal while maintaining CF growth and advancing clinical readouts.

The pending Crinetics acquisition would add rare endocrine diseases as a fifth pillar. Guidance excludes the transaction, which Vertex expects to close in the third quarter before updating its 2026 outlook.

Zacks Signals Mixed SetupVRTX currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), a neutral near-term signal. Its Value Score and Growth Score are C, while Momentum Score and VGM Score are D, indicating middle-range value and growth characteristics but weaker momentum and combined style positioning. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Zacks Style Scores complement the Rank, with A or B scores preferred over lower grades. The current mix lacks strong style confirmation, and the Zacks Rank can change as analysts revise estimates after the reported results.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) Q2 2026 Earnings Call August 3, 2026 4:30 PM EDT

Company Participants

Susie Lisa - Senior Vice President of Investor Relations
Reshma Kewalramani - CEO, President & Director
Duncan J. McKechnie - Chief Commercial Officer, Head of North America Commercial & Executive VP
Charles Wagner - Executive VP, COO & CFO

Conference Call Participants

Salveen Richter - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
Geoffrey Meacham - Citigroup Inc., Research Division
Jessica Fye - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Cory Kasimov - Evercore ISI Institutional Equities, Research Division
Brian Abrahams - RBC Capital Markets, Research Division
Evan Seigerman - BMO Capital Markets Equity Research
Michael Yee - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Tazeen Ahmad - BofA Securities, Research Division
Philip Nadeau - TD Cowen, Research Division
Terence Flynn - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Mohit Bansal - Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Research Division
Eliana Merle - Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Good day, and welcome to the Vertex Pharmaceuticals Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Call. [Operator Instructions] Please note this event is being recorded.

I would now like to turn the conference over to Ms. Susie Lisa. Please go ahead.

Susie Lisa
Senior Vice President of Investor Relations

Good evening, all. My name is Susie Lisa, and as the Senior Vice President of Investor Relations, it is my pleasure to welcome you to our Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results Conference Call. On tonight's call, making prepared remarks, we have Dr. Reshma Kewalramani, Vertex's CEO and President; Charlie Wagner, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer; and Duncan McKechnie, Chief Commercial Officer. We recommend that you access the webcast slides as you listen to this call. The call is being recorded, and a replay will be available on our website.

We will make forward-looking statements on this call that are subject to the risks and uncertainties discussed in detail

For the quarter ended June 2026, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) reported revenue of $3.33 billion, up 12.5% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $4.73, compared to $4.52 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +3.32% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.23 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $4.79, the EPS surprise was -1.25%.

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:

Revenues- Product revenues, net: $3.33 billion versus $3.24 billion estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +13.2% change.Revenues by Product- ALYFTREK: $573.6 million versus $529.27 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +265.8% change.Revenues by Product- Trikafta/Kaftrio: $2.5 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $2.45 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -2.1%.Revenues by Product- Other CF product revenues: $137.1 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $133.5 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -41.9%.View all Key Company Metrics for Vertex here>>>

Shares of Vertex have returned -9.7% 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.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 29th, 2026

Amundi lifted its holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX – Free Report) by 12.9% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,472,496 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after acquiring an additional 168,335 shares during the period. Amundi owned approximately 0.58% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals worth $657,528,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter worth $1,440,149,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 49.4% during the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,356,766 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,521,851,000 after acquiring an additional 1,109,200 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors boosted its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 4.6% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 17,316,344 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $7,850,544,000 after acquiring an additional 763,063 shares in the last quarter. Life Cycle Investment Partners Ltd bought a new position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $166,317,000. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 520.1% in the third quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 381,195 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $149,291,000 after acquiring an additional 319,725 shares during the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Vertex Pharmaceuticals In other news, Director Sangeeta N. Bhatia sold 318 shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction on Monday, May 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $423.73, for a total transaction of $134,746.14. Following the transaction, the director owned 4,924 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,086,446.52. The trade was a 6.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $524.99, for a total transaction of $787,485.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 45,321 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,793,071.79. This represents a 3.20% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 18,874 shares of company stock valued at $8,707,966 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Trading Up 2.4% Shares of VRTX stock opened at $490.39 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $124.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.09, a PEG ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.29. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $467.74 and its 200-day moving average price is $459.99. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 12 month low of $362.50 and a 12 month high of $533.67.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 4th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.23. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 23.86% and a net margin of 35.51%.The company had revenue of $2.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.99 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.06 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 17.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings upgraded Vertex Pharmaceuticals from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. UBS Group lifted their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $545.00 to $585.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $542.00 to $560.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $577.00 to $572.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $607.00 to $615.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $559.61.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on VRTX

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Company Profile (Free Report)

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.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Vertex Pharmaceuticals These 3 Stocks Have Soared in 2026—Can They Keep Climbing? Hasbro’s Earnings Beat Shows Why This Is No Longer Just a Toy Story Rambus: Another AI Phoenix Ready to Rise From the Ashes of Correction Chips & Clips: Memory Tariffs Rewire Tech Supply Chains Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VRTX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX – Free Report).

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Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.

Over the past month, shares of this drugmaker have returned -4.1%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.7% change. During this period, the Zacks Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, which Vertex falls in, has lost 3%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

Earnings Estimate RevisionsHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, Vertex is expected to post earnings of $4.85 per share, indicating a change of +7.3% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.9% over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $19.15 points to a change of +4.1% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $21.04 indicates a change of +9.9% from what Vertex is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -0.6%.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Vertex is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.

In the case of Vertex, the consensus sales estimate of $3.23 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +8.8%. The $13.06 billion and $14.45 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +8.8% and +10.6%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryVertex reported revenues of $2.99 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +7.8%. EPS of $4.47 for the same period compares with $4.06 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.98 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +0.19%. The EPS surprise was +5.67%.

Over the last four quarters, Vertex surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.

As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Vertex is graded C on this front, indicating that it is trading at par with its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Vertex. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) closed at $472.57 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.96% move from the prior day. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 0.14% for the day. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.01%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 0.57%.

Shares of the drugmaker witnessed a gain of 2.9% over the previous month, trailing the performance of the Medical sector with its gain of 5.8%, and outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.25%.

Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in its upcoming release. The company plans to announce its earnings on August 3, 2026. On that day, Vertex Pharmaceuticals is projected to report earnings of $4.85 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 7.3%. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $3.23 billion, up 8.78% from the year-ago period.

In terms of the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $19.15 per share and a revenue of $13.06 billion, indicating changes of +4.08% and +8.83%, respectively, from the former year.

Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Vertex Pharmaceuticals should also be noted by investors. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.

Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed a 0.04% decrease. At present, Vertex Pharmaceuticals boasts a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, Vertex Pharmaceuticals is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 25.17. This indicates a premium in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 19.23.

We can additionally observe that VRTX currently boasts a PEG ratio of 1.93. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry held an average PEG ratio of 1.57.

The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry is part of the Medical sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 98, placing it within the top 40% of over 250 industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the vigor of our specific industry groups by computing the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks incorporated in the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 22nd, 2026

ABN Amro Investment Solutions boosted its position in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX – Free Report) by 257.7% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 68,216 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock after buying an additional 49,146 shares during the quarter. ABN Amro Investment Solutions’ holdings in Vertex Pharmaceuticals were worth $30,461,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. grew its position in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 9.1% during the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 832,853 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $377,582,000 after buying an additional 69,150 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP lifted its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 414.1% in the 4th quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 14,036 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $6,363,000 after purchasing an additional 11,306 shares during the last quarter. Calamos Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 77.1% in the 1st quarter. Calamos Advisors LLC now owns 77,886 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $34,779,000 after purchasing an additional 33,917 shares during the last quarter. Sandro Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter worth $1,436,000. Finally, Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking S.P.A. lifted its stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals by 11.9% in the first quarter. Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking S.P.A. now owns 34,991 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $15,625,000 after buying an additional 3,710 shares during the last quarter. 90.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, EVP Joy Liu sold 1,104 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $425.02, for a total value of $469,222.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 20,729 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,810,239.58. This trade represents a 5.06% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Ourania Tatsis sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $524.99, for a total transaction of $787,485.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 45,321 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,793,071.79. This trade represents a 3.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 18,874 shares of company stock valued at $8,707,966 over the last 90 days. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Up 0.3% Shares of NASDAQ VRTX opened at $482.00 on Wednesday. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $464.12 and its 200 day simple moving average is $459.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $122.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.59, a PEG ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 0.29. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has a 52-week low of $362.50 and a 52-week high of $533.67.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, May 4th. The pharmaceutical company reported $4.47 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.23. Vertex Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 23.86% and a net margin of 35.51%.The business had revenue of $2.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.99 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $4.06 earnings per share. Vertex Pharmaceuticals’s revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts anticipate that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated will post 17.01 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have recently commented on VRTX. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $542.00 to $560.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $612.00 to $616.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Canaccord Genuity Group reduced their price objective on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $437.00 to $436.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. UBS Group lifted their target price on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $545.00 to $585.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals from $607.00 to $615.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $559.61.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on VRTX

About Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Free Report)

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.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Vertex Pharmaceuticals Confidence Is Back, But Earnings Show the Consumer Is Being Picky AeroVironment’s Stock Is Down, But Drone Demand Is Taking Off 3M’s Redemption Arc: Can Q2 Earnings Change the Narrative? 3 Photonics Companies Making Quantum Tech Possible Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VRTX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX – Free Report).

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In the latest close session, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) was down 1.06% at $480.50. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.19%. Elsewhere, the Dow lost 0.59%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.05%.

Shares of the drugmaker have appreciated by 7.53% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Medical sector's gain of 6.06%, and the S&P 500's gain of 0.55%.

Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Vertex Pharmaceuticals in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings report is set to be unveiled on August 3, 2026. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $4.8, signifying a 6.19% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $3.22 billion, indicating a 8.48% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $19.15 per share and a revenue of $13.06 billion, representing changes of +4.08% and +8.81%, respectively, from the prior year.

Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.

Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 0.04% fall in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Looking at valuation, Vertex Pharmaceuticals is presently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 25.36. This denotes a premium relative to the industry average Forward P/E of 18.8.

Also, we should mention that VRTX has a PEG ratio of 1.87. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. VRTX's industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.56 as of yesterday's close.

The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry is part of the Medical sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 98, which puts it in the top 40% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.