Key facts, as of
As of October 8, 2026, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) trades at $505.64, up 23.2% over the past year. Its 52-week range runs from $402.58 to $560.25; the price is 9.7% below that high. It is 9.7% below its all-time high of $560.25, reached in September 2026. Over the 10 years to the end of September 2026, with dividends reinvested, it returned +499.5%, against +312.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY). It sits 6.6% above its 200-day average of $474.42, the usual sign of a long-term uptrend. Its 30-day volatility is 15.8% annualized, which we rate medium risk. It has a trailing P/E of 29.4.
Cite: Portfolio Terminal, "Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) stock analysis", 2026-10-08. https://portfolio-terminal.com/analyse/vrtx
Where it trades today
trading 65% of the way up its 52-week range
How the price has moved
How far it is from its record
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) is 9.7% below its all-time high of $560.25, reached in September 2026. Over the 10 years to the end of September 2026, with dividends reinvested, it returned +499.5%, against +312.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY).
What to weigh before acting
What Matters Now
- The read on the stock is often driven by pipeline durability, reimbursement pressure, and whether new launches can offset patent cliffs.
- VRTX trades at 29.4x earnings, well above the healthcare average of 22.0x, so the market is already pricing in above-consensus execution.
- Recent realized volatility sits near 15.8%, below the sector norm of 22.0%, which supports a steadier role inside a diversified portfolio.
- Relative performance versus UNH, JNJ, PFE matters here because leadership inside healthcare rarely stays static for long.
Portfolio Use Case
- VRTX is more useful for investors comparing conviction names inside healthcare than for someone looking for a passive “set and forget” holding.
- The beta profile suggests it can fit a quality or lower-volatility sleeve more naturally than a high-octane tactical basket.
- The stock becomes more useful when paired with an explicit catalyst watchlist, because sector sentiment can shift quickly around policy, rates, or pipeline news.
What Would Change the View
- A reset in earnings expectations or a faster peer catch-up could compress the premium valuation currently embedded in VRTX.
- There is little income cushion here, so total return depends mainly on price appreciation and execution staying on track.
- The view would need revisiting if peers such as UNH, JNJ, PFE start winning the marginal flow or posting cleaner operating momentum.
Methodology
- Price, market cap, beta, yield, and liquidity fields for VRTX come from Yahoo Finance quote and summary data.
- 30-day volatility is calculated from recent daily returns and annualized using a 252-trading-day convention.
- Sector context uses stored benchmark averages for Healthcare so each page compares the ticker against a stable peer baseline rather than against the whole market.
- Peer comparisons use the Portfolio Terminal coverage set and highlight nearby listed alternatives such as UNH, JNJ, PFE.
Sources
- Yahoo Finance quote dataopen →
Live quote, valuation, beta, yield, and volume fields used for VRTX. Last refresh: Oct 8, 2026, 10:10 AM.
- Portfolio Terminal methodologyopen →
Explains how analytics, refresh cadence, and portfolio interpretation work across the product.
- Peer set and coverage context
Comparative context for this page is anchored around nearby tracked names such as UNH, JNJ, PFE.
What Vertex Pharmaceuticals does
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated operates as a biotechnology company in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers transformative medicines for people with serious diseases with a focus on specialty markets, such as cystic fibrosis (CF), sickle cell disease (SCD), transfusion dependent beta thalassemia (TDT), and acute pain. It markets TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO for people with CF with at least one F508del mutation for 2 years of age and older; ALYFTREK for the treatment for people with CF 6 years of age and older; SYMDEKO/SYMKEVI for treatment of patients with CF 6 years of age and older; ORKAMBI for CF patients 1 year or older; and KALYDECO for the treatment of patients…
What analysts expect
VRTX carries a buy consensus from 28 analysts, with an average price target of $571.39 versus $505.64 today (+13.0%). Targets are estimates and can move quickly after earnings.
Consensus aggregated by Yahoo Finance. Targets are estimates, not forecasts.
How the business is doing
VRTX generated $12.59B in trailing revenue (12.5% year over year), with a 35.0% net margin, and $2.63B of free cash flow, supported by $5.87B of net cash.
The numbers, year by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Gross profit | Operating income | Net income | EPS | Free cash flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $12.00B | $10.35B | $4.55B | $3.95B | $15.46 | $3.19B |
| 2024 | $11.02B | $9.49B | -$233.40M | -$535.60M | -$2.08 | -$978.00M |
| 2023 | $9.87B | $8.61B | $3.78B | $3.62B | $14.05 | $3.28B |
| 2022 | $8.93B | $7.85B | $4.25B | $3.32B | $12.97 | $3.93B |
When it reports next
Estimates aggregated by Yahoo Finance. Dates move and estimates change until the report lands.
Which ETFs hold it
VRTX is in 9 of the 30 ETFs we track. It weighs most in XLV: 2.14% of the fund, holding #13 of 62.
Famous investors who hold it
VRTX is in the latest 13F of 1 of the 15 famous investors we follow. Renaissance Technologies (Founded by Jim Simons) holds the most of it: 0.22% of the portfolio, position #84 of 2,931, as of Q2 2026.
How it sits in healthcare
Defensive sector including pharmaceuticals, biotech, medical devices, and healthcare services.
The companies it competes with
VRTX beside the healthcare names it is usually measured against.
What the chart is saying
Slipped under its 50-day average inside a longer uptrend.
weakening- Price is 2.7% below its 50-day average and 6.6% above its 200-day.
- The 50-day crossed above the 200-day on 2026-06-29 (a “golden cross”).
- RSI at 41 is neither stretched nor washed out.
- The nearest ceiling is $531.78 (+5.2%), the nearest floor $488.71 (-3.3%).
A description of the chart, not advice. Indicators describe what the price has done; none of them knows what it does next.
Questions people ask about it
Is VRTX a good investment in 2026?
Vertex Pharmaceuticals trades at a P/E ratio of 29.4, with medium volatility (15.8% annualized). The stock is in a consolidation phase.
What is the risk level of VRTX?
Based on 30-day volatility of 15.8%, VRTX has MEDIUM risk. Beta of 0.28 indicates lower sensitivity to market movements than average.
Does VRTX pay dividends?
Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently does not pay a regular dividend.
How far is VRTX from its all-time high?
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is 9.7% below its all-time high of $560.25, reached in September 2026. Over the 10 years to the end of September 2026, with dividends reinvested, it returned +499.5%, against +312.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY).
Which ETFs hold VRTX?
9 of the 30 popular ETFs we track hold Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The largest weights: XLV (2.14%), JEPI (1.12%), QQQ (0.55%), QQQM (0.54%) and VUG (0.39%). Measured on each issuer's full holdings file, dated August 31 to October 1, 2026.
How much of VOO is VRTX?
0.21%, as of August 31, 2026: VRTX is holding #84 of 505 in Vanguard's file for VOO. $1,000 in VOO puts about $2.09 in Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
Which famous investors own VRTX?
Renaissance Technologies (0.22% of Founded by Jim Simons's 13F), according to their latest Form 13F filings with the SEC (Q2 2026). A 13F lists US long positions 45 days after the quarter ends, so it can be out of date.
What is the analyst price target for VRTX?
The average analyst price target for Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) is $571.39 based on 28 analyst estimates, about 13.0% above the current price of $505.64. The published range runs from $350.00 to $672.00.
How much revenue does VRTX generate?
Vertex Pharmaceuticals reported $12.59B in trailing twelve-month revenue. Revenue growth is running at 12.5% year over year. Net margin sits at 35.0%. Figures are aggregated from company filings by Yahoo Finance and refresh on an hourly cadence.
Compare VRTX with anything
Five years side by side: what $10,000 became, how far each fell, whether they move together.