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Tuesday, Scotiabank (TSX:BNS) analysts adjusted their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) shares to $442.00, a decrease from the previous target of $450.00, while retaining a Sector Perform rating. The move followed Vertex’s first-quarter earnings report for 2025, which showed lower-than-expected total revenues and non-GAAP earnings per share. Vertex’s revenue for the quarter came in at $2.77 billion, which was $80 million shy of projections. Meanwhile, non-GAAP EPS was reported at $4.06, missing estimates by $0.22. According to InvestingPro data, the company maintains a strong market position with a market capitalization of $128.6 billion and trades near its 52-week high of $519.88.
The shortfall was attributed to underperformance in sales of Alyftrek and Trikafta, Vertex’s cystic fibrosis (CF) drugs. Alyftrek’s sales were $54 million, falling short by $40 million, while Trikafta generated $2.54 billion, missing targets by $24 million. Scotiabank analysts noted that the disappointing figures for Alyftrek were not entirely unexpected, as initial expectations for the drug’s market uptake were considered overly optimistic. Additionally, Trikafta sales were impacted outside the United States due to intellectual property infringement issues in Russia.
Despite the earnings miss, Vertex provided some positive news by raising the lower end of its revenue guidance for the year. The company now anticipates 2025 revenues to be between $11.85 billion and $12.0 billion, up from the previous forecast of $11.75 billion to $12.0 billion. Operating expense guidance remained unchanged. InvestingPro analysis shows the company’s solid financial health with a "GOOD" overall score and impressive revenue growth of 11.66% over the last twelve months. Subscribers can access 13 additional ProTips and comprehensive financial metrics for deeper analysis.
The report also highlighted the initial prescription volumes for Journavx, Vertex’s newest CF treatment, as a positive development. As of April 18, there were 20,000 prescriptions written and filled. However, the analysts cautioned that the current uptake of Journavx might be artificially high due to Vertex’s free drug program and that it could take time for the drug to gain widespread acceptance and approval from payers and hospital Pharmacy & Therapeutics (P&T) committees.
In summary, while maintaining their Sector Perform rating on Vertex stock, Scotiabank analysts have revised their price target to $442 to reflect the updated sales expectations for the company’s cystic fibrosis portfolio. With a beta of 0.51, the stock generally trades with low volatility, and InvestingPro data indicates the company operates with a moderate level of debt and maintains strong liquidity. The full report includes a detailed comparison of Vertex’s earnings against consensus estimates and a calendar of upcoming catalysts for the company. For comprehensive analysis, including Fair Value estimates and detailed financial health metrics, investors can access the full Pro Research Report, available exclusively to InvestingPro subscribers.
In other recent news, Vertex Pharmaceuticals reported its first quarter 2025 earnings, which fell short of expectations. The company announced an earnings per share of $4.06, missing the projected $4.26, while revenue reached $2.77 billion, below the forecasted $2.86 billion. Despite this, Vertex raised its 2025 revenue guidance to a range of $11.85 billion to $12 billion. In a related development, Leerink Partners downgraded Vertex’s stock from "Outperform" to "Market Perform," reducing the price target from $550 to $503. This decision followed a reassessment of the sales potential for Vertex’s pain management drug, Journavx, with Leerink projecting significant reductions in sales estimates through 2030. The firm’s analysts expressed cautious optimism about Vertex’s long-term potential, citing challenges in the near-term performance of Journavx. Additionally, Vertex’s new product launches, such as Gernavix, highlight ongoing innovation in the company’s portfolio. Despite the earnings miss, Vertex continues to lead in cystic fibrosis treatments and remains focused on expanding its market presence.
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