VRTX
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated Healthcare - Biotechnology Investor Relations →
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) closed at $477.92 as of 2026-02-02, trading 22.8% above its 200-week moving average of $389.21. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from 21.0% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 65, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 1754 weeks of data, VRTX has crossed below its 200-week moving average 27 times. On average, these episodes lasted 16 weeks. Historically, investors who bought VRTX at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +71.7%.
With a market cap of $122.5 billion, VRTX is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 2.4%. Return on equity stands at 22.3%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 7.0x book value.
VRTX passes our Buffett quality screen: high return on equity, low debt, and positive free cash flow.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in VRTX would have grown to $9558, compared to $2849 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 14.7% vs 10.6% for the index — confirming VRTX as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
In the past 12 months, corporate insiders have made 2 open-market purchases totaling $5,844,184.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -100% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Growth of $100: VRTX vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After VRTX Crosses Below the Line?
Across 27 historical episodes, buying VRTX when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +84.9% after 12 months (median +43.0%), compared to +12.3% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 96% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +122.0% vs +27.7% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment VRTX crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
VRTX has crossed below its 200-week MA 27 times with an average 1-year return of +71.7% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1992 | Nov 1992 | 19 | 41.4% | +35.7% | +13554.9% |
| Nov 1992 | Dec 1992 | 2 | 2.4% | +52.3% | +8589.5% |
| Dec 1992 | May 1993 | 21 | 32.2% | +55.8% | +8791.5% |
| Jun 1993 | Sep 1993 | 13 | 13.8% | +29.3% | +9225.3% |
| Jun 1994 | Aug 1994 | 7 | 7.9% | +41.5% | +8034.8% |
| Dec 1994 | Dec 1994 | 1 | 4.7% | +67.4% | +8211.7% |
| Jun 1998 | Jun 1998 | 1 | 1.8% | -18.6% | +3456.6% |
| Jun 1998 | Dec 1998 | 26 | 42.0% | +13.0% | +4220.2% |
| Feb 1999 | Aug 1999 | 30 | 32.6% | +77.2% | +3464.9% |
| Sep 1999 | Sep 1999 | 1 | 0.1% | +484.8% | +3046.8% |
| Oct 1999 | Dec 1999 | 8 | 16.6% | +535.8% | +3239.2% |
| Sep 2001 | Jun 2005 | 195 | 72.4% | -25.5% | +1936.3% |
| Dec 2007 | Mar 2008 | 14 | 37.3% | +25.7% | +1936.3% |
| Sep 2008 | Sep 2008 | 1 | 2.5% | +38.4% | +1721.3% |
| Oct 2008 | Dec 2008 | 10 | 23.9% | +32.7% | +1778.6% |
| Mar 2009 | Apr 2009 | 8 | 9.3% | +49.5% | +1621.0% |
| May 2009 | Jun 2009 | 3 | 4.7% | +31.3% | +1574.6% |
| Nov 2011 | Jan 2012 | 9 | 25.0% | +43.4% | +1422.5% |
| Jan 2012 | Feb 2012 | 3 | 0.6% | +30.2% | +1228.3% |
| Apr 2012 | Apr 2012 | 2 | 1.8% | +54.1% | +1221.3% |
| Nov 2012 | Dec 2012 | 2 | 4.5% | +74.5% | +1101.1% |
| Feb 2016 | Feb 2016 | 1 | 3.3% | +5.9% | +474.2% |
| Mar 2016 | May 2016 | 11 | 9.3% | +8.9% | +454.0% |
| Jun 2016 | Jul 2016 | 4 | 8.1% | +42.0% | +451.0% |
| Sep 2016 | Mar 2017 | 27 | 22.1% | +66.9% | +427.3% |
| Jun 2021 | Jul 2021 | 5 | 5.3% | +32.0% | +147.6% |
| Aug 2021 | Nov 2021 | 16 | 11.3% | +51.5% | +145.9% |
| Average | 16 | — | +71.7% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02