David Burrows
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
VRTX-Q
TOP PICK
Sep 26, 2022
It is in the biotech sector which came under pressure18 months ago. The sector found a footing in June and has held well above lows while the market is selling off. In general there are great bio technologies coming to market. Specifically it is a leading producer of a Cystic Fibrosis treatment that continues to proliferate around global health care systems. It is head and shoulders over what was available previously. It is a defensive stock because earnings are not cyclical and it is growing at 25% per year as well as trading at 18X next year's earnings. With a 74 billion market cap it just made a 5 year high which is very significant. (Analysts’ price target is $310.80)
It's doing well, hitting new highs today. It's further along in its life cycle. Has a fine cystic fibrosis franchise. Shares are strong momentum, so he's staying in.
He likes it for developing non-addictive painkillers with potential FDA approvals ahead. They reported a great quarter a day before the election, but has since pulled back hard that baffles him. Looks like profit-taking in a stock that's jumped 113% since end-2021.
She trimmed it because it's up 20% this year because of the launch of their pain medicine. Tonight's earnings will be fine and their pipeline makes it a good stock long term.
He sold part of this. In Q1, the FDA approved a record low number of drugs, and Vertex has some important trials. Was nervous in a macro standpoint, but company fundamentals and valuation were reasonable. He hopes for a bounce.
Sold it. Long term this is great. He wrote a $19.50 covered call last Monday. Earnings slightly miss and the stock sold off. So, he hedged half the decline then got stopped out. It's pure risk management.