Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX): Today's Featured Health Care Winner

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) pushed the Health Care sector higher today making it today's featured health care winner. The sector as a whole closed the day down 0.9%. By the end of trading, Vertex Pharmaceuticals rose 64 cents (1.3%) to $49.96 on light volume. Throughout the day, 2.1 million shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 4.1 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $49.50-$50.49 after having opened the day at $49.50 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $49.32. Other companies within the Health Care sector that increased today were: CombiMatrix Corporation (CBMX), up 17.4%, Kips Bay Medical (KIPS), up 16.5%, Aoxing Pharmaceutical Company (AXN), up 13.4%, and American Caresource Holdings (ANCI), up 12.8%.

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Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated engages in discovering, developing, manufacturing, and commercializing small molecule drugs for the treatment of serious diseases worldwide. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a market cap of $10.36 billion and is part of the drugs industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 33.8, below the average drugs industry P/E ratio of 35.8 and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 48.5% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday. Currently there are 13 analysts that rate Vertex Pharmaceuticals a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and three rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Vertex Pharmaceuticals as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, notable return on equity, impressive record of earnings per share growth and compelling growth in net income. Although no company is perfect, currently we do not see any significant weaknesses which are likely to detract from the generally positive outlook.

• You can view the full Vertex Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Progenics Pharmaceuticals (PGNX), down 50.1%, Acura Pharmaceuticals (ACUR), down 36.4%, Prima Biomed Ltd. ADR (PBMD), down 14.8%, and MEI Pharma (MEIP), down 14.4%, were all laggards within the health care sector with Herbalife (HLF) being today's health care sector laggard.

• Use our health care section to find sector-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the health care sector could consider Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) while those bearish on the health care sector could consider ProShares Ultra Short Health Care (RXD).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

For more information on Vertex Pharmaceuticals click any of the following:

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Price

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals Analyst Ratings

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals Key Stats & Profile

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals Earnings

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals Ratio Comparison

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals Growth Rates

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals Balance Sheet

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals Cash Flow

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals Income Statement