Hardman Johnston Global Advisors, an investment management company, released its “Hardman Johnston Large Cap Equity Strategy” first quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The strategy returned -6.49%, net of fees, in the quarter compared to a -4.27% return for the S&P 500 Total Returns Index. In the quarter, the disruptive policies disrupted the economic outlook, and the equity market fell sharply at the end of the quarter. In addition, please check the fund’s top five holdings to know its best picks in 2025.
In its first-quarter 2025 investor letter, Hardman Johnston Large Cap Equity Strategy highlighted stocks such as Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX). Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) is a biotechnology company focusing on developing and commercializing therapies for treating cystic fibrosis (CF). The one-month return of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) was -1.16%, and its shares lost 5.41% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On June 17, 2025, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) stock closed at $441.99 per share, with a market capitalization of $113.502 billion.
Hardman Johnston Large Cap Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) in its Q1 2025 investor letter:
“Contributors to performance were led by Howmet Aerospace, Inc. and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX). Vertex reported strong financial results for Q4’24, with revenue in line and operating expenses higher than anticipated to support their pipeline. Investor confidence has been bolstered by Vertex’s consistent growth and strategic initiatives, as the company has expanded its portfolio beyond cystic fibrosis. The recent FDA approval of suzetrigine (VX-548) for moderate-to-severe acute pain introduces a non-opioid pain treatment, addressing a significant market need.”
A pharmacist delivering a specific medication to a patient in a specialty pharmacy.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 60 hedge fund portfolios held Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) at the end of the first quarter, which was 68 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as NVIDIA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the undervalued AI stock set for massive gains.
In another article, we covered Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) and shared the list of biotech stocks with huge upside potential. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q1 2025 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) contributed to Baron Health Care Fund’s performance during Q1 2025. While we acknowledge the potential of VRTX as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you’re looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
