Vertex Q3 Earnings Beat, Stock Down as Casgevy Sales Disappoint

Core Insights - Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) reported adjusted earnings of $4.80 per share for Q3 2025, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.55, with a year-over-year earnings increase of approximately 10% [1][10] - Total revenues reached $3.08 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.04 billion, marking an 11% year-over-year growth driven by Trikafta/Kaftrio sales and contributions from new drugs [1][10] Revenue Breakdown - U.S. revenues rose 15% year over year to $1.98 billion, fueled by strong demand and favorable net pricing, alongside contributions from new products [2] - International sales increased 4% to $1.10 billion, supported by strong cystic fibrosis (CF) growth and contributions from Casgevy [2] - Trikafta generated $2.65 billion in sales, a 2.6% increase year over year, outperforming estimates [2][10] - Alyftrek sales reached $247 million in Q3, up from $156.8 million in Q2, with strong U.S. launch progress and early success in European markets [3] - Revenues from other products declined 6% year over year to $175.8 million, including contributions from Casgevy and Journavx [4] Product Performance - Casgevy sales were $16.9 million, down 44.4% sequentially, with expectations of over $100 million in revenues for the year and significant growth anticipated in 2026 [5] - Journavx generated $19.6 million in sales, up from $12 million in Q2, following its U.S. approval in January [6] Cost and Expense Analysis - Adjusted R&D expenses increased 12.6% year over year to $861.1 million to support pipeline development [7] - Adjusted SG&A expenses rose 23% to $369 million, reflecting costs associated with the launch of Journavx [7] - Adjusted operating income rose 6% to $1.38 billion [8] Guidance and Future Outlook - Vertex tightened its total revenue guidance for 2025 to a range of $11.9 billion to $12.0 billion, indicating growth of 8-9% driven by CF franchise growth and contributions from new products [10][11] - Combined adjusted R&D, AIPR&D, and SG&A expense guidance for 2025 was raised to $5.0 billion to $5.1 billion [12] - The adjusted tax rate was reduced to a range of 17% to 18% [12] Market Reaction and Competitive Landscape - Despite strong Q3 results, Vertex shares declined 4% in after-hours trading, likely due to the disappointing sales performance of Casgevy [13] - Year-to-date, Vertex shares have risen 5.8%, compared to the industry's 12.1% increase [13] - Vertex's CF sales continue to grow, but there are concerns regarding the slower uptake of Casgevy and dependence on the CF franchise for revenue [14][17]