VRTX’s worst drop since 1999 was 92%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) fell 92% from Nov 2000 to Nov 2003. It took 13.6 years from that peak to close at a new high, in Jul 2014. Over the same years the S&P 500 fell as much as 55%.
That drop ranks 162nd deepest among the 986 stocks PortfolioAutopsy tracks.
Drawdown from the last high, 1999 to now
How VRTX held up in each crash
| Crash | Years | VRTX | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dot-com bust | 2000–02 | −86.7% | −47.5% |
| Financial crisis | 2007–09 | −64.0% | −55.2% |
| COVID crash | 2020 | −19.4% | −33.7% |
| 2022 rate shock | 2022 | −19.2% | −24.5% |
Each number is the deepest fall from a high inside that window, using daily prices with dividends reinvested.
See how VRTX behaves inside your whole mix, with the worst 12 months, loss odds and crash replays. Free, no signup, and the math runs in your browser.
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What was VRTX’s maximum drawdown?
VRTX’s deepest fall since 1999 was 91.8%, from its high on November 2, 2000 to its low on November 11, 2003. The figure uses daily prices with dividends reinvested.
How long did VRTX take to recover?
13.6 years. VRTX first closed above its Nov 2000 high again on July 2, 2014.
Was VRTX riskier than the S&P 500?
Over the same years, VRTX’s worst drop was 91.8% against 55.2% for the S&P 500 (SPY), and its worst 12 months were −80.9% against −47.4%.
Compare with
Daily adjusted closes from Yahoo Finance, January 5, 1999 through October 13, 2026, dividends reinvested. Historical facts, not a forecast and not investment advice.