Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract]
Net income (loss)	$ 128,456	$ (291,267)	$ 562,007	$ (10,550)
Changes in other comprehensive income (loss):
Unrealized holding gains (losses) on marketable securities, net	224	5,961	137	(7,786)
Unrealized gains (losses) on foreign currency forward contracts, net of tax of zero, $0.9 million, $0.5 million and $2.9 million, respectively	4,029	(5,453)	29,062	(27,379)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	659	(3,884)	6,800	(11,137)
Total changes in other comprehensive income (loss)	4,912	(3,376)	35,999	(46,302)
Comprehensive income (loss)	133,368	(294,643)	598,006	(56,852)
Comprehensive loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	290	188,315	(15,638)	173,350
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Vertex	$ 133,658	$ (106,328)	$ 582,368	$ 116,498

Amount after tax of increase (decrease) in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from net income and other comprehensive income, attributable to parent entity. Excludes changes in equity resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners.

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Amount after tax and reclassification adjustments of gain (loss) on foreign currency translation adjustments, foreign currency transactions designated and effective as economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity and intra-entity foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term-investment nature.

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