Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) Reaches New 1-Year High - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• Moderna shares hit a new 52-week high, trading as high as $60.35 and rising about 11.4% as investors reacted positively to recent company news.
• FDA briefing documents for Moderna’s seasonal flu vaccine candidate were seen as more constructive than feared, with reviewers saying data may support effectiveness in adults 65 and older ahead of the June 18 advisory committee meeting.
• Despite the rally, analyst sentiment remains cautious: MarketBeat shows a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $36.60, well below the current share price.

Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA - Get Free Report)'s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $60.35 and last traded at $60.0850, with a volume of 4629830 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $55.40.

Moderna News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Moderna this week:

• Positive Sentiment: FDA briefing documents for Moderna’s seasonal flu vaccine candidate appear more constructive than investors feared, easing concerns ahead of the June 18 advisory committee meeting and supporting hopes for approval. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: FDA staff reviewers said Moderna’s flu-shot data may support effectiveness in adults age 65 and older, which could strengthen the case for approval and eventual commercialization. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Moderna announced organizational changes, including a new chief commercial officer and expanded responsibilities for President Stephen Hoge, signaling more focus on execution ahead of potential product launches in 2027 and 2028. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Moderna said it will host an Investor Event/Science Day on June 25, which may provide updates on its research pipeline and long-term growth plans. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Reuters reported Moderna is interested in investing in production facilities in Germany, potentially taking advantage of BioNTech plant closures, but this is still an early strategic discussion rather than a confirmed financial catalyst. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Some reports noted FDA reviewers also raised questions about the evidence package for Moderna’s flu vaccine, so any approval-related gains could face volatility around the upcoming panel vote. Article Title

Analyst Ratings Changes

MRNA has been the subject of several analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group set a $37.00 price target on shares of Moderna and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Moderna from $25.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. UBS Group reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Moderna in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Piper Sandler raised their price target on Moderna from $63.00 to $69.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Moderna from $43.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $36.60.

Moderna Stock Up 11.4%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 2.41 and a quick ratio of 2.35. The company has a market capitalization of $24.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.51 and a beta of 1.05. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $49.79 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $44.57.

Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, May 1st. The company reported ($3.40) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($3.02) by ($0.38). Moderna had a negative net margin of 143.55% and a negative return on equity of 26.64%. The firm had revenue of $389.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $236.37 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted ($2.52) EPS. The company's revenue was up 260.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Moderna, Inc. will post -6.51 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Shannon Thyme Klinger sold 3,471 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.00, for a total value of $173,550.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 67,468 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,373,400. This represents a 4.89% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, Director Abbas Hussain sold 5,682 shares of Moderna stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.63, for a total value of $264,951.66. Following the transaction, the director owned 12,066 shares of the company's stock, valued at $562,637.58. The trade was a 32.01% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 71,752 shares of company stock worth $3,453,843. 10.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Moderna

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. AQR Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Moderna during the 1st quarter worth about $415,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its position in Moderna by 732.7% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 11,575 shares of the company's stock worth $328,000 after acquiring an additional 10,185 shares during the last quarter. United Services Automobile Association bought a new stake in shares of Moderna during the first quarter worth approximately $230,000. Focus Partners Wealth boosted its holdings in shares of Moderna by 58.7% during the first quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 23,547 shares of the company's stock worth $668,000 after acquiring an additional 8,706 shares during the period. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. grew its position in shares of Moderna by 5.2% in the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 48,859 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,348,000 after purchasing an additional 2,410 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.33% of the company's stock.

Moderna Company Profile

Moderna, Inc is a biotechnology company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializing in messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines. The company's platform leverages synthetic mRNA to instruct cells to produce proteins that can prevent or treat diseases. Since its founding in 2010, Moderna has advanced from early-stage research into a broad pipeline of vaccine and therapeutic candidates designed to address infectious diseases, rare genetic disorders and chronic illnesses.

Moderna's flagship product is its mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine, which was the first of its kind to receive emergency use authorization and later full approval in multiple jurisdictions.

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