Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) Sets New 52-Week High – Still a Buy?

Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday. The company traded as high as $243.00 and last traded at $237.8580, with a volume of 11,413,108 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $226.89.

Trending Headlines about Moderna

Here are the key news stories impacting Moderna this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Investors are positioning ahead of detailed Phase 3 melanoma results for Moderna’s personalized cancer therapy, expected to be presented Saturday. Positive data could strengthen the company’s oncology pipeline and support a broader re-rating. What’s Going On With Moderna Stock Monday?
• Positive Sentiment: Oddo BHF raised its Moderna price target to $251 from $170, adding to bullish analyst sentiment and implying continued upside based on expectations for the company’s pipeline. Oddo BHF Adjusts Moderna Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Moderna and Merck are expected to headline ESMO 2026 with cancer-related data, keeping the company’s personalized oncology program in focus. The event may provide additional evidence on the commercial potential of the partnership. Merck/Moderna to Headline ESMO 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Moderna is being highlighted among biotech and AI-enabled healthcare investment ideas, reflecting interest in data-driven drug development and personalized medicine rather than a specific new financial announcement. AI Healthcare Stocks Article
• Neutral Sentiment: An article reviewing institutional views on MRNA may influence investor positioning, but the available headline does not identify a material change in consensus expectations. Investment Firms and Moderna
• Negative Sentiment: A critical analysis argues that the market may be overpricing Moderna’s cancer-vaccine opportunity, highlighting execution, clinical, and commercialization risks. This skepticism could increase volatility if upcoming data disappoint. Moderna: Sell the Cancer Vaccine Hype
• Negative Sentiment: Moderna President Stephen Hoge reported selling millions of dollars of company stock under a trading plan. The transactions may weigh on sentiment, although planned sales do not necessarily indicate a change in the company’s outlook. Stephen Hoge Sells Moderna Shares

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MRNA has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. CLSA upgraded shares of Moderna to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, August 28th. Citigroup lowered Moderna from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $60.00 to $80.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Moderna from $120.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, October 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Moderna in a research report on Friday, August 28th. They set a “hold” rating and a $125.00 target price for the company. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Moderna from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $101.45.

Moderna Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 2.29 and a quick ratio of 2.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $96.60 billion, a P/E ratio of -30.26 and a beta of 1.09. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $160.00 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $92.42.

Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) last posted its earnings results on Friday, July 31st. The company reported ($1.97) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($2.03) by $0.06. Moderna had a negative net margin of 141.43% and a negative return on equity of 28.30%. The company had revenue of $145.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $102.93 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted ($2.13) earnings per share. Moderna’s quarterly revenue was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts expect that Moderna, Inc. will post -6.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Moderna news, insider Shannon Klinger sold 3,471 shares of Moderna stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $139.95, for a total value of $485,766.45. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 74,129 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,374,353.55. The trade was a 4.47% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 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, President Stephen Hoge sold 39,145 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.72, for a total value of $8,640,084.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the president directly owned 1,636,565 shares in the company, valued at approximately $361,222,626.80. This represents a 2.34% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 197,251 shares of company stock worth $33,875,904 in the last three months. Insiders own 10.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Moderna

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Moderna during the 2nd quarter valued at $2,142,877,000. Theleme Partners LLP acquired a new position in shares of Moderna in the 2nd quarter valued at $564,272,000. Merck & Co. Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Moderna in the 2nd quarter valued at $161,642,545. Bamco Inc. NY bought a new position in shares of Moderna in the 2nd quarter worth $139,317,000. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in shares of Moderna in the 2nd quarter worth $119,168,000. Institutional investors own 75.33% of the company’s stock.

Moderna Company Profile

Moderna, Inc is a biotechnology company that develops medicines and vaccines using messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. Its platform is designed to instruct cells to produce proteins that can stimulate immune responses or support the treatment of disease. The company’s research programs span infectious diseases, immuno-oncology, rare diseases, autoimmune conditions and other therapeutic areas.

Moderna’s commercial products include Spikevax, an mRNA vaccine for COVID-19, and mRESVIA, an mRNA vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in older adults.