Moderna stock rises as Brookline reiterates Buy on strong COVID vaccine data

Investing.com - Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) stock gained Tuesday after Brookline Capital Markets reiterated its Buy rating and $198.00 price target following strong clinical data for the company’s refrigerator-stable COVID-19 vaccine. According to InvestingPro data, the stock remains undervalued despite falling nearly 59% over the past year, with analysts’ targets ranging from $15 to $198.

The new data showed mNEXSPIKE/mRNA-1283 demonstrated an average greater than 16-fold increase in neutralizing antibodies against the LP.8.1 variant, which Brookline described as "remarkably strong" compared to Moderna’s original COVID-19 vaccine and phase III registration data.

This follows the FDA’s May 31, 2025, approval of mNEXSPIKE for adults 65 and older and individuals aged 12-64 years with risk factors. The vaccine met its primary efficacy endpoint in the pivotal NEXTCove phase III study and demonstrated superior efficacy. While InvestingPro data shows Moderna maintains strong liquidity with a current ratio of 3.93 and holds more cash than debt, the company faces challenges with negative profit margins.

The new vaccine offers practical advantages over previous versions, including refrigerator stability and prefilled syringe administration, which could expand geographic markets and improve adoption rates if approved outside the US.

Brookline estimates Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine sales will include 10.9 million doses in the US for 2025, down from an estimated 14.6 million in 2024, with potential global sales reaching $2.1 billion in 2025 and growing to $15.6 billion by 2030. InvestingPro analysts anticipate a 42% revenue decline this year, with additional insights and detailed financial analysis available in the comprehensive Pro Research Report covering Moderna among 1,400+ top US stocks.

In other recent news, Moderna announced that its 2025-2026 mNEXSPIKE COVID-19 vaccine showed a significant increase in neutralizing antibodies against the LP.8.1 variant, with clinical trials indicating a greater than 16-fold boost. This development comes as the company also reported an 8-fold increase in antibodies with its updated Spikevax formula for similar age groups. Meanwhile, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved new COVID-19 vaccines targeting the JN.1 variant, but with more restricted eligibility, primarily for those over 65 and individuals with high-risk health conditions. In a related move, a CDC panel voted to end the universal recommendation for COVID-19 vaccinations, shifting the decision to individuals and their healthcare providers. UBS reiterated its Buy rating on Moderna, maintaining a price target of $70, following discussions on regulatory developments. Additionally, reports from Newsweek and The Daily Beast suggest the Trump administration might plan to phase out COVID-19 vaccines, although these claims are based on speculation from a vaccine skeptic.

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