Analyst Confident In Moderna's Cancer Vaccine But Highlights Other Challenges

Core Insights - Moderna reported a fourth-quarter EPS loss of $(2.91), missing the consensus estimate of $(2.62), and a significant decline from EPS income of $0.55 a year ago [1] - Quarterly sales were $966 million, down from $2.81 billion a year ago, but exceeded the consensus of $942.8 million [1] Financial Outlook - Moderna reiterated its 2025 revenue outlook of $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion, compared to a consensus of $2.43 billion [2] - The company expects approximately $0.2 billion in revenue for the first half of the year, reflecting the seasonality of its respiratory business [2] Clinical Trials and Developments - The Phase 3 study for Moderna's trivalent vaccine against norovirus (mRNA-1403) is fully enrolled in the Northern Hemisphere, with preparations for second-season enrollment in the Southern Hemisphere [3] - The trial is currently on FDA clinical hold due to a reported case of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), which is under investigation [3][4] - Moderna does not anticipate an impact on the study's efficacy readout timeline as enrollment in the Northern Hemisphere is complete [5] Vaccine Performance and Analyst Ratings - The cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine did not meet early efficacy criteria in a Phase 3 trial, but Moderna expects data after 112 cases this year [5] - RBC Capital maintains confidence in Moderna's cancer vaccine and its long-term potential, despite short-term challenges like declining COVID demand [6] - Barclays downgraded Moderna from Overweight to Equal-Weight, lowering the price target from $111 to $45 [6] Stock Predictions - Analysts have an average 1-year price target of $53.9 for Moderna, indicating an expected upside of 52.24% [7] - There are mixed analyst recommendations, with 3 bearish and 2 bullish ratings; the highest price target is $99.0 from Goldman Sachs, while the lowest is $34.0 from B of A Securities [8] - As of the latest check, MRNA stock is up 7.51% at $35.47 [8]