Stock Traders Buy Large Volume of Moderna Call Options (NASDAQ:MRNA)

Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) was the target of unusually large options trading activity on Friday. Stock investors acquired 146,946 call options on the company. This is an increase of 75% compared to the typical volume of 83,847 call options.

Trending Headlines about Moderna

Here are the key news stories impacting Moderna this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations: Moderna reported a narrower-than-expected loss (GAAP EPS -$2.11) and revenue above estimates, driven by stronger COVID-19 vaccine sales; management reiterated a ~10% revenue growth target for 2026, pushing near-term sentiment. Moderna beats fourth-quarter revenue estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually large bullish options flow: Traders bought about 146,946 call contracts Friday (≈75% above typical call volume), signalling outsized short-term bullish positioning that can amplify upside moves if momentum continues.
• Neutral Sentiment: Technical picture is mixed but showing early bull signals: Several technical analysts point to support holding after a sharp YTD rally and highlight possible breakout targets above recent resistance — this supports momentum trading but also implies higher volatility. Moderna Price Forecast: Breakout Signals New Bull Trend
• Neutral Sentiment: Pipeline & operational updates: Norovirus Phase 3 is fully enrolled and other trials progressed; management also highlighted international manufacturing capacity — positive for long-term value but timeline-driven. Q4 press release / slide deck
• Negative Sentiment: Major regulatory setback: The U.S. FDA issued a refusal-to-file for Moderna’s new mRNA flu vaccine application, citing trial issues; Moderna has requested a Type A meeting, but the decision raises near-term uncertainty for one of its key pipeline catalysts and could pressure valuation. FDA refuses Moderna’s application for new mRNA flu vaccine
• Negative Sentiment: Volatility and mixed market reaction: Despite the beat, some outlets note the stock’s sharp pullback from the 52-week high and intraday swings after earnings — a sign investors are split between near-term optimism and longer-term execution/regulatory risks. Moderna Reports a Narrower-Than-Expected Loss. The Stock Falls After Earnings.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Noubar Afeyan sold 23,853 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.48, for a total value of $703,186.44. Following the sale, the director owned 3,924 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $115,679.52. This represents a 85.87% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 10.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board increased its position in shares of Moderna by 1.9% in the fourth quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board now owns 15,700 shares of the company’s stock worth $463,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Cromwell Holdings LLC boosted its position in Moderna by 39.7% during the 4th quarter. Cromwell Holdings LLC now owns 1,200 shares of the company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 341 shares during the period. IFP Advisors Inc increased its holdings in Moderna by 5.4% in the 4th quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 6,785 shares of the company’s stock valued at $200,000 after purchasing an additional 348 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC increased its holdings in Moderna by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 13,732 shares of the company’s stock valued at $405,000 after purchasing an additional 353 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its position in Moderna by 19.0% in the second quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 2,347 shares of the company’s stock valued at $65,000 after purchasing an additional 375 shares during the period. 75.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Moderna from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 17th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on Moderna from $30.00 to $28.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Bank of America decreased their price objective on Moderna from $24.00 to $21.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 10th. UBS Group lowered Moderna from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and dropped their target price for the company from $40.00 to $34.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Berenberg Bank set a $28.00 price target on Moderna in a research note on Monday, November 17th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Moderna currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $28.77.

Moderna Trading Up 5.3%

Shares of MRNA opened at $42.23 on Friday. Moderna has a twelve month low of $22.28 and a twelve month high of $55.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.50 billion, a P/E ratio of -5.23 and a beta of 1.32. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $37.26 and its 200 day simple moving average is $29.87.

Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 13th. The company reported ($2.11) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($2.79) by $0.68. The company had revenue of $678.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $611.14 million. Moderna had a negative return on equity of 29.81% and a negative net margin of 139.61%.The firm’s revenue was down 33.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted ($2.91) earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Moderna will post -9.61 earnings per share for the current year.

About Moderna

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.