Скачать или смотреть Is Moderna Stock A Buy Or Sell As Shares Yo-Yo On The Omicron Threat?

Moderna stock tumbled in early December after new analyses suggested a variant called omicron might not lead to severe cases of Covid. Omicron contains a number of mutations to the spike protein, the key portion of the virus the immune system recognizes before responding. Covid vaccines introduce this protein to the body in the hopes of generating antibodies. It's still unknown whether vaccines will protect against the new variant, but less severe cases might not persuade holdouts to seek Covid jabs. Now, Moderna (MRNA) is planning to test four potential candidates against the variant. They include a higher dose of its booster, two booster candidates designed to target multiple strains and an omicron-specific booster. U.S. officials have already authorized the original booster for all adults. But Moderna stock took a beating last month. First, the Food and Drug Administration said it needed more time to review Moderna's vaccine in teens. Then, the company slashed its outlook for 2021 sales. Finally, Pfizer (PFE) and Merck (MRK) said their antiviral pills lowered the risk of Covid hospitalization or death by a respective 89% and 30%. So, all in all, is Moderna stock a buy or a sell today? A Fundamental Look At Moderna Stock The biotech company is banking on its messenger RNA, or mRNA, technology. Messenger RNA is a substance in the body that delivers the instructions for creating protein. So-called spike proteins cover the type of coronavirus that causes Covid-19. Moderna's vaccine contains mRNA that tells the body to produce a structure similar to the spike protein. The idea is that this will trigger the immune system to create disease-fighting antibodies and T-cells. Moderna now has three quarters of profitability. In the third quarter, Moderna earned $7.70 a share on $4.97 billion in sales. The latter number includes $4.81 billion in sales of its Covid vaccine. Both measures lagged expectations, though grew bullishly. The revenue growth was massive and profits are bullish, though it's still early innings. CAN SLIM investors are encouraged to seek stocks with recent 20%-25% quarterly revenue and earnings growth. The bigger that growth, the better. In the fourth quarter, analysts polled by FactSet expect Moderna to earn $8.58 per share on $5.86 billion in sales. Earnings would turn around from year-earlier losses and sales would grow by a triple-digit percentage. Moderna stock has a Composite Rating of 75 out of a best-possible 99. The Composite Rating is a measure of a stock's key fundamental and technical measures. So MRNA stock narrowly outranks three-quarters of all stocks on those measures. What Does 2020 Say About MRNA Stock? Moderna stock went public at 23 in late 2018. In 2019, the biotech stock popped about 38%. In 2020, though, shares rocketed more than 434%. Still, the bullish Moderna stock action does not extend to fundamental measures. In 2020, Moderna reported a loss of $1.96 per share on $803 million in sales. Sales soared, but losses deepened. Moderna also just cut its outlook for 2021. Now, the company expects $15 billion to $18 billion in full-year sales of its Covid shot. That lagged analysts' projections and MRNA stock tumbled. The company also cut its expectations for production in 2021 to 700 million to 800 million doses, down from its prior outlook for 800 million to 1 billion. In 2021, analysts expect Moderna to earn $26.34 per share on $17.43 billion in sales. Earnings would swing from year-ago losses and sales would soar by a quadruple-digit percentage. Moderna Stock: Technical Analysis Moderna stock isn't currently forming a chart pattern, according to MarketSmith.com. Investors are encouraged to take buy a stock when it tops a buy point. Bearishly, Moderna stock dropped below its 50-day moving average on Dec. 6. Shares were in line with their 200-day line. Shares have a Relative Strength Rating of 96. The RS Rating is a 1-99 measure of a stock's 12-month performance. This puts Moderna stock in the top 4% of all stocks on that metric. But MRNA stock has a poor EPS Rating of 68, still reflecting years of per-share losses. Keep tabs on IBD Digital for more on stock ratings. Covid Vaccine Facing Competition Moderna has finished submitting data to the FDA to secure full approval for its coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine from Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech (BNTX), is already fully approved for people age 16 and older. This means the companies can market to consumers and change the price. Recently, Moderna submitted initial data to the FDA and the European Medicines Agency for its Covid booster shot. The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just authorized the Covid booster for all adults six months after finishing their primary series. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) recipients can get a booster two months after their first shot. Test data suggest a booster shot produces antibodies that can handle coronavirus vari