Moderna Stock Explodes To New 52-Week High: What's Driving The Action?

Moderna Inc (NASDAQ:MRNA) stock is trading higher Thursday morning, hitting a new 52-week high after new cancer trial data. The rally follows five-year follow-up results from a Phase 2b study of melanoma vaccine intismeran autogene (mRNA-4157) in combination with Merck's immunotherapy Keytruda. Here’s what investors need to know.

• Moderna shares are testing new highs. What’s behind MRNA new highs?

Trial Results Cut Melanoma Recurrence Risk

In high-risk melanoma patients who had undergone complete tumor removal, adding Moderna's mRNA-4157 to Keytruda reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 49% versus Keytruda alone. The combination showed durable improvement in recurrence-free survival, while maintaining a safety profile consistent with earlier readouts.

Moderna and Merck said additional follow-up data will be presented at an upcoming medical conference. The partners already have eight Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials under way across melanoma and lung cancer, and enrollment for the Phase 3 melanoma study is complete.

Why This Matters For Moderna Stock

Moderna became widely known for its COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax, its first commercial product. Since then, investors have questioned how quickly the company can replace waning vaccine sales. The strong long-term melanoma data help validate Moderna's broader mRNA platform and its oncology partnership with Merck.

If larger studies confirm these benefits and lead to approvals, Moderna could unlock a multibillion-dollar cancer-vaccine franchise, supporting a higher, more durable valuation for MRNA shares.

Overbought Conditions Raise Caution Flags

The stock is trading 46.7% above its 20-day SMA and 86.7% above its 100-day SMA, demonstrating significant strength in the longer term. The RSI is at 81.42, indicating that the stock is in overbought territory, while the MACD is above its signal line, reinforcing the bullish trend.

The combination of overbought RSI and bullish MACD suggests that while momentum is strong, traders should remain cautious of potential pullbacks.

• Key Resistance: $50.00
• Key Support: $45.00

Is This Earnings Report A Turning Point?

Investors are looking ahead to the next earnings report on February 13, 2026.

• EPS Estimate: $-2.75 (Up from $-2.91 YoY)
• Revenue Estimate: $630.72 million (Down from $966.00 million YoY)

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Hold Rating with an average price target of $36.59. Recent analyst moves include:

• UBS: Neutral (Lowers Target to $34.00) (Jan. 7)
• Morgan Stanley: Equal-Weight (Lowers Target to $28.00) (Dec. 12, 2025)
• Jefferies: Initiated with Hold (Target $30.00) (Dec. 12, 2025)

Benzinga Edge Rankings

Below is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for Moderna, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market:

• Momentum: Strong (Score: 86) — Stock is outperforming the broader market.

The Verdict: Moderna’s Benzinga Edge signal reveals a strong momentum setup. While the stock shows positive trends, investors should be mindful of the overbought conditions indicated by the RSI.

Top ETF Exposure

• State Street SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (NYSE:XBI): 1.39% Weight
• SPDR Series Trust SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (NYSE:XBI): 2.04% Weight
• First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index Fund (NYSE:FBT): 3.50% Weight

Significance: Because MRNA carries significant weight in these funds, any significant inflows or outflows for these ETFs will likely force automatic buying or selling of the stock.

MRNA Shares Gain Thursday

MRNA Price Action: Moderna shares were up 9.96% at $54.76 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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