Since hitting their peak in late 2021, Moderna's (NASDAQ: MRNA) shares are down by more than 90%. The biotech company gained recognition by developing one of the leading coronavirus vaccines on the market, but its revenue and earnings subsequently plummeted as the pandemic waned.\n\nCan Moderna rebound and surpass its previous highs? Whether it can do so will depend on several key developments investors should pay close attention to. Let's consider three.\n\n<em>Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. <a>Learn More »</a></em>\n\n<h2>1. Will new recommendations limit its COVID-19 vaccine revenue?</h2>\n\nModerna continues to generate decent annual revenue from its coronavirus vaccine, Spikevax. In the second quarter, the company reported $114 million in sales from this product. It's essential to note, though, that Spikevax generates most of its revenue during the second half of the year. Moderna expects its total revenue to be between $1.5 billion and $2.2 billion this year, with the majority of this revenue coming from Spikevax. Most medicines or vaccines never generate more than $1 billion in annual revenue, so Moderna's performance in this market is still noteworthy.\n\nHowever, regulatory developments could impact Moderna's sales of its COVID-19 vaccine. In the U.S., regulatory authorities have changed recommendation guidelines and requirements. The focus is now on targeting older adults, and those who may be at risk of severe COVID-related complications based on one or more factors that increase this risk. The vaccine is no longer being recommended for healthy adults at average risk. It will be important to see how these recent developments impact Moderna's financial results.\n\nPerson getting vaccinated.\n\nImage source: Getty Images.\n\n<h2>2. Can its RSV vaccine make headway?</h2>\n\nLast year, Moderna earned approval for mResvia, a vaccine for lower respiratory tract disease caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), for adults age 60 and older. Although it was one of the first RSV vaccines to reach the market, it has generated negligible sales so far. However, it recently received a label expansion in the U.S. for adults age 18 to 59 and has also gained approval in several other countries, including the U.K., Australia, and Switzerland.\n\nModerna's CEO, Stéphane Bancel, estimates that approximately 40 million people in the U.S. alone are eligible for an RSV vaccine. Moderna could still make strong sales from mResvia as it makes headway into this market and others abroad. But with competition from several other players, how will this product progress, especially with recent new approvals and label expansions? Investors should keep an eye on that.\n\n<h2>3. Will there be promising developments from late-stage candidates?</h2>\n\nPerhaps the most critical aspect of Moderna's business to pay attention to right now is its late-stage pipeline. The company has several candidates that are in phase 3 studies or have already demonstrated efficacy in late-stage trials. It recently announced positive data from a phase 3 study for its investigational influenza vaccine, mRNA-1010.\n\nAlthough several competitors have already been on the market for a while, flu-vaccine efficacy tends to be relatively low. That's partly why last year 600,000 patients were hospitalized due to flu-related complications in the U.S. There's a need for new options here, and Moderna's candidate may be the answer.\n\nElsewhere, the biotech is running late-stage studies for mRNA-4157, an investigational personalized cancer vaccine it's developing in collaboration with Merck. In a phase 2 study, mRNA-4157 significantly reduced the risk of recurrence or death when paired with Merck's Keytruda in patients with advanced melanoma, compared to Keytruda alone. If Moderna can replicate this success in phase 3 studies and launch this product, it would be a meaningful approval for its lineup.\n\nThe company also has other late-stage candidates, including mRNA-1647, a potential vaccine for cytomegalovirus (CMV); there is currently no approved vaccine for this virus. Strong clinical progress across these programs (and others) could jolt Moderna's stock.\n\n<h2>Is Moderna's stock a buy?</h2>\n\nModerna has a deep pipeline of mRNA vaccine candidates, extending beyond the ones discussed. The biotech is also recording decent annual revenue from its two approved products. Provided it can continue innovating and significantly improve its lineup in the next few years, its share price could jump. Furthermore, Moderna has been engaged in cost-cutting efforts, which should help it navigate the somewhat precarious economic conditions it faces.\n\nThe stock carries above-average risk, given the difficulty of predicting sales of Moderna's approved products, and the potential consequences of a significant clinical setback (a threat <a>biotech investors</a> routinely face). However, Moderna also boasts considerable upside potential. Those comfortable with the risk should seriously consider the stock.\n\n<h2>Should you invest $1,000 in Moderna right now?</h2>\n\nBefore you buy stock in Moderna, consider this:\n\nThe <em>Motley Fool Stock Advisor</em> analyst team just identified what they believe are the <a>10 best stocks</a> for investors to buy now… and Moderna wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.\n\nConsider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $653,427!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,119,863!*\n\nNow, it’s worth noting <em>Stock Advisor’s</em> total average return is 1,060% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&amp;P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join <em>Stock Advisor</em>.\n\n<a>See the 10 stocks »</a>\n\n<em><em>*Stock Advisor returns as of August 4, 2025</em></em>\n\n<em><a>Prosper Junior Bakiny</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Merck. The Motley Fool recommends Moderna. The Motley Fool has a <a>disclosure policy</a>.</em>

The 3 Things That Matter for Moderna Now

The article outlines three key factors that could influence Moderna's future performance: the impact of changing regulatory guidelines on its COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax, the potential commercial success of its RSV vaccine mResvia following recent label expansions, and the progress of its late-stage mRNA vaccine candidates, including mRNA-1010 for influenza and mRNA-4157 in combination with Merck's Keytruda for melanoma. The article also notes that Moderna's stock remains high-risk but offers significant upside potential, and while the Motley Fool recommends the stock, it was not included in their list of the top 10 stocks to buy now.