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

Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) saw some unusual options trading on Tuesday. Stock investors acquired 179,268 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of 83% compared to the typical volume of 97,935 call options.

Moderna Stock Performance

NASDAQ MRNA traded up $2.73 on Tuesday, reaching $35.72. 18,950,644 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 13,056,006. Moderna has a one year low of $29.25 and a one year high of $170.47. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.75 billion, a PE ratio of -6.14 and a beta of 1.59. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $38.61 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $53.82. The company has a current ratio of 4.39, a quick ratio of 4.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05.

Insider Activity at Moderna

In other Moderna news, insider Shannon Thyme Klinger sold 1,418 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $42.79, for a total value of $60,676.22. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 19,717 shares in the company, valued at approximately $843,690.43. This trade represents a 6.71 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders sold 2,664 shares of company stock worth $115,210 in the last ninety days. 15.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Moderna

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MRNA. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB grew its holdings in Moderna by 295.0% during the 4th quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 786 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 587 shares in the last quarter. Compass Planning Associates Inc purchased a new position in Moderna during the fourth quarter worth $37,000. Venturi Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Moderna by 286.2% during the fourth quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 896 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 664 shares during the last quarter. Crowley Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Moderna during the fourth quarter worth $41,000. Finally, Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. raised its holdings in shares of Moderna by 51.2% in the fourth quarter. Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. now owns 1,013 shares of the company’s stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 343 shares in the last quarter. 75.33% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MRNA has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Moderna in a report on Friday, November 15th. They issued an “underperform” rating and a $40.00 price objective for the company. Berenberg Bank raised their price objective on Moderna from $33.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Moderna from $59.00 to $45.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 26th. HSBC raised Moderna from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $58.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Monday, November 18th. Finally, Leerink Partners decreased their price target on Moderna from $31.00 to $27.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have issued a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Moderna presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $61.58.

Moderna Company Profile

Moderna, Inc, a biotechnology company, discovers, develops, and commercializes messenger RNA therapeutics and vaccines for the treatment of infectious diseases, immuno-oncology, rare diseases, autoimmune, and cardiovascular diseases in the United States, Europe, and internationally. Its respiratory vaccines include COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, spikevax, and hMPV/PIV3 vaccines; latent vaccines comprise cytomegalovirus, epstein-barr virus, herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, and human immunodeficiency virus vaccines; public health vaccines consists of Zika, Nipah, Mpox vaccines; and infectious diseases vaccines, such as lyme and norovirus vaccines.