Moderna's Quarterly Earnings Preview: What You Need to Know

 Valued at a market cap of $21.2 billion, Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) is a biotechnology company that pioneered the use of messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines to transform how medicines are created. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company is expected to announce its fiscal Q1 earnings for 2026 before the market opens on Friday, May 1. 

Ahead of this event, analysts expect this biotechnology company to report a loss of $2.27 per share, down 9.9% from a loss of $2.52 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has topped Wall Street’s bottom-line estimates in each of the last four quarters. In Q4 2025, Moderna’s loss of $2.11 per share outpaced the consensus expectations by a notable margin of 18.9%.

For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect MRNA to report a loss of $6.99 per share, 3.7% narrower than a loss of $7.26 per share reported in fiscal 2025. Its loss is expected to further decline 37.9% year-over-year to $4.34 per share in fiscal 2027. 

MRNA has skyrocketed 117.4% over the past 52 weeks, significantly outperforming both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 34.9% return and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLV) 9.8% uptick over the same time period. 

On Mar. 4, shares of Moderna soared 16% after the company resolved a long-standing patent dispute related to its COVID-19 vaccine technology. Under the agreement, Moderna will pay up to $2.25 billion to Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (ABUS) and Genevant Sciences, effectively eliminating a significant legal and financial overhang that had pressured its stock.

The settlement also brought clarity to Moderna’s broader infectious disease portfolio, confirming that no future royalties will be required. Adding to the positive momentum, the company received a favorable opinion from the European Medicines Agency for its combination vaccine targeting both influenza and COVID-19 in individuals aged 50 and above.

Wall Street analysts are cautious about MRNA’s stock, with an overall "Hold" rating. Among 24 analysts covering the stock, two recommend "Strong Buy," 19 suggest "Hold," one indicates a “Moderate Buy,” and two advise “Strong Sell.” While the company is trading above its mean price target of $44.90, its Street-high price target of $135 suggests a 151.3% potential upside from the current levels.