Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTJames Halley, The Motley FoolSat, June 20, 2026 at 1:50 PM GMT+2 4 min readShares of Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) jumped during the COVID-19 pandemic, but when its COVID-19 vaccine revenue dried up, the stock slumped. However, the company has recently shown it isn't a one-trick pony by using its messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) platform to expand its business. Investors have noticed, and the pharmaceutical stock is up more than 100% so far this year.Because Moderna is trading at a premium price-to-sales ratio relative to its current revenue, buying the stock now is essentially a bet that its upcoming clinical data and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals will successfully unlock the commercial viability of its broader mRNA pipeline.Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »Here are three reasons to buy Moderna stock.Image source: Getty Images.1. Moderna has near-term portfolio diversification Moderna is aggressively trying to replace lost COVID-19 vaccine revenue by moving into multivalent and seasonal respiratory markets. The immediate catalyst is mFlusiva, Moderna's investigational mRNA-based seasonal influenza vaccine, which fared well in a phase 3 trial. The FDA's target action date for the stand-alone flu vaccine is Aug. 5, following highly positive briefing documents submitted to its advisory committee. If approved, the vaccine could be available for the 2026–2027 flu season. It's not a slam dunk, as an advisory committee recently cast doubt on the methodology used in the study, though it also said it found no major deficiencies in the vaccine's efficacy.There's also optimism regarding Moderna's flu-plus-COVID-19 combination vaccine after the vaccine, in a phase 3 trial, did better than the current stand-alone vaccines for both viruses.Last month, the European Commission approved the vaccine, called mCOMBRIAX, which aims to simplify immunization for adults aged 50 and older by combining protection against influenza and COVID-19.Bundling the vaccines removes a massive logistical friction point. Patients who are already sitting in a pharmacy or doctor's office chair for their annual flu shot can check both boxes at once, boosting compliance with the COVID-19 booster without requiring extra public outreach.2. Moderna is developing personalized cancer vaccinesThe most transformative upside for Moderna isn't in respiratory viruses; it's if its mRNA platform can be used to treat cancer. Moderna, in partnership with Merck, is developing intismeran autogene (mRNA-4157), an individualized cancer vaccine. The therapy uses mRNA to instruct a patient's own immune system to target specific mutations found only on their tumor cells.Terms and Privacy PolicyEU DSA contactPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info