Saturday Night Quarterback says, For the week ahead expect…
The week will bring lots of important news on inflation and on the auto sectors and from Adobe on developments in AI. With some strange wrinkles in timing due to the short Good Friday schedule.
Moderna shares jump today on positive results in skin cancer vaccine trials
Shares of Moderna (MRNA) closed up 925% today, December 14. A personalized vaccine developed by Merck and Moderna helped prevent the recurrence of severe skin cancer for three years, according to new results released today. Patients with severe melanomas who got the vaccine and Merck’s cancer drug Keytruda were 49% less likely to die or have their cancer return than those who got Keytruda alone. The news is especially important for Moderna.
Moderna shares popped 3.2% yesterday–here’s why
Shares of Moderna (MRNA) closed up 3.18% yesterday, September 13, on news that
1. The Food & Drug Administration has approved updated Covid-19 vaccine boosters (including one from Moderna) and that the Centers for Disease Control was recommending the boosters for adults and children older than 6 months. 2. The company announced that the newest results from Phase 3 clinical trials for an updated version of its flu vaccine, mRNA-1010, had met all primary endpoints in a Phase 3 trial, Compared to Glaxo’s Fluarix, Moderna’s vaccine showed higher antibody levels for all four influenza strains (two each for influenza A and B) recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as higher seroconversion rates. This comes after an earlier version of the vaccine failed to demonstrate superiority for the B strains. The company expects to meet with regulators very soon and, depending on guidance received, the flu shot could launch as soon as next year, CEO Stephane Bancel told Fierce Biotech. “We’ll know more in a few months when we speak to regulators, but [we’re] trying to go as fast as we can,” he said. Of these two pieces of news I’d say No 2 is way, way more important
Please Watch My New YouTube video: Quick Pick Moderna
Today’s Quick Pick is Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA). You’re familiar with Moderna as the developer of one of the RNA-Covid vaccines. The stock market has been treating the stock like the company was a one-trick pony with sales dependent totally on the demand for Covid-19 vaccines. But I think of the MRNA Covid-19 vaccine as proof of the validity of Moderna’s technology platform which takes a lot of the risk out of what is still an early-stage biotech stock. The company now has 36 other vaccines in its development pipeline using the mRNA technology that was proven effective in the Covid vaccines. Around six of those are expected to launch in the next few years. The huge jump in revenue from the Covid vaccines “shot” the stock up around 900%. (The company’s revenue was $155 million in 2018, and at the end of 2022 its revenue was $19.3 billion.) But more recently, the shares have been in a steep decline and Morningstar now calls them 40% undervalued. The stock has pulled back further in the last week or so on news that results from some trials have not been positive enough to lead to early termination of the trials. The huge revenue–and the resulting profitability–from the Covid-19 vaccines put Moderna in a unique position for such a young biotech company. They’re able to fund their own research, clinical trials, and the development of new products internally. That means the company doesn’t have to sell off a share of future profits and revenue on new drugs or vaccines in order to fund research and development. I’ll be adding the stock to my Jubak Picks portfolio tomorrow, April 14.
Please Watch My New YouTube Video: Trend of the Week Drug Stocks Aren’t a Safe Haven Anymore
This week’s Trend of the Week is “Drug Stocks Aren’t a Safe Haven Anymore.” Drug stocks seem to have lost their safe haven status. As of September 20, the Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) was down 4.6% in the last month, and Pfizer (PFE) was down 7.55%. Why? Investors who were looking for safe havens may have decided they don’t need them any longer if the volatility continues to not be as bad as expected on the downside. Or many analysts cut their estimates with the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, which took steps toward drug price negotiations for Medicare and Medicaid. Or since drug stocks have been falling maybe they’re no longer a safe haven. (And yes, that’s circular logic.) Some of the ETF dips can be attributed to one stock: Moderna (down 12.46% in the last month) which is considered by much of the market as a one-trick pony–a Covid stock. However, I’m adding Moderna to the Jubak Picks Volatility Portfolio on September 27 because the company has a pipeline full of new vaccines based on the success of their Covid vaccines. Overall, drug stocks may not be the safe havens that they once were but there are still selective buys in the sector.
Pfizer and Moderna to see higher profits from Covid vaccines
The federal government has agreed to purchase 105 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech’s rebooted vaccine for $3.2 billion, the Washington Post reported on Friday. At $30.50 a dose, that’s a premium over the initial contracts the government made for the original vaccine in 2020, when the vaccines were $19.50 per dose. the government is expected to sign a new contract with Moderna (MRNA) shortly. Pfizer (PFE) is a member of my Dividend Portfolio. The shares are up 35.14% since I added them to the portfolio on August 28, 2020. The stock is down 11.89% year-to-date for 2022 as of the close on Friday, July 22. However, they are up 4.40% in the last month. Pfizer pays a 3.12% dividend.
Special Report: A Recession is Coming: My 12 Recession Stock Picks
In order to meet my 5 p.m. “in your inbox” deadline today, I’m going to give you the name of my 12 picks and the logic for dividing them into three groups that correspond, roughly, to when you should thinking about adding these stocks to your portfolio.
But I’m going to save the specific reasons for each one of these 12 stocks to tomorrow. I’ll add them to the standing Recession Special Report and create a separate “reasons” post then. I’d divide my 12 Recession Stock Picks into 3 groups.
Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine gets 20-0 thumbs up vote from FDA advisory committee
Next step approval for emergency use authorization from the Food & Drug Administration. Today, Thursday, December 17, a FDA advisory committee voted 20 to 0, with one abstention, that the benefits of the Moderna (MRNA) coronavirus vaccine outweigh any risk.
Moderna coronavirus vaccine moves closer to FDA approval this week
Staff at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration said in a report today that Moderna’s (MRNA) coronavirus vaccine is safe and effective for preventing Covid-19 in people ages 18 and older. That came ahead of a Thursday meeting of an FDA advisory panel that will vote on whether to recommend full Emergency Use Authorization.
Nevada puts new coronavirus restrictions on Las Vegas casinos–but so far MGM Resorts stock gains
Saying on Sunday that the coronavirus surge in Nevada is running at wildfire levels, Governor Steve Sislak announced new restrictions to start on Tuesday and that will run for three weeks. The new rules will require casinos, amusement and theme parks, arcades, bars, and restaurants to reduce their capacity to 25% from the current 50%. What I think is most interesting to investors, though, is the reaction of stocks with Las Vegas exposure to the news.
Another Monday, another vaccine: Moderna reports 95% effectiveness for its coronavirus vaccine
Today Moderna (MRNA) announced that its coronavirus vaccine was 94.5% percent effective. Last Mo... To subscribe to JAM you need to fill in some details below including, ahem, some info on how you'll pay us. A subscription is $199 (although if you're subscribing with...Download Jim’s eBook for Free
