Billionaire Laffont Sells CoreWeave Stake, Invests in Moderna
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 21 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- Portfolio Adjustment: Billionaire Philippe Laffont sold his entire position in CoreWeave during Q4, which represented 2.2% of his portfolio, indicating a significant shift in his investment strategy within the AI sector.
- CoreWeave Performance: Laffont's investment in CoreWeave saw an approximately 80% increase since its IPO, allowing him to lock in substantial gains through this sale, demonstrating his keen market timing.
- New Investment Direction: He also acquired 200,000 shares of Moderna, a position that constitutes only 0.01% of his portfolio, reflecting his ongoing interest in the biotech sector, especially given Moderna's nearly 50% stock price surge recently.
- Long-Term Growth Potential: Moderna is pivoting to introduce a flu vaccine and develop treatments for oncology and rare diseases, which could yield long-term returns for investors if its clinical programs succeed, showcasing Laffont's confidence in future growth opportunities.
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Analyst Views on MRNA
Wall Street analysts forecast MRNA stock price to fall
20 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
16 Hold
3 Sell
Hold
Current: 55.400
Low
17.00
Averages
32.47
High
63.00
Current: 55.400
Low
17.00
Averages
32.47
High
63.00
About MRNA
Moderna, Inc. is a biotechnology company advancing a new class of medicines made of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA). It is engaged in developing medicines across infectious disease vaccines, oncology therapeutics and rare disease therapeutics. Its platform incorporates advances across three components, mRNA, delivery, and the manufacturing process, to advance its medicines. Its products are Spikevax and mNEXSPIKE (its COVID vaccines), and mRESVIA (its vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)). It also has a diverse development pipeline that consists of 35 therapeutic and vaccine programs, six of which are in late-stage development. It has regulatory filings under review for its seasonal flu+COVID vaccine (mRNA-1083) in Europe and Canada and for its seasonal flu vaccine (mRNA-1010) in the United States, Europe, Canada and Australia. Its rare disease programs are Propionic acidemia (mRNA-3927); Methylmalonic acidemia (mRNA-3705), and Cystic Fibrosis (mRNA-3692/VX-522).
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Clinical Milestones: The company expects to achieve significant clinical milestones this year, including pivotal data readouts for its investigational individualized neoantigen therapy and therapeutic for rare genetic disease propionic acidemia, which will lay the groundwork for future product development and enhance the company's reputation.
- Leadership Restructuring: Moderna's President Stephen Hoge will oversee operational and cross-functional leadership across Research & Development, Manufacturing, and Commercial, aiming to improve operational efficiency and accelerate product launch processes through resource integration.
- Investment in Innovation Engine: The company will continue to invest in its mRED innovation engine, focusing on advancing new modalities through clinical proof of concept to create the next wave of growth opportunities beyond its current portfolio.
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- Krystal Biotech Growth Potential: Krystal Biotech has achieved 11 consecutive quarters of earnings growth with its gene therapy Vyjuvek for a rare disease, and it still has a large addressable market to explore, with upcoming clinical data likely to further boost its stock price.
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- Krystal Biotech Growth Momentum: Krystal Biotech has achieved positive earnings for 11 consecutive quarters with its gene therapy Vyjuvek for a rare disease, and it is expected to continue expanding its market presence while launching more clinical trial candidates, driving sustained revenue growth.
- AMD Market Leadership: AMD's stock has surged 129% year-to-date, with its desktop CPU market share reaching 33.2% and a record revenue share of 46.2%, showcasing its strong competitive position in the rapidly growing artificial intelligence sector.
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- Moderna Vaccine Progress: Moderna is making its case for the mRNA flu vaccine before the FDA committee, with shares up 11.6% on Wednesday and nearly 24% over three days, indicating strong market confidence in its product.
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Moderna Announces Strategic Changes to Support Diversification Goals
- New Product Plans: Moderna plans to launch up to three new products in 2027 and 2028, including a flu and COVID combination vaccine, seasonal flu vaccine, and norovirus vaccine, aiming to enhance market competitiveness through a diversified product line.
- Clinical Milestones: The company expects to achieve significant clinical milestones this year, including pivotal data readouts for its investigational individualized neoantigen therapy and therapeutic for rare genetic disease propionic acidemia, which will lay the groundwork for future product development and enhance the company's reputation.
- Leadership Restructuring: Moderna's President Stephen Hoge will oversee operational and cross-functional leadership across Research & Development, Manufacturing, and Commercial, aiming to improve operational efficiency and accelerate product launch processes through resource integration.
- Investment in Innovation Engine: The company will continue to invest in its mRED innovation engine, focusing on advancing new modalities through clinical proof of concept to create the next wave of growth opportunities beyond its current portfolio.
See More
Three Stocks Thriving Amid Economic Headwinds
- Moderna Vaccine Progress: Moderna is nearing approval for its influenza vaccine, mRNA-1010, aimed at addressing the low effectiveness of current flu vaccines, particularly for the elderly, which could significantly enhance its competitive position in the vaccine market.
- Krystal Biotech Strong Performance: Krystal Biotech has achieved positive earnings for 11 consecutive quarters with its gene therapy Vyjuvek, and as it expands into new markets in Europe, its revenue is expected to continue growing, showcasing its strong potential in the biotech sector.
- AMD Market Share Growth: AMD's stock has surged 129% year-to-date, with its desktop CPU market share rising to 33.2% and achieving a record 46.2% revenue share, indicating its strong competitive edge and pricing power in the AI sector.
- AI Market Opportunities: With the rise of agentic AI systems, AMD's EPYC processors are positioned as leaders in the server CPU market, potentially benefiting from a $200 billion market opportunity, further solidifying its industry standing.
See More
Investment Outlook for Moderna, Krystal Biotech, and AMD
- Moderna Vaccine Progress: Moderna is nearing approval for its influenza vaccine mRNA-1010, which addresses a critical need for effective vaccines among the elderly, potentially enhancing the company's market position and financial performance significantly.
- Krystal Biotech Growth Potential: Krystal Biotech has achieved 11 consecutive quarters of earnings growth with its gene therapy Vyjuvek for a rare disease, and it still has a large addressable market to explore, with upcoming clinical data likely to further boost its stock price.
- AMD Market Leadership: AMD's stock has soared 129% year-to-date, and its leadership in the server CPU market positions it well to capitalize on the rapidly growing artificial intelligence sector, which is expected to continue driving revenue and market share growth.
- Economic and Market Performance: Despite economic and geopolitical challenges, the S&P 500 has risen 8% so far this year, demonstrating overall market resilience, with standout performances from companies like Moderna, Krystal Biotech, and AMD, making them attractive investment options.
See More
Three Stocks Outperforming the Market
- Moderna Vaccine Progress: Moderna is nearing approval for its influenza vaccine mRNA-1010, which could significantly improve health outcomes for elderly patients and meet the urgent market need for effective vaccines, potentially leading to stronger financial performance over the next two years.
- Krystal Biotech Growth Momentum: Krystal Biotech has achieved positive earnings for 11 consecutive quarters with its gene therapy Vyjuvek for a rare disease, and it is expected to continue expanding its market presence while launching more clinical trial candidates, driving sustained revenue growth.
- AMD Market Leadership: AMD's stock has surged 129% year-to-date, with its desktop CPU market share reaching 33.2% and a record revenue share of 46.2%, showcasing its strong competitive position in the rapidly growing artificial intelligence sector.
- Optimistic Investment Outlook: Despite significant stock price increases for Moderna, Krystal Biotech, and AMD, they are still viewed as worthwhile investments, with potential for higher returns in the future, particularly against the backdrop of ongoing innovation and market expansion in their respective fields.
See More
Apple Price Hike and New Highs for Major Banks
- Apple Price Increase: Apple plans to raise product prices due to rising memory chip costs, and while its stock has risen 16% over the past three months, it is currently down 7% from earlier this month, which may impact consumer demand and market share.
- Moderna Vaccine Progress: Moderna is making its case for the mRNA flu vaccine before the FDA committee, with shares up 11.6% on Wednesday and nearly 24% over three days, indicating strong market confidence in its product.
- New Highs for Major Banks: Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley reached new highs on Wednesday, with Bank of America up 9.5% in June, reflecting investor optimism in the financial sector.
- Oil Price Decline: Brent crude oil fell below its 200-day moving average for the first time since February, down over 27% in the past month, which puts pressure on energy stocks and may affect the earnings outlook for related companies.
See More
Moderna Options Contract Analysis and Yield Potential
- Put Option Appeal: The current bid for the $55.00 put option is $9.05, and if an investor sells this contract, they commit to buying shares at $55.00, resulting in an effective cost basis of $45.95, which is approximately a 3% discount to the current price of $56.58, making it attractive for those interested in MRNA.
- Yield Potential Analysis: Should the put option expire worthless, the investor could realize a 16.45% cash return, or an annualized yield of 38.49%, highlighting the YieldBoost potential of this contract, appealing to investors seeking high returns.
- Call Option Returns: The $60.00 call option has a current bid of $10.60, and if an investor buys MRNA shares at $56.58 and sells this contract, the total return could reach 24.78% if exercised, showcasing the attractiveness of this strategy.
- Risk-Reward Trade-off: The $60.00 call option has a 42% chance of expiring worthless, allowing investors to retain both their shares and the premium collected, with potential additional returns of 18.73%, or an annualized yield of 43.82%, providing a solid risk management option for investors.
See More
