Moderna lifts full-year sales outlook as flu shot approval and 29% quarterly growth offset $950m settlement

Moderna has materially raised its revenue outlook for 2026. Alongside third-quarter results on 6 November, the company said it now expects full-year sales growth of 15% to 25%. Its earlier guidance pointed to growth of no more than 10%.

The quarter itself brought revenue of $1.3 billion and net income of $162 million, with sales up 29%. The material available does not say what drove that increase or what period it is measured against, so the split between products and markets is unclear.

The commercial backdrop includes the US Food and Drug Administration's August approval of mFLUSIVA, Moderna's mRNA influenza vaccine. Approval is full for adults aged 50 to 64 and accelerated for those 65 and older. Moderna also reported Canadian approval of mCOFLU. No pricing, launch timing or sales expectations for either product were included in the information available.

In oncology, Moderna cited positive Phase 3 melanoma results for intismeran, which is given with Merck's Keytruda. Details of the data were not provided. Less welcome was an interim analysis of its norovirus vaccine candidate, which fell short of the test for declaring early success.

Moderna also noted a $950 million payment to settle litigation. The terms of the settlement and its treatment in the quarter's accounts were not available. Context: accelerated approvals generally come with obligations to confirm benefit in follow-up studies, a point relevant to the 65-plus label.