Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AVIR) vs Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stability / Safety | AVIR | Beta 0.64 vs MRNA's 1.25, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | MRNA | +73.0% vs AVIR's +54.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MRNA | -25.7% ROA vs AVIR's -42.9%, ROIC -27.0% vs -36.7% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Atea Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing oral antiviral therapeutics for viral infections like COVID-19, hepatitis C, and dengue. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and licensing agreements — notably with Merck for its hepatitis C candidate — while advancing its pipeline toward commercialization. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary nucleotide chemistry platform that enables the development of oral antivirals with broad-spectrum potential against multiple RNA viruses.
Moderna is a biotechnology company that develops messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines for infectious diseases, cancer, and other serious conditions. It generates revenue primarily from vaccine sales—notably its COVID-19 vaccine—with additional income from research collaborations and government grants. The company's key advantage is its proprietary mRNA technology platform, which enables rapid development of new vaccines and therapeutics compared to traditional methods.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AVIR leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Risk & Volatility). MRNA leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
MRNA and AVIR operate at a comparable scale, with $2.2B and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | AVIRAtea Pharmaceutic… | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $2.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$165M | -$3.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$147M | -$3.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$134M | -$2.7B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +11.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | -155.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | -140.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | -119.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | -45.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -43.2% | -16.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AVIRAtea Pharmaceutic… | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $366M | $20.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $303M | $19.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -2.34x | -5.78x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 6.55x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.90x | 1.89x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
MRNA delivers a -33.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-33 in annual profit, vs $-47 for AVIR. AVIR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to MRNA's 0.07x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), MRNA scores 4/9 vs AVIR's 3/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | AVIRAtea Pharmaceutic… | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -46.6% | -33.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -42.9% | -25.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -36.7% | -27.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -38.3% | -28.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$63M | -$1.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $65M | $1.9B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2M | $747M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -393.13x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in MRNA five years ago would be worth $3,403 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $634 for AVIR. Over the past 12 months, MRNA leads with a +73.0% total return vs AVIR's +54.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AVIR at 9.8% vs MRNA's -27.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AVIRAtea Pharmaceutic… | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +34.5% | +73.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +54.5% | +73.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +32.2% | -61.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -93.7% | -66.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -84.6% | +188.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +9.8% | -27.2% |
Risk & Volatility
AVIR is the less volatile stock with a 0.64 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than MRNA's 1.25 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | AVIRAtea Pharmaceutic… | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.64x | 1.25x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $4.80 | $55.20 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $2.46 | $22.28 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +97.5% | +97.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 67.3 | 71.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 441K | 10.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AVIR as "Hold" and MRNA as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 47.0% upside for AVIR (target: $7) vs -34.9% for MRNA (target: $35).
| Metric | AVIRAtea Pharmaceutic… | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $6.88 | $34.89 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 4 | 27 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Oct 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atea Pharmaceutical… (AVIR) | 100 | 13.41 | -86.6% |
| Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) | 100 | 63.4 | -36.6% |
Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) returned -66% over 5 years vs Atea Pharmaceutical… (AVIR)'s -94%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atea Pharmaceutical… (AVIR) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
| Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) | $108M | $3.2B | +2851.2% |
Moderna, Inc.'s revenue grew from $108M (2016) to $3.2B (2024) — a 52.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atea Pharmaceutical… (AVIR) | -22.5% | 34.5% | +253.2% |
| Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) | -199.5% | -111.3% | +44.2% |
Moderna, Inc.'s net margin went from -199% (2016) to -111% (2024).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atea Pharmaceutical… (AVIR) | -0.9 | -2 | -122.2% |
| Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) | -3.79 | -9.27 | -144.6% |
Moderna, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-3.79 (2016) to $-9.27 (2024).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-135M FCF in 2024 (-56% vs 2021). Moderna, Inc. generated $-4B FCF in 2024 (-130% vs 2021).
AVIR vs MRNA: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AVIR or MRNA a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AVIR) a "Hold" — based on 4 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which is the better long-term investment — AVIR or MRNA?
Over the past 5 years, Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) delivered a total return of -66.0%, compared to -93.7% for Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AVIR). A $10,000 investment in MRNA five years ago would be worth approximately $3K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MRNA returned +188.0% versus AVIR's -84.6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — AVIR or MRNA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AVIR) is the lower-risk stock at 0.64β versus Moderna, Inc.'s 1.25β — meaning MRNA is approximately 95% more volatile than AVIR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AVIR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 7% for Moderna, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — AVIR or MRNA?
Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AVIR) is the more profitable company, earning 0.0% net margin versus -111.3% for Moderna, Inc. — meaning it keeps 0.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AVIR leads at 0.0% versus -123.3% for MRNA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MRNA leads at 54.2%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
05Which pays a better dividend — AVIR or MRNA?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
06Is AVIR or MRNA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Atea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AVIR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.64)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AVIR: -84.6%, MRNA: +188.0%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
07What are the main differences between AVIR and MRNA?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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