Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare BioNTech SE (BNTX) 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | BNTX | -28.0% revenue growth vs MRNA's -53.3% |
| Quality / Margins | BNTX | -18.1% net margin vs MRNA's -140.3% |
| Stability / Safety | BNTX | Beta 0.92 vs MRNA's 1.25, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | MRNA | +73.0% vs BNTX's -2.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | BNTX | -2.7% ROA vs MRNA's -25.7%, ROIC -10.5% vs -27.0% |
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
BioNTech is a biotechnology company that develops mRNA-based immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases. It generates revenue primarily through COVID-19 vaccine sales — which accounted for the vast majority of its income during the pandemic — and through partnerships and licensing deals for its oncology pipeline. The company's key advantage is its pioneering mRNA technology platform, which enables rapid development of targeted therapies and vaccines.
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
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
BNTX leads in 5 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BNTX and MRNA operate at a comparable scale, with $3.2B and $2.2B in trailing revenue. BNTX is the more profitable business, keeping -18.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MRNA's -140.3%. On growth, BNTX holds the edge at +22.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | BNTXBioNTech SE | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.2B | $2.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$550M | -$3.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$572M | -$3.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$563M | -$2.7B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +82.5% | +11.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -29.6% | -155.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -18.1% | -140.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -17.8% | -119.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +22.0% | -45.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -114.8% | -16.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | BNTXBioNTech SE | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $27.7B | $20.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $16.4B | $19.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -33.74x | -5.78x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 8.52x | 6.55x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.16x | 1.89x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
BNTX delivers a -3.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-3 in annual profit, vs $-33 for MRNA. BNTX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x 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 BNTX's 3/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | BNTXBioNTech SE | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -3.1% | -33.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.7% | -25.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -10.5% | -27.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -6.4% | -28.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.01x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$9.5B | -$1.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $9.8B | $1.9B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $254M | $747M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -49.09x | -393.13x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in BNTX five years ago would be worth $10,193 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,403 for MRNA. Over the past 12 months, MRNA leads with a +73.0% total return vs BNTX's -2.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BNTX at -5.4% vs MRNA's -27.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | BNTXBioNTech SE | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +14.0% | +73.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -2.4% | +73.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -15.2% | -61.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1.9% | -66.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +688.9% | +188.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -5.4% | -27.2% |
Risk & Volatility
BNTX is the less volatile stock with a 0.92 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. MRNA currently trades 97.0% from its 52-week high vs BNTX's 88.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | BNTXBioNTech SE | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.92x | 1.25x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $124.00 | $55.20 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $81.20 | $22.28 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +88.9% | +97.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 50.2 | 71.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 822K | 10.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates BNTX as "Buy" and MRNA as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 24.1% upside for BNTX (target: $137) vs -34.9% for MRNA (target: $35).
| Metric | BNTXBioNTech SE | MRNAModerna, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $136.80 | $34.89 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 24 | 27 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 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 | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioNTech SE (BNTX) | 100 | 297.49 | +197.5% |
| Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) | 100 | 142.4 | +42.4% |
BioNTech SE (BNTX) returned +2% over 5 years vs Moderna, Inc. (MRNA)'s -66%. A $10,000 investment in BNTX 5 years ago would be worth $10,193 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioNTech SE (BNTX) | $62M | $2.8B | +4366.2% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioNTech SE (BNTX) | -139.1% | -24.2% | +82.6% |
| Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) | -199.5% | -111.3% | +44.2% |
Moderna, Inc.'s net margin went from -199% (2016) to -111% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 3 Years
| Stock | 2021 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioNTech SE (BNTX) | 6.3 | 27.6 | +338.1% |
BioNTech SE has traded in a 4x–28x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-34x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioNTech SE (BNTX) | -0.38 | -2.77 | -628.9% |
| Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) | -3.79 | -9.27 | -144.6% |
Moderna, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-3.79 (2016) to $-9.27 (2024).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
BioNTech SE generated $-245M FCF in 2024 (-133% vs 2021). Moderna, Inc. generated $-4B FCF in 2024 (-130% vs 2021).
BNTX vs MRNA: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is BNTX or MRNA a better buy right now?
Analysts rate BioNTech SE (BNTX) a "Buy" — based on 24 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 — BNTX or MRNA?
Over the past 5 years, BioNTech SE (BNTX) delivered a total return of +1.9%, compared to -66.0% for Moderna, Inc. (MRNA). A $10,000 investment in BNTX five years ago would be worth approximately $10K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BNTX returned +688.9% versus MRNA's +188.0%. 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 — BNTX or MRNA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), BioNTech SE (BNTX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.92β versus Moderna, Inc.'s 1.25β — meaning MRNA is approximately 35% more volatile than BNTX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, BioNTech SE (BNTX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 7% for Moderna, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — BNTX or MRNA?
BioNTech SE (BNTX) is the more profitable company, earning -24.2% net margin versus -111.3% for Moderna, Inc. — meaning it keeps -24.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BNTX leads at -47.8% versus -123.3% for MRNA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BNTX leads at 80.3%, 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 — BNTX 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 BNTX or MRNA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, BioNTech SE (BNTX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.92), +688.9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BNTX: +688.9%, 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 BNTX 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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