Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) vs Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. (CDTX) 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 | MRNA | -53.3% revenue growth vs CDTX's -94.5% |
| Quality / Margins | MRNA | -140.3% net margin vs CDTX's -133.2% |
| Stability / Safety | CDTX | Beta 0.65 vs MRNA's 1.25, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CDTX | +7.9% vs MRNA's +73.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MRNA | -25.7% ROA vs CDTX's -35.6% |
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
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.
Cidara Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing long-acting anti-infective drugs for serious fungal and viral diseases. It generates revenue primarily through strategic partnerships and licensing agreements — including a major deal with Melinta Therapeutics for its lead antifungal candidate rezafungin — while advancing its proprietary Cloudbreak platform for antiviral conjugates. The company's key advantage is its Cloudbreak platform technology, which enables creation of targeted, long-acting conjugates that combine antiviral or antifungal agents with immune system boosters.
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
MRNA leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). CDTX leads in 2 (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
MRNA and CDTX operate at a comparable scale, with $2.2B and $0 in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -140.3% (MRNA) to -133.2% (CDTX).
| Metric | MRNAModerna, Inc. | CDTXCidara Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.2B | $0 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$3.3B | -$195M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$3.1B | -$185M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$2.7B | -$133M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +11.9% | +100.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -155.9% | -138.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -140.3% | -133.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -119.9% | -138.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -45.2% | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -16.6% | -30.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | MRNAModerna, Inc. | CDTXCidara Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $20.9B | $7.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $19.8B | $6.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -5.78x | -8.28x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 6.55x | 5460.07x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.89x | 8.61x |
| 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 $-44 for CDTX. CDTX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.02x 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 CDTX's 3/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | MRNAModerna, Inc. | CDTXCidara Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -33.4% | -43.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -25.7% | -35.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -27.0% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -28.9% | -2.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.07x | 0.02x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$1.2B | -$186M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.9B | $190M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $747M | $4M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -393.13x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CDTX five years ago would be worth $48,336 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,403 for MRNA. Over the past 12 months, CDTX leads with a +789.1% total return vs MRNA's +73.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CDTX at 94.3% vs MRNA's -27.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MRNAModerna, Inc. | CDTXCidara Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +73.6% | +0.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +73.0% | +789.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -61.4% | +633.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -66.0% | +383.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +188.0% | +10.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -27.2% | +94.3% |
Risk & Volatility
CDTX is the less volatile stock with a 0.65 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 | MRNAModerna, Inc. | CDTXCidara Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.25x | 0.65x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $55.20 | $221.42 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $22.28 | $15.22 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +97.0% | +100.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 71.6 | 84.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 10.8M | 796K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MRNA as "Hold" and CDTX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply -19.6% upside for CDTX (target: $178) vs -34.9% for MRNA (target: $35).
| Metric | MRNAModerna, Inc. | CDTXCidara Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $34.89 | $177.88 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 27 | 11 |
| 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 | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) | 100 | 142.4 | +42.4% |
| Cidara Therapeutics… (CDTX) | 100 | 373.36 | +273.4% |
Cidara Therapeutics… (CDTX) returned +383% over 5 years vs Moderna, Inc. (MRNA)'s -66%. A $10,000 investment in CDTX 5 years ago would be worth $48,336 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) | $108M | $3.2B | +2851.2% |
| Cidara Therapeutics… (CDTX) | $0.00 | $1M | — |
Cidara Therapeutics, Inc.'s revenue grew from $0M (2015) to $1M (2024) — a 0.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) | -199.5% | -111.3% | +44.2% |
| Cidara Therapeutics… (CDTX) | -196.5% | -133.2% | +32.2% |
Moderna, Inc.'s net margin went from -199% (2016) to -111% (2024).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) | -3.79 | -9.27 | -144.6% |
| Cidara Therapeutics… (CDTX) | -46.76 | -26.75 | +42.8% |
Cidara Therapeutics, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-46.76 (2015) to $-26.75 (2024).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Moderna, Inc. generated $-4B FCF in 2024 (-130% vs 2021). Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. generated $-177M FCF in 2024 (-599% vs 2021).
MRNA vs CDTX: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MRNA or CDTX a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. (CDTX) a "Buy" — based on 11 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 — MRNA or CDTX?
Over the past 5 years, Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. (CDTX) delivered a total return of +383.4%, compared to -66.0% for Moderna, Inc. (MRNA). A $10,000 investment in CDTX five years ago would be worth approximately $48K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MRNA returned +188.0% versus CDTX's +10.5%. 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 — MRNA or CDTX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. (CDTX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.65β versus Moderna, Inc.'s 1.25β — meaning MRNA is approximately 91% more volatile than CDTX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. (CDTX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 7% for Moderna, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — MRNA or CDTX?
Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) is the more profitable company, earning -111.3% net margin versus -133.2% for Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. — meaning it keeps -111.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MRNA leads at -123.3% versus -138.1% for CDTX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CDTX leads at 100.0%, 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 — MRNA or CDTX?
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 MRNA or CDTX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. (CDTX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.65)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CDTX: +10.5%, 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 MRNA and CDTX?
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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