Moderna Shares Drop 8.06% on 10% Workforce Cuts Hit 329th in $440M Trading Volume

On July 31, 2025, Moderna (MRNA) fell 8.06% with a trading volume of $0.44 billion, up 120.34% from the previous day, ranking 329th in the market. The decline followed the biotech firm’s announcement of a 10% global workforce reduction by year-end, aiming to cut annual operating expenses by $1.5 billion by 2027. CEO Stephane Bancel emphasized the necessity of aligning costs with business realities amid declining demand for its flagship vaccines and regulatory uncertainties. The move follows earlier cost-cutting measures, including scaling back research and renegotiating supplier agreements, as Moderna seeks to streamline operations while maintaining investments in its science pipeline.

Bancel highlighted progress in restructuring efforts, including reduced manufacturing costs and the conclusion of late-stage respiratory vaccine trials. However, the layoffs reflect broader challenges in the vaccine market, with Moderna’s revenue growth pressured by waning demand for its Covid-19 shots and a shifting regulatory landscape under U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Despite these hurdles, the CEO expressed confidence in Moderna’s long-term prospects, citing three approved products and potential for up to eight more approvals in the next three years. The company’s next quarterly results, due Friday, will offer further insight into its financial and operational trajectory.

The strategy of purchasing the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day generated a 166.71% return from 2022 to the present, outperforming the benchmark by 137.53%. This success is attributed to capturing momentum driven by high liquidity, as seen in stocks like VICI Properties and Eli Lilly. The approach underscores the role of liquidity concentration in short-term price movements, though its effectiveness may vary with evolving market dynamics.