On Thursday, Moderna said it expects to sell at least $ 19 billion of its vaccine against Covid-19 this year after reporting fourth-quarter earnings that worsened analysts’ earnings and earnings estimates.

Here’s how the company did compared to what Wall Street expected, based on analysts’ average estimates compiled by Refinitiv:

• Adjusted earnings per share: $ 11.29 versus $ 9.90 expected
• Income: $ 7.2 billion versus the expected $ 6.78 billion

Moderna reported net income of $ 4.9 billion for the fourth quarter. The company reported revenue of $ 18.5 billion in 2021 and delivered 807 million doses of the vaccine worldwide.

The Covid vaccine from Moderna is the only commercially available treatment. The two-dose Spikevax vaccine has been fully approved for adults 18 years of age and older in the last month by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Moderna is conducting clinical trials of a booster vaccine specifically aimed at the Omicron Covid variant. However, it is unclear whether there will be high demand for the Omicron booster as new infections from this option are declining sharply in the United States and other parts of the world.

Director-General Stefan Bansel told CNBC last week that the pandemic could be in its final stages, although he said people over 50 and those with major diseases would need reinforcements once a year.

“There is an 80% chance that as omicron or SarsCov-2 virus evolves, we will see fewer and fewer virulent viruses,” Bansel told Squawk Box Asia. However, he said there is a “20% scenario if we see the next mutation that is more harmful than omicron”.

The FDA has not yet lowered the age for the Moderna vaccine outside of adults. Last summer, Moderna asked the FDA to allow the vaccine for teens 12 to 17 years old. However, the drug regulator is reviewing data on the risk of myocarditis, a rare inflammation of the heart, after vaccination with Moderna injections.

Moderna has said it will not ask the FDA to extend the rights to teens 6 to 11 years old until the drug regulator allows vaccinations for teens. The company expects to publish data from clinical trials of its vaccine for children aged 2 to 5 sometime in March.

The U.S. has introduced more than 207 million doses of Moderna vaccine since the FDA first authorized emergency vaccinations in December 2020.

On Thursday, Moderna said it expects to sell at least $ 19 billion of its vaccine against Covid-19 this year after reporting fourth-quarter earnings that worsened analysts’ earnings and earnings estimates.

Here’s how the company did compared to what Wall Street expected, based on analysts’ average estimates compiled by Refinitiv:

• Adjusted earnings per share: $ 11.29 versus $ 9.90 expected
• Income: $ 7.2 billion versus the expected $ 6.78 billion

Moderna reported net income of $ 4.9 billion for the fourth quarter. The company reported revenue of $ 18.5 billion in 2021 and delivered 807 million doses of the vaccine worldwide.

The Covid vaccine from Moderna is the only commercially available treatment. The two-dose Spikevax vaccine has been fully approved for adults 18 years of age and older in the last month by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Moderna is conducting clinical trials of a booster vaccine specifically aimed at the Omicron Covid variant. However, it is unclear whether there will be high demand for the Omicron booster as new infections from this option are declining sharply in the United States and other parts of the world.

Director-General Stefan Bansel told CNBC last week that the pandemic could be in its final stages, although he said people over 50 and those with major diseases would need reinforcements once a year.

“There is an 80% chance that as omicron or SarsCov-2 virus evolves, we will see fewer and fewer virulent viruses,” Bansel told Squawk Box Asia. However, he said there is a “20% scenario if we see the next mutation that is more harmful than omicron”.

The FDA has not yet lowered the age for the Moderna vaccine outside of adults. Last summer, Moderna asked the FDA to allow the vaccine for teens 12 to 17 years old. However, the drug regulator is reviewing data on the risk of myocarditis, a rare inflammation of the heart, after vaccination with Moderna injections.

Moderna has said it will not ask the FDA to extend the rights to teens 6 to 11 years old until the drug regulator allows vaccinations for teens. The company expects to publish data from clinical trials of its vaccine for children aged 2 to 5 sometime in March.

The U.S. has introduced more than 207 million doses of Moderna vaccine since the FDA first authorized emergency vaccinations in December 2020.