President Donald Trump – or his investing team – made thousands of stock trades throughout 2026, many of which recorded returns that were as rapid as they were impressive.
By press time on October 15, a March purchase of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) has emerged as one of his most lucrative investments.
Specifically, at the time of President Trump’s earliest known MRNA stock buy – March 2, 2026 – the equity was changing hands at $52.85, while at the October 14 closing bell, it was 328.19% higher at $226.30.
With the commander-in-chief purchasing up to $50,000 worth of Moderna shares, he might have seen his initial position rise as much as $164,095 to $214,095.
His other investments in the vaccine market – March 17, August 24, and August 28 – were likewise well-timed. Indeed, MRNA shares up 319.62% from the first of the trio, up 62.93% since the second, and up 64% since the third.
Trump also notably sold a total of up to $65,000 worth of Moderna stock, meaning his gains are somewhat lower than the theoretical maximum from the disclosed purchases.
Still, given that he dumped up to $15,000 in May – up to $50,000 less than he had bought by that point – and up to $50,000 in August, he is likely to have retained at least a part of the position by press time on October 15.
Why MRNA stock soared 328% since Trump’s March investment
Meanwhile, though Moderna stock has been on a nearly continuous uptrend in the last two months, it owes much of its 2026 gains to a single one-day rally. Indeed, MRNA shares suddenly jumped 176.97% from $62.96 to $174.38 between August 18 and August 19.
This rapid upsurge came as the company announced success in reducing the risk of recurrence and spread of melanoma – a type of cancer – with a new and personalized vaccine.
Overall, the sudden stock market jump and the subsequent uptrend ensured that MRNA shares are 633.31% in the green year-to-date (YTD).
Featured image via Shutterstock
