Big pharma’s vaccine ceiling… A year ago, the US was in the thick of the biggest vaccination campaign in history. Now, about two-thirds of the population is fully vaccinated, and Dr. Fauci says we’re “out of the pandemic phase.” Pfizer and Moderna, now household names, are looking for their next profit puppies. Pfizer, with a diverse drug portfolio and pipeline, is expecting a $22B boost this year from its Covid antiviral pill, while Moderna is trying to be the first to bring its vax to little kids. We’ll get a checkup on the vax makers’ next bets when both report this week.
Grab a mint julep and your lucky hat… because the Kentucky Derby’s this weekend, and it’s gonna be packed. Churchill Downs, the $8B (valuation) casino biz that runs the iconic horse race, is entering its big weekend feeling lucky: last week it reported record sales and profits for last quarter. Churchill grew its online gambling biz during the pandemic, when IRL betting was restricted. Now that gamblers are returning to the track, business is booming. Churchill expects to post record Derby revenue this weekend as possibly 3X as many fans attend compared with last year.