BioNTech (BNTX) stock is down nearly 20% at the time of writing after the German company posted a Q4 loss, issued muted guidance, and said its cofounders will depart by the end of this year
CEO Uğur Şahin and Chief Medical Officer Özlem Türeci, who founded BNTX during the financial crisis in 2008, will leave and launch a new biotech startup in late 2026, the press release confirmed.
Versus its year-to-date high, BioNTech stock is now down roughly 30%.
BNTX stock is worth buying on the dip today as the market seems to be misinterpreting the upcoming leadership change.
While investors are reading it as a sign of instability ahead, it could actually prove notably positive for the firm’s long-term health. Why? Because BioNTech SE said it will “contribute related rights and mRNA technologies” to its cofounders’ new startup in exchange for a minority stake and milestone payments.
This means BioNTech is pivoting to a low-risk, high-reward model. Spinning off early-stage R&D to the new company will enable it to lower its overhead costs while retaining call options via sales royalties.
In short, it plans on outsourcing innovation to its cofounders, positioning itself to focus entirely on development to become a multi-product powerhouse by 2030.
Outsourcing costly early-stage R&D will help BNTX reallocate capital to its high-potential assets, including the PD-L1/VEGF for advanced cancers.
Meanwhile, the biotech firm is scheduled for another seven late-stage data readouts this year, which could help unlock significant further upside in its stock price.
Investors should also consider loading up on BioNTech shares because the crash this morning pushed its relative strength index (14-day) into the mid-20s, indicating potential for a near-term rebound.
Plus, the company’s price-to-sales (P/S) multiple now sits at less than 7x, making it inexpensive to own compared to its industry peers in 2026.
Investors could also take heart in the fact that investors haven’t thrown in the towel on BioNTech yet.
The consensus rating on BNTX shares remains at “Strong Buy”, with the mean target of about $142 indicating potential upside of roughly 70% from here.
