Tempus AI stock is soaring and it has Moderna to thank

Tempus AI TEM stock ripped higher on August 19 as third-party clinical breakthroughs triggered a technical short squeeze.

As investors cheered TEM, it broke decisively above its major moving averages (MAs), indicating bulls have taken back control across multiple timeframes.

Following their meteoric run on Wednesday, Tempus AI shares are trading nearly 50% above their July low.

Why Moderna news is significant for Tempus AI stock

The primary spark behind the explosive move in TEM shares today didn’t even originate from the health-tech firm itself.  

It actually came from landmark Phase 3 trial results released by Merck and Moderna Inc for their personalized mRNA melanoma vaccine (intismeran autogene) paired with Keytruda.

Why? Because Moderna’s vaccine sequencing pipeline relies heavily on tech from Personalis Inc., a company Tempus AI agreed to acquire for about $1.5 billion last month.

When the acquisition was first announced, TEM suffered as investors worried about dilution and cost.

But Wednesday’s trial success has flipped that narrative – validating the strategic value of the Personalis sequencing infrastructure that Tempus is set to inherit.

Note that TEM’s relative strength index climbed into the mid-60s on August 19, indicating intense buying pressure that may sustain the upward momentum in the near-term.

Are TEM shares worth owning for the long-term?

Beyond third-party catalysts, Tempus AI stock’s recent “strength” is also anchored in fundamental momentum.

Just weeks ago, the company reported its first quarterly net profit of $5.6 million alongside a 22% year-on-year increase in revenue to $382.5 million – prompting management to raise its full-year revenue guidance to about $1.6 billion.

Confidence was reinforced earlier in August by a “Nature Medicine”study validating its PRISM2 pathology AI model, alongside a new oncology companion diagnostics partnership with CellCarta.

Combined with an elevated short interest at about 20% heading into August 19, the stage was set for a classic short squeeze that triggered a relentless increase in TEM share price today.

How to play Tempus AI at current levels?

From a chart perspective, Wednesday’s high-volume breakout cleared a major overhead resistance at $58, converting a former ceiling into fresh immediate support.

With the 50-day and 200-day MAs turning sharply upward, the broader technical structure favours continued upside toward the $65 mark, where profit-taking may temporarily cool momentum.

However, sustaining these multi-week highs will depend on “smooth” regulatory clearing for the Personalis transaction and flawless execution as revenue synergies materialize into late 2026.

If the broader market remains risk-on, TEM stock’s swing to profitability and expanding diagnostic footprint position it well to consolidate above $60 before testing its next leg higher.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the consensus rating on Tempus AI Inc sits at Overweight currently, with price targets going as high as $100 per share.