Viking Therapeutics, Inc. $VKTX Shares Sold by Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. cut its holdings in shares of Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) by 15.0% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 156,653 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock after selling 27,661 shares during the period. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.’s holdings in Viking Therapeutics were worth $5,511,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in VKTX. Royal Bank of Canada increased its position in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 13.0% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 347,716 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $8,396,000 after purchasing an additional 39,886 shares in the last quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC acquired a new position in shares of Viking Therapeutics in the 1st quarter valued at $230,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its position in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 1.4% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 470,028 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $11,351,000 after acquiring an additional 6,696 shares during the period. Prudential Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Viking Therapeutics in the 2nd quarter valued at $196,000. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its position in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 29.5% in the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 2,109 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 481 shares during the period. 76.03% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Viking Therapeutics news, insider Neil William Aubuchon purchased 4,475 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 10th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $33.50 per share, with a total value of $149,912.50. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider owned 4,475 shares in the company, valued at $149,912.50. This trade represents a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 5.30% of the company’s stock.

Viking Therapeutics Stock Performance

NASDAQ:VKTX opened at $30.00 on Friday. Viking Therapeutics, Inc. has a one year low of $22.96 and a one year high of $43.15. The firm has a market cap of $3.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.25 and a beta of 0.72. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $33.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is $34.01.

Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The biotechnology company reported ($1.37) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($1.01) by ($0.36). During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned ($0.41) EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Viking Therapeutics, Inc. will post -4.56 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on VKTX shares. Zacks Research raised Viking Therapeutics from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $102.00 target price on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, April 20th. BTIG Research raised Viking Therapeutics to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Finally, Truist Financial raised Viking Therapeutics to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $95.50.

Viking Therapeutics News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Viking Therapeutics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Full enrollment of the Phase 3 VANQUISH‑1 and VANQUISH‑2 obesity trials, an IND filing for new amylin candidate VK3019, and company preparations for commercialization signal material clinical progress and longer‑term revenue potential. Why Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) Is Down
• Positive Sentiment: Some sell‑side and media coverage remains bullish: Piper Sandler and other analysts continue to express buy/optimistic views about the company’s pipeline and upside potential. This supports longer‑term investor interest if clinical readouts are positive. Analysts Are Bullish on These Healthcare Stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary highlights a trade‑off: significant upside if VK2735/VK3019 succeed, but pronounced timeline and execution risk (trial timing, regulatory milestones, commercialization ramp). This frames VKTX as a binary clinical/biotech trade. Viking Therapeutics Faces Timeline Risk—But Upside Could Be Huge
• Negative Sentiment: Viking reported a much wider Q1 net loss (driven by accelerated R&D spend) and announced expansion of VK2735 into additional Phase‑3 programs and commercialization work — actions that increase near‑term cash burn and raise financing/valuation risk. Those financials were cited directly in recent sell‑pressure headlines. Why Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) Is Down
• Negative Sentiment: HC Wainwright trimmed multiple quarterly and full‑year EPS forecasts sharply, reflecting higher expected losses this year — analyst cutbacks on near‑term profitability estimates amplify downward pressure despite the firm’s buy rating and $102 target. MarketBeat VKTX Analyst Notes

Viking Therapeutics Profile

Viking Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders. Headquartered in San Diego, California, the company’s pipeline leverages small-molecule approaches to target hormone signaling pathways implicated in conditions such as non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes and muscle wasting disorders.

The company’s lead programs include VK2809, a thyroid hormone receptor‐beta agonist designed to reduce liver fat and improve lipid profiles in patients with NASH and dyslipidemia, and VK5211, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) aimed at enhancing muscle mass and function in individuals with muscle wasting conditions.