Greg Zante Sells 21,217 Shares of Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) Stock

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) CFO Greg Zante sold 21,217 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.47, for a total transaction of $710,132.99. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 212,204 shares in the company, valued at $7,102,467.88. The trade was a 9.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards.

Viking Therapeutics Trading Down 1.3%

VKTX stock traded down $0.43 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $33.43. The company had a trading volume of 2,896,403 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,084,235. Viking Therapeutics, Inc. has a 1 year low of $22.96 and a 1 year high of $43.15. The company has a market capitalization of $3.88 billion, a P/E ratio of -8.07 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a 50 day moving average of $34.10 and a two-hundred day moving average of $32.97.

Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The biotechnology company reported ($1.10) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.21) by $0.11. During the same quarter last year, the business posted ($0.58) EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Viking Therapeutics, Inc. will post -4.7 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Viking Therapeutics News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Viking reported a quarterly loss of $1.10 per share, better than analysts’ expected loss of $1.21. The beat may offer some support, although revenue was essentially unchanged year over year. Viking Therapeutics earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: The Phase 3 VANQUISH 1 and 2 trials of injectable VK2735 for obesity are fully enrolled and advancing. Viking expects to begin an oral Phase 3 VK2735 trial in the fourth quarter of 2026 and report maintenance-dosing data in the third quarter, providing several potential catalysts. Viking Therapeutics corporate update
• Positive Sentiment: The company ended the quarter with approximately $502 million in cash and equivalents, strengthening its ability to fund ongoing clinical trials. Viking also said its Phase 1 study of the amylin agonist VK3019 is underway, adding another potential pipeline opportunity.
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent analyst-focused coverage remains broadly optimistic, with several reports presenting VKTX as a “buy-the-dip” or high-upside biotech. However, these articles largely reflect existing Wall Street sentiment rather than new analyst actions or company developments. Wall Street bull case for Viking Therapeutics
• Negative Sentiment: Although Viking exceeded EPS expectations, its loss widened from $0.58 per share in the prior-year quarter to $1.10, and the company continues to generate little or no revenue. Investors therefore remain focused on clinical results and the eventual commercial potential of VK2735 rather than near-term earnings.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have commented on the company. Lake Street Capital began coverage on Viking Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, May 28th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $89.00 target price on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald cut their price target on Viking Therapeutics from $105.00 to $100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Morgan Stanley set a $95.00 price target on Viking Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded Viking Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $97.00.

Institutional Trading of Viking Therapeutics

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of VKTX. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in Viking Therapeutics by 58.0% in the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 945 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 347 shares during the period. Ballast Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Viking Therapeutics during the first quarter valued at about $33,000. Quattro Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Viking Therapeutics in the fourth quarter valued at about $37,000. Fifth Third Bancorp grew its position in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 169.2% in the fourth quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,077 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 677 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lodestone Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Viking Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth about $39,000. 76.03% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Viking Therapeutics Company 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.