Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) Insider Neil William Aubuchon Acquires 4,475 Shares of Stock

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) insider Neil William Aubuchon purchased 4,475 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was 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 of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $149,912.50. The trade was a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

Viking Therapeutics Stock Up 3.1%

Shares of NASDAQ:VKTX opened at $34.66 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $4.00 billion, a P/E ratio of -10.90 and a beta of 0.75. Viking Therapeutics, Inc. has a 52-week low of $18.92 and a 52-week high of $43.15. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $31.78 and its 200-day simple moving average is $32.35.

Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The biotechnology company reported ($1.38) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.89) by ($0.49). During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned ($0.32) EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Viking Therapeutics, Inc. will post -1.56 earnings per share for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Zacks Research raised shares of Viking Therapeutics from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their price target on Viking Therapeutics from $106.00 to $107.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 12th. BTIG Research raised Viking Therapeutics to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating and set a $99.00 price objective on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $87.80.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Viking Therapeutics

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. increased its position in Viking Therapeutics by 58.0% during the fourth quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 945 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 347 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP boosted its holdings in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 58.4% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 955 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 352 shares during the last quarter. Quattro Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Viking Therapeutics during the 4th quarter valued at $37,000. Fifth Third Bancorp increased its holdings in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 169.3% during the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,077 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 677 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lodestone Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Viking Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth $39,000. 76.03% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other 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.