Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) has earned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the fourteen research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and four have given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $87.80.

A number of research firms have recently commented on VKTX. Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating and set a $99.00 price objective on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. BTIG Research upgraded shares of Viking Therapeutics to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating and set a $102.00 price objective on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Viking Therapeutics from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st.

Viking Therapeutics Stock Performance

NASDAQ VKTX opened at $33.93 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -10.67 and a beta of 0.83. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $32.05 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $33.40. Viking Therapeutics has a 52 week low of $18.92 and a 52 week high of $43.15.

Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The biotechnology company reported ($1.38) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.89) by ($0.49). During the same period in the prior year, the business posted ($0.32) EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Viking Therapeutics will post -1.56 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Viking Therapeutics

In other news, insider Neil William Aubuchon bought 4,475 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $33.50 per share, with a total value of $149,912.50. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider owned 4,475 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $149,912.50. This represents a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 4.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Viking Therapeutics

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in Viking Therapeutics during the second quarter worth approximately $29,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Viking Therapeutics during the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. 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 buying an additional 347 shares during the last quarter. Quattro Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Viking Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in Viking Therapeutics during the third quarter worth approximately $38,000. 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.