Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) CEO Sells $4,948,586.44 in Stock

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) CEO Brian Lian sold 148,517 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.32, for a total transaction of $4,948,586.44. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 2,572,441 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $85,713,734.12. This represents a 5.46% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, 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 Stock Down 1.3%

VKTX traded down $0.43 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $33.43. The company had a trading volume of 2,896,403 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,084,235. The company has a market capitalization of $3.88 billion, a PE ratio of -8.07 and a beta of 0.66. Viking Therapeutics, Inc. has a one year low of $22.96 and a one year high of $43.15. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $34.10 and its 200 day moving average price is $32.97.

Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The biotechnology company reported ($1.10) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.21) by $0.11. The business’s quarterly revenue was up .0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.58) EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Viking Therapeutics, Inc. will post -4.7 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

VKTX has been the subject of a number of research reports. Morgan Stanley set a $95.00 price objective on Viking Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald decreased their price target on shares of Viking Therapeutics from $105.00 to $100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $125.00 price objective on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Lake Street Capital started coverage on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, May 28th. They set a “buy” rating and a $89.00 target price for the company. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded shares of Viking Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Monday, July 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $97.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Viking Therapeutics

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

More 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.

About Viking Therapeutics

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.