Insider Selling: Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) COO Sells $609,722.99 in Stock

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) COO Marianna Mancini sold 18,217 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.47, for a total value of $609,722.99. Following the sale, the chief operating officer owned 422,760 shares in the company, valued at $14,149,777.20. This trade represents a 4.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards.

Viking Therapeutics Price Performance

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

Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The biotechnology company reported ($1.10) EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.21) by $0.11. The firm’s revenue was up .0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned ($0.58) earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Viking Therapeutics, Inc. will post -4.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 price objective on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Lake Street Capital assumed coverage on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research report on Thursday, May 28th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $89.00 target price on the stock. Zacks Research cut shares of Viking Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $95.00 price target on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. One 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 given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $97.00.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. lifted 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 valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 347 shares in the last quarter. Ballast Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Viking Therapeutics in 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 lifted its stake 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 worth $38,000 after buying an additional 677 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lodestone Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Viking Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth about $39,000. 76.03% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Viking Therapeutics

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.