Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) COO Marianna Mancini Sells 18,217 Shares of Stock

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

Viking Therapeutics Stock Performance

VKTX opened at $33.43 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $3.88 billion, a price-to-earnings 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 business’s fifty day moving average is $34.10 and its two-hundred day moving average is $32.97.

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

VKTX has been the subject of several recent research reports. Morgan Stanley set a $95.00 target price on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, April 30th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $125.00 price target on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Zacks Research cut shares of Viking Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Cantor Fitzgerald cut their price objective on Viking Therapeutics from $105.00 to $100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research note on Friday, July 17th. One 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 assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Viking Therapeutics presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $97.00.

Viking Therapeutics News Roundup

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.

Institutional Trading of Viking Therapeutics

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. 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 position in shares of Viking Therapeutics in the first quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Quattro Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Viking Therapeutics during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its position in Viking Therapeutics by 169.2% during the fourth quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,077 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 677 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lodestone Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Viking Therapeutics in the 4th quarter worth approximately $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.03% of the company’s stock.

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.