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

Shares of Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the thirteen ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $95.50.

VKTX has been the subject of a number of research reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a report on Monday, April 20th. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $102.00 target price on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a report on Monday, March 23rd. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 target price on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a report on Friday, May 1st. Cantor Fitzgerald decreased their target price on Viking Therapeutics from $105.00 to $100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $95.00 target price on Viking Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, April 30th.

Viking Therapeutics Stock Down 0.3%

Viking Therapeutics stock opened at $30.80 on Friday. Viking Therapeutics has a 52 week low of $22.96 and a 52 week high of $43.15. The company has a market capitalization of $3.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.44 and a beta of 0.72. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $32.77 and a 200 day moving average price of $33.55.

Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The biotechnology company reported ($1.37) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.01) by ($0.36). During the same period in the previous year, the business earned ($0.41) earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Viking Therapeutics will post -4.67 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Neil William Aubuchon bought 4,475 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The shares were purchased 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 directly owned 4,475 shares in the company, valued at approximately $149,912.50. The trade was a ? increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 5.30% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Viking Therapeutics

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. CNB Bank grew its holdings in Viking Therapeutics by 5.1% during the third quarter. CNB Bank now owns 5,756 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $151,000 after acquiring an additional 279 shares during the period. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings 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 acquiring an additional 347 shares during the period. Montag A & Associates Inc. grew its holdings in Viking Therapeutics by 6.4% during the third quarter. Montag A & Associates Inc. now owns 6,620 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $174,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares during the period. E Fund Management Co. Ltd. grew its holdings in Viking Therapeutics by 2.4% during the second quarter. E Fund Management Co. Ltd. now owns 17,580 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $466,000 after acquiring an additional 406 shares during the period. Finally, Arizona State Retirement System grew its holdings in Viking Therapeutics by 1.3% during the third quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 31,547 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $829,000 after acquiring an additional 416 shares during the period. 76.03% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.