Key Points
- Director Matthew Foehr sold 16,000 shares on Jan. 2 at an average of $35.11 for proceeds of $561,760, leaving him with 132,036 shares (a 10.81% reduction).
- The sale is part of a same-day cluster of insider liquidity — including CEO Brian Lian selling 233,409 shares (~$7.69M) and both the CFO and COO offloading ~57,661 shares each (~$1.9M) — which could weigh on market sentiment.
- Viking is a clinical-stage biotech with a market cap of $3.63 billion and recent quarterly EPS of -$0.81 (missed estimates), yet analysts hold a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average target price of $87.14.
Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX - Get Free Report) Director Matthew Foehr sold 16,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.11, for a total value of $561,760.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 132,036 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,635,783.96. The trade was a 10.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.
Viking Therapeutics Price Performance
VKTX opened at $32.14 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $3.63 billion, a P/E ratio of -15.16 and a beta of 0.71. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $36.43 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $32.36. Viking Therapeutics, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $18.92 and a fifty-two week high of $43.55.
Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 22nd. The biotechnology company reported ($0.81) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.67) by ($0.14). During the same period in the prior year, the company earned ($0.22) EPS. Viking Therapeutics's revenue was up .0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Viking Therapeutics, Inc. will post -1.56 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Trending Headlines about Viking Therapeutics
Here are the key news stories impacting Viking Therapeutics this week:
- Positive Sentiment: CEO Brian Lian will present at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference — management exposure at JPM can provide updated guidance, data highlights or investor Q&A that could drive a re-rating if new information is received. Viking Therapeutics to Present at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
- Neutral Sentiment: Media coverage notes the stock’s recent decline (Zacks: -9.32% on the last close), providing context but not new company-specific information. Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX) Stock Drops Despite Market Gains
- Negative Sentiment: CEO Brian Lian sold 233,409 shares at an average $32.96 (~$7.69M); ownership decreased ~8.5% — a large, same-day insider sale from the CEO can be interpreted negatively by the market. SEC Filing - CEO Sale
- Negative Sentiment: CFO Greg Zante sold 57,661 shares at ~$32.90 (~$1.90M); position down ~23.3% — another senior officer sale adding selling pressure. SEC Filing - CFO Sale
- Negative Sentiment: COO Marianna Mancini sold 57,661 shares at ~$32.98 (~$1.90M); position down ~12.4% — simultaneous sales by multiple officers often weigh on sentiment. SEC Filing - COO Sale
- Negative Sentiment: Director Matthew W. Foehr sold 16,000 shares at $35.11 (~$562k); ownership down ~10.8% — adds to the cluster of insider liquidity events. SEC Filing - Director Sale
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in VKTX. CNB Bank increased its holdings in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 5.1% in the third quarter. CNB Bank now owns 5,756 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $151,000 after purchasing an additional 279 shares in the last quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. boosted its position in Viking Therapeutics by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 14,961 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $396,000 after buying an additional 326 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP increased its stake in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 58.4% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 955 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 352 shares during the period. Montag A & Associates Inc. raised its position in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 6.1% during the second quarter. Montag A & Associates Inc. now owns 6,220 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $165,000 after acquiring an additional 358 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lewis Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 0.9% during the second quarter. Lewis Asset Management LLC now owns 44,060 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $1,168,000 after acquiring an additional 385 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.03% of the company's stock.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
VKTX has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. HC Wainwright reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $102.00 target price on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a report on Monday, September 29th. B. Riley upgraded Viking Therapeutics to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $125.00 price objective on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research note on Monday, September 22nd. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Viking Therapeutics from $98.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Viking Therapeutics from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $87.14.
Get Our Latest Stock Report on VKTX
Viking Therapeutics Company Profile
(
Get Free Report)
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.
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