Viking Therapeutics, Inc. $VKTX Shares Bought by RFG Advisory LLC

Key Points

• Institutional investors increased exposure: RFG Advisory LLC boosted its stake by 84.8% to 120,214 shares (about $3.16M), while large new/expanded positions came from Norges Bank (~$46.8M) and Cubist Systematic (now 596,650 shares, ~$15.8M); institutional ownership stands around 76.03%.
• Insider selling was notable—COO Marianna Mancini and CFO Greg Zante each sold 57,661 shares on Jan. 5 at about $32.9 per share, and insiders have sold 364,731 shares (~$12.05M) in the past three months, leaving insiders with 4.10% ownership.
• Market and analyst snapshot: VKTX trades near $29–33 with a market cap of $3.31B and a 52‑week range of $18.92–$43.15; consensus analyst rating is a "Moderate Buy" with a consensus price target of $89.36.

RFG Advisory LLC grew its holdings in Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX - Free Report) by 84.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 120,214 shares of the biotechnology company's stock after purchasing an additional 55,175 shares during the quarter. RFG Advisory LLC owned about 0.11% of Viking Therapeutics worth $3,159,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Viking Therapeutics in the second quarter valued at approximately $46,846,000. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC boosted its stake in Viking Therapeutics by 6,315.6% during the second quarter. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC now owns 596,650 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $15,811,000 after buying an additional 587,350 shares during the last quarter. Duquesne Family Office LLC purchased a new stake in Viking Therapeutics in the 2nd quarter valued at $14,556,000. Jump Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Viking Therapeutics in the 2nd quarter worth $12,201,000. Finally, BlackBarn Capital Partners LP acquired a new stake in shares of Viking Therapeutics in the 2nd quarter worth $9,275,000. 76.03% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Viking Therapeutics Stock Performance

Shares of VKTX stock opened at $29.30 on Tuesday. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $33.73 and its 200-day moving average price is $32.69. Viking Therapeutics, Inc. has a one year low of $18.92 and a one year high of $43.15. The firm has a market cap of $3.31 billion, a P/E ratio of -13.82 and a beta of 0.76.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on VKTX. B. Riley Financial raised shares of Viking Therapeutics to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Zacks Research lowered shares of Viking Therapeutics from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Cantor Fitzgerald set a $105.00 price target on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price target on shares of Viking Therapeutics from $106.00 to $107.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 12th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Viking Therapeutics from $98.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Viking Therapeutics has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $89.36.

Insider Transactions at Viking Therapeutics

In other news, COO Marianna Mancini sold 57,661 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.98, for a total transaction of $1,901,659.78. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 409,190 shares in the company, valued at $13,495,086.20. This trade represents a 12.35% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CFO Greg Zante sold 57,661 shares of Viking Therapeutics stock in a transaction on Monday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.90, for a total value of $1,897,046.90. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 189,891 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,247,413.90. The trade was a 23.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 364,731 shares of company stock valued at $12,053,627 over the last three months. 4.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.

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