Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX) CEO Brian Lian Sells 148,517 Shares of Stock

Key Points

• CEO Brian Lian sold 148,517 shares of Viking Therapeutics at an average price of $33.32, generating approximately $4.95 million. The filing said the sale covered tax-withholding obligations tied to vested equity awards, leaving him with 2.57 million shares.
• VKTX shares fell 1.3% to $33.43, while the company reported a quarterly loss of $1.10 per share—better than analysts’ expected loss of $1.21—but wider than the $0.58 loss recorded a year earlier.
• Viking’s clinical pipeline remains the main investor focus: its Phase 3 obesity trials for VK2735 are fully enrolled, with an oral Phase 3 trial planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. The company ended the quarter with approximately $502 million in cash to fund development.

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX - Get Free Report) CEO Brian Lian sold 148,517 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.32, for a total transaction of $4,948,586.44. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 2,572,441 shares of the company's stock, valued at $85,713,734.12. This trade represents a 5.46% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards.

Viking Therapeutics Trading Down 1.3%

VKTX stock traded down $0.43 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $33.43. 2,896,403 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,084,235. The stock 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 company has a 50 day simple moving average of $34.10 and a 200 day simple moving average of $32.97.

Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VKTX - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The biotechnology company reported ($1.10) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($1.21) by $0.11. Viking Therapeutics's quarterly revenue was up .0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned ($0.58) EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Viking Therapeutics, Inc. will post -4.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Viking Therapeutics

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Royal Fund Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Viking Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth about $1,518,000. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 1,624.0% during the 4th quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 281,052 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $9,887,000 after purchasing an additional 264,750 shares in the last quarter. MH & Associates Securities Management Corp ADV bought a new position in shares of Viking Therapeutics during the 4th quarter valued at about $1,535,000. Channel Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Viking Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $2,655,000. Finally, M&T Bank Corp grew its position in shares of Viking Therapeutics by 605.1% in the 4th quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 69,914 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $2,460,000 after purchasing an additional 59,998 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.03% of the company's stock.

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.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Lake Street Capital began coverage on Viking Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, May 28th. They set a "buy" rating and a $89.00 price target for the company. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $125.00 price objective on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Viking Therapeutics in a report on Friday, July 17th. Zacks Research lowered Viking Therapeutics from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald lowered their target price on Viking Therapeutics from $105.00 to $100.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. One equities research 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $97.00.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.