Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
VKTX · Pharmaceutical Preparations · 116.1M shares · +7%/yr ↑ shares · EDGAR filings ↗
Net buyback after stock comp: -$10M (gross $7M, SBC $17M)
Reference price $33.50 · est. market cap ~$3.9B — last insider purchase, 2026-03-10 (estimated from the dated SEC Form 4 price × shares outstanding — not a live quote)
Grade
C67Heavily capitalized clinical-stage developer with momentum across metabolic/rare-disease programs but no commercial product yet.
Strengths
- Strong liquidity: cash $705M (88.7 pct), current/quick ratio 9.3 (77.6 pct), narrowing losses (net income growth +227%, 89.8 pct)
- Positive supportive readouts (VK0214 X-ALD Phase 1b VLCFA reductions; VK5211 Phase 2 lean-mass gains, p≤0.0032) and a high-interest MASH/obesity pipeline
Risks
- No revenue and ongoing operating losses; ROE -0.56 (41.4 pct), ROA -0.50 (44.6 pct) near sector medians
- Lead value drivers still pre-Phase-3 confirmation; execution and capital-intensity risk remain
Notable findings
- High convictionHigh conviction — notable institutional holders, insider buying, and a strong balance sheet
- Fund exitedNotable fund(s) exited this quarter: VANGUARD GROUP INC
- Strong balance sheetStrong balance sheet — $706M cash & investments
- Insider buyingInsider buying — 1 open-market buy(s) by 1 insider(s) (~$149,912, last 6mo) Form 4 ↗
- Notable holderHeld by 5 notable fund(s): FMR LLC, STATE STREET CORP, CITADEL ADVISORS LLC +2 more (as of 2026-03-31)
- Insider sellingInsider selling — 13 open-market sale(s) by 4 insider(s) (cluster of 4 insiders, ~$12M, last 6mo) Form 4 ↗
Quarterly revenue
Last 4 quarters · from SEC filings.
Key metrics
Return on equity
-56.3%
Return on assets
-50.2%
Current ratio
9.3×
Tangible book value
$639M
Cash & investments
$706M
Insider transactions · last 18 months
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-10 | Aubuchon Neil William | Buy | 4.5K | $33.50 |
| 2026-01-05 | ZANTE GREG | Sell | 1.5K | $32.09 |
| 2026-01-05 | Lian Brian | Sell | 132K | $32.29 |
| 2026-01-05 | Lian Brian | Sell | 53K | $33.38 |
| 2026-01-05 | Lian Brian | Sell | 41K | $34.22 |
| 2026-01-05 | Lian Brian | Sell | 6.4K | $35.07 |
| 2026-01-05 | ZANTE GREG | Sell | 10K | $34.24 |
| 2026-01-05 | ZANTE GREG | Sell | 14K | $33.38 |
| 2026-01-05 | Mancini Marianna | Sell | 32K | $32.29 |
| 2026-01-05 | Mancini Marianna | Sell | 14K | $33.37 |
| 2026-01-05 | Mancini Marianna | Sell | 10K | $34.22 |
| 2026-01-05 | Mancini Marianna | Sell | 1.6K | $35.07 |
| 2026-01-05 | ZANTE GREG | Sell | 32K | $32.30 |
| 2026-01-02 | Rouan Sarah Kathryn | Grant | 3.1K | — |
| 2026-01-02 | ZANTE GREG | Grant | 41K | — |
| 2026-01-02 | ZANTE GREG | Grant | 32K | — |
| 2026-01-02 | Mancini Marianna | Grant | 41K | — |
| 2026-01-02 | Mancini Marianna | Grant | 32K | — |
| 2026-01-02 | Lian Brian | Grant | 78K | — |
| 2026-01-02 | Lian Brian | Grant | 224K | — |
| 2026-01-02 | SINGLETON J MATTHEW | Grant | 3.1K | — |
| 2026-01-02 | MACARTNEY LAWSON | Grant | 3.1K | — |
| 2026-01-02 | Rowland Charles A Jr | Grant | 3.1K | — |
| 2026-01-02 | FOEHR MATTHEW W | Option exercise | 16K | $3.33 |
| 2026-01-02 | FOEHR MATTHEW W | Sell | 16K | $35.11 |
| 2026-01-02 | FOEHR MATTHEW W | Grant | 3.1K | — |
| 2025-10-28 | ZANTE GREG | Sell | 6.2K | $35.00 |
| 2025-10-28 | Mancini Marianna | Sell | 6.2K | $35.00 |
| 2025-10-28 | Lian Brian | Sell | 39K | $35.01 |
| 2025-10-27 | Rowland Charles A Jr | Grant | 22K | $5.80 |
| 2025-10-27 | Rowland Charles A Jr | Grant | 22K | $4.88 |
| 2025-10-27 | Rowland Charles A Jr | Sell | 60K | $35.57 |
| 2025-10-27 | Lian Brian | Grant | 70K | — |
| 2025-10-27 | ZANTE GREG | Grant | 11K | — |
| 2025-10-27 | Mancini Marianna | Grant | 11K | — |
| 2025-10-27 | Rowland Charles A Jr | Grant | 16K | $4.48 |
| 2025-07-03 | ZANTE GREG | Sell | 4.3K | $27.76 |
| 2025-07-03 | Lian Brian | Sell | 27K | $27.80 |
| 2025-07-03 | Mancini Marianna | Sell | 4.3K | $27.77 |
| 2025-07-02 | Lian Brian | Grant | 48K | — |
| 2025-07-02 | ZANTE GREG | Grant | 7.7K | — |
| 2025-07-02 | Mancini Marianna | Grant | 7.7K | — |
| 2025-04-11 | FOEHR MATTHEW W | Option exercise | 21K | $8.00 |
| 2025-03-31 | Rouan Sarah Kathryn | Buy | 1.2K | $24.15 |
| 2025-03-31 | Rouan Sarah Kathryn | Buy | 1.2K | $24.15 |
| 2025-01-06 | ZANTE GREG | Sell | 46K | $42.69 |
| 2025-01-06 | Lian Brian | Sell | 175K | $42.68 |
| 2025-01-06 | Lian Brian | Sell | 19K | $43.32 |
| 2025-01-06 | Mancini Marianna | Sell | 49K | $42.69 |
| 2025-01-06 | Mancini Marianna | Sell | 5.1K | $43.32 |
| 2025-01-06 | ZANTE GREG | Sell | 4.7K | $43.32 |
| 2025-01-03 | Lian Brian | Grant | 93K | — |
| 2025-01-03 | Lian Brian | Grant | 163K | — |
| 2025-01-03 | ZANTE GREG | Grant | 22K | — |
| 2025-01-03 | ZANTE GREG | Grant | 45K | — |
| 2025-01-03 | Mancini Marianna | Grant | 45K | — |
| 2025-01-03 | Mancini Marianna | Grant | 22K | — |
All non-derivative Form 4 activity (SEC), newest first.
Clinical trials
| Trial | Title | Phase | Status | Primary completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT07104500 ↗ | VK2735 for Weight Management Phase 3 Weight Loss | PHASE3 | Active Not Recruiting | 2027-07-01 |
| NCT07104383 ↗ | VK2735 for Weight Management Type 2 Diabetes Phase 3 (VANQUISH 2) Weight Loss | PHASE3 | Active Not Recruiting | 2027-07-01 |
| NCT06828055 ↗ | VK2735 for Weight Management Phase 2 (Venture Oral Dosing) Weight Loss | PHASE2 | Completed | 2025-06-24 |
| NCT05203237 ↗ | Phase 1 Study to Evaluate the Safety and Tolerability of VK2735 Weight Loss, NASH | PHASE1 | Completed | 2024-11-04 |
| NCT04973657 ↗ | A Study to Assess the Pharmacodynamics of VK0214 in Male Subjects With AMN Adrenomyeloneuropathy Form (AMN) of X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) | PHASE1 | Completed | 2024-10-09 |
| NCT06068946 ↗ | VK2735 for Weight Management Phase 2 Weight Loss | PHASE2 | Completed | 2024-02-27 |
| NCT04173065 ↗ | A Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of VK2809 for 52 Weeks in Subjects With Biopsy Proven NASH NASH - Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis | PHASE2 | Completed | 2023-05-15 |
| NCT02927184 ↗ | Safety and Tolerability of VK2809 in Patients With Primary Hypercholesterolemia and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Hyperlipidemia, NAFLD | PHASE2 | Completed | 2019-03-26 |
| NCT02578095 ↗ | Acute Hip Fracture Study in Patients 65 Years or Greater Hip Fractures | PHASE2 | Completed | 2017-11-15 |
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. NIH) · active studies first.
Notable events (8-K)
Recent filings
| Form | Filed | Period | Accession |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-K | 2026-05-26 | 2026-05-19 | 0001193125-26-239535 ↗ |
| 10-Q | 2026-04-30 | 2026-03-31 | 0001193125-26-193315 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2026-04-29 | 2026-04-29 | 0001193125-26-191487 ↗ |
| 10-K | 2026-02-11 | 2025-12-31 | 0001193125-26-046876 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2026-02-11 | 2026-02-11 | 0001193125-26-046536 ↗ |
| 10-Q | 2025-10-23 | 2025-09-30 | 0001193125-25-247059 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2025-10-22 | 2025-10-22 | 0001193125-25-246775 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2025-08-19 | 2025-08-19 | 0001607678-25-000003 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2025-07-23 | 2025-07-23 | 0000950170-25-097885 ↗ |
| 10-Q | 2025-07-23 | 2025-06-30 | 0000950170-25-097950 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2025-05-27 | 2025-05-20 | 0000950170-25-077865 ↗ |
| 10-Q | 2025-04-24 | 2025-03-31 | 0000950170-25-058129 ↗ |