A significant divergence is emerging in the trading activity surrounding Viking Therapeutics. While corporate insiders have been selling shares, large-scale institutional investors are demonstrating strong conviction by accumulating positions, resulting in an unusually high institutional ownership level of approximately 76%.
Major Funds Establish and Grow Stakes
Recent regulatory filings reveal a wave of investment from prominent institutions. In a notable move, BlackRock Capital Partners established a new position, purchasing 350,000 shares valued at $9.3 million, making Viking Therapeutics its 13th-largest portfolio holding.
The list of investors reads like a roster of financial heavyweights. Norges Bank, Norway’s massive sovereign wealth fund, initiated a stake worth $46.8 million. Jump Financial built a position valued at $12.2 million. Furthermore, U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors boosted its existing holding by 77.7%, bringing its total to 63,546 shares.
Market experts attribute this institutional interest largely to the company’s drug candidate, VK2735, for obesity treatment. Phase 2 data from the VENTURE-Oral study demonstrated weight reductions of up to 12.2%, positioning Viking as a potential competitor in the lucrative GLP-1 market.
Insider Sales Contrast with Institutional Buying
Concurrent with this institutional accumulation, company insiders have been reducing their holdings. Over the past three months, insiders sold a combined 111,359 shares worth $3.93 million.
Notably, CEO Brian Lian sold 38,989 shares at an average price of $35.01, a transaction valued at $1.4 million. Board member Charles A. Rowland Jr. sold 60,000 shares, cutting his direct stake by two-thirds. Such sales are not inherently negative; they can represent routine financial planning or profit-taking following substantial share price appreciation.
Wall Street Maintains a Bullish Stance
Analyst sentiment remains largely positive. The consensus price target among covering firms stands at $87.14 per share, suggesting significant upside from recent trading levels.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Viking Therapeutics?
Individual firms are particularly optimistic. BTIG Research maintains a $125 price target. Canaccord Genuity raised its target from $106 to $107. B. Riley upgraded the stock to a “Strong Buy” rating. Of the 16 analyst ratings currently tracked, three are Strong Buy, nine are Buy, three are Hold, and only one is Sell.
Financial and Clinical Progress
The company’s financial position appears robust, with cash and equivalents totaling $715 million as of September 30, 2025. Reflecting an accelerated clinical development timeline, research and development expenses surged to $90 million in the third quarter—nearly four times the year-ago figure.
The net loss per share was $0.81, wider than the analyst estimate of $0.67. This is, however, typical for a clinical-stage biotech firm without commercialized products.
On the clinical front, the pivotal Phase 3 trial, VANQUISH-1, has exceeded enrollment targets, recruiting 4,650 participants against a goal of 4,500. Initial data from this study is anticipated in the second half of 2026, a key catalyst that may explain the current institutional positioning.
Technical Market Perspective
The stock has been trading between a support level near $31.40 and resistance around $39.40. Key moving averages place the 50-day at $35.81 and the 200-day at $31.36.
With a beta of 0.65, Viking’s shares have exhibited lower volatility than the broader market. The company’s market capitalization is approximately $4.19 billion. Over the past 52 weeks, the share price has ranged from a low of $18.92 to a high of $48.55.
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