Company Performance - Viking Therapeutics, Inc. closed at $23.91, reflecting a -0.99% change from the previous session, underperforming the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.38% [1] - The company's shares have decreased by 6.03% over the past month, compared to the Medical sector's loss of 3.56% and the S&P 500's loss of 5.59% [1] Earnings Forecast - The upcoming earnings disclosure is anticipated to show an EPS of -$0.34, indicating a 30.77% decline from the same quarter last year [2] Analyst Estimates - Recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Viking Therapeutics are crucial as they reflect changing business trends, with positive revisions indicating analyst optimism about the company's profitability [3] - The Zacks Rank system, which incorporates these estimate changes, suggests that estimate revisions correlate with near-term share price momentum [4] Zacks Rank - Viking Therapeutics currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), with no changes in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate over the past month [5] - The Zacks Rank system has shown that 1 ranked stocks have yielded an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [5] Industry Overview - The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, which includes Viking Therapeutics, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 66, placing it in the top 27% of over 250 industries [6] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [6]

Core Insights - The pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors are characterized by significant volatility, with companies often facing long periods of unprofitability before achieving success, particularly when new products or clinical trial results emerge [1][2] - Tracking firms that attract investor interest can be beneficial, but caution is advised to avoid entering positions too late [2] Company Summaries Viking Therapeutics Inc. (VKTX) - Viking Therapeutics is gaining attention due to its potential contribution to the GLP-1 weight loss market, with its drug VK2735 completing enrollment for a Phase 2 clinical trial [4][5] - The stock forecast for Viking indicates a potential upside of 271.08%, with a 12-month price target of $95.18, compared to the current price of $25.65 [4] - Initial studies suggest VK2735 may facilitate faster weight loss than existing GLP-1 agonists, and it is being developed in both injectable and oral forms [5] - Despite the promising outlook, shares have declined over 67% in the year leading to March 27, 2025, due to investor impatience regarding the Phase 3 trial [6] Absci Corp. (ABSI) - Absci utilizes AI technology in drug development, with a 12-month stock price forecast indicating a potential upside of 181.48%, targeting $7.60 from a current price of $2.70 [8] - The company has reported significant successes in its drug pipeline, but also rising expenses, with R&D costs increasing by approximately 50% year-over-year, leading to net losses widening to $29 million [9][10] - Cash reserves have decreased to $112.4 million, necessitating careful management as the company seeks to build revenue-generating capacity [10] Elevance Health Inc. (ELV) - Elevance Health is positioned as a defensive play in healthcare, with a 12-month stock price forecast suggesting a 20.37% upside, targeting $519.81 from a current price of $431.84 [11] - The company boasts attractive valuation metrics, including a price-to-sales ratio of 0.55 and a low forward price-to-earnings ratio of 12.7, which may enhance efficiency and margins through AI integration [12] - Despite regulatory uncertainties in the health benefits industry, Elevance's strong market position is expected to provide resilience, with a consensus buy rating from 14 out of 16 analysts [12]

Company Highlights - Viking Therapeutics has completed enrollment for the phase II VENTURE-Oral Dosing study of its obesity drug VK2735, with data expected in the second half of 2025 [1] - Approximately 280 adults with obesity or overweight conditions and at least one weight-related co-morbidity have been enrolled, randomized into six dosing arms or placebo [2] - The study's primary endpoint is the percent change in body weight from baseline after 13 weeks of treatment [2] - The rapid enrollment indicates strong demand and interest in VK2735, aligning with the market expansion for weight loss drugs [3] - Early-stage study data showed that patients receiving VK2735 lost up to 8.2% of body weight after 28 days, compared to 1.4% in the placebo group [4] - Viking plans to initiate a late-stage study on the subcutaneous version of VK2735 in the first half of this year [5] - Year-to-date, Viking's stock has decreased by 36%, contrasting with the industry's 1% growth [6] Industry Insights - The obesity market is projected to reach $100 billion in the United States by 2030, driven by the success of drugs from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk [8] - Companies like Roche, Amgen, AbbVie, and Merck are actively developing obesity drugs, indicating a competitive landscape [9] - Roche's acquisition of Carmot Therapeutics for $2.7 billion has expanded its portfolio in the obesity market, including several new candidates [10] - Amgen's MariTide therapy showed approximately 20% average weight loss over 52 weeks in a phase II study, with plans for a broad phase III program [12] - Recent entrants like Merck and AbbVie have also made moves into the obesity space through licensing agreements for experimental drugs [13]

13-Week Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Oral VK2735 Dosed Once Daily Results Expected in 2H25 SAN DIEGO, March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking Therapeutics, Inc. ("Viking") (NASDAQ: VKTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders, today announced the completion of subject enrollment in its Phase 2 clinical trial of the oral tablet formulation of VK2735, the company's dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 ...

The most recent trading session ended with Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX) standing at $29.28, reflecting a +1.14% shift from the previouse trading day's closing. The stock's change was less than the S&P 500's daily gain of 1.77%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw an upswing of 1.42%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 2.28%.The the stock of company has fallen by 15.03% in the past month, lagging the Medical sector's loss of 1.17% and the S&P 500's loss of 5.73%.Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a ...

Industry Overview - The global anti-obesity drug market is projected to generate $12.8 billion in sales this year, with expectations to grow to $104.9 billion by 2035 [1] - Demand for effective weight management drugs is significant, indicating a robust market potential [1] Company Analysis: Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly - Novo Nordisk currently markets the top-selling GLP-1 drug but is losing market share to Eli Lilly's tirzepatide, marketed as Zepbound [2] - Eli Lilly's Zepbound is experiencing soaring sales, while Viking Therapeutics is developing a potential competitor, VK2735, which may outperform Zepbound based on early clinical trial data [3][4] Viking Therapeutics - Viking Therapeutics' VK2735 showed a 13.1% average weight loss in a phase 2 trial after 13 weeks, suggesting potential for better performance compared to Zepbound's 17.8% reduction after 72 weeks [5][6] - Despite positive phase 2 results, Viking Therapeutics has not yet initiated a phase 3 trial for VK2735, leading to a 70% drop in its stock price from last year's peak [8] - The company also reported successful phase 2 results for VK2809, but has not started the necessary phase 3 trial [9] Eli Lilly's Growth - Eli Lilly's fourth-quarter revenue, including sales from both tirzepatide brands, increased by 45% year over year to $13.5 billion, with significant growth in other drug categories as well [10][11] - The company expects total sales to grow by 32% in 2025, supported by multiple recently launched therapies [12] - Eli Lilly's retatrutide, an experimental triple hormone receptor agonist, demonstrated a weight reduction of up to 24.2% after 48 weeks, with ongoing phase 3 trials expected to yield results by the end of 2025 [13] Investment Outlook - Viking Therapeutics is considered a high-risk investment due to delays in advancing its pipeline, making it less attractive for investors [14] - Eli Lilly, despite a high valuation, is positioned for faster growth and is likely to provide positive long-term returns, making it a more favorable investment option [15]

Last year, Viking Therapeutics (VKTX 1.83%), a mid-cap biotech, attracted the market's attention thanks to excellent midstage clinical trial results. The company's shares soared in late February 2024, but, unfortunately, they have been southbound since then. Viking Therapeutics stock is down 52% over the trailing-12-month period. However, many Wall Street analysts remain unashamedly bullish on the company.Viking's average price target of $99.29 (according to analysts tracked by Yahoo! Finance) implies an up ...

Viking Therapeutics (VKTX -0.07%) is a promising growth stock with a strong GLP-1 drug candidate in VK2735, which may eventually rake in significant revenue from the anti-obesity market. It has demonstrated encouraging results in clinical trials; however, it isn't approved just yet.While the optimism surrounding the drug made Viking's stock a hot buy early last year, things have drastically cooled over the past six months during which it has plummeted more than 50%. As a result, the stock is now down 65% fr ...

Group 1 - The article discusses the potential for investing in undervalued stocks that are mispriced by the market as the end of Q1 approaches [1] - It suggests that investors may consider joining a platform called Out Fox The Street for insights on positioning in these stocks [1] Group 2 - There is a mention of a potential beneficial long position in VKTX that may be initiated within the next 72 hours [2] - The article emphasizes that the opinions expressed are those of the author and not influenced by any compensation from companies mentioned [2] Group 3 - The information provided is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation to buy or sell securities [3] - It highlights the importance of conducting personal research or consulting a financial advisor before making investment decisions [3] Group 4 - The article notes that past performance is not indicative of future results and that no specific investment recommendations are being made [4] - It clarifies that the views expressed may not represent those of Seeking Alpha as a whole and that the analysts involved may not be licensed or certified [4]

Shares of Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) gained more than 11% on Wednesday after the company announced that it had signed a broad multi-year manufacturing agreement with CordenPharma for both the oral and subcutaneous (SC) formulations of its obesity drug.Viking Therapeutics is one of the few biotech stocks that has shown immense potential in the obesity space. It is developing VK2735, an investigational novel dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist, in different clinical studies as oral and SC versions for treatin ...