Viking Therapeutics Stock Up 240% YTD: Can Q3 Earnings, Weight-Loss Drug Drive Further Gains?

Core Viewpoint - Viking Therapeutics Inc. is poised to report its third-quarter earnings, with significant anticipation due to a year-to-date stock increase of nearly 240%, driven by interest in its weight-loss drug candidate VK2735 [1] Group 1: Product and Market Position - VK2735 mimics both GLP-1 and GIP hormones, aiming for superior weight loss compared to established drugs like Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound, which focus solely on GLP-1 [2] - Viking's dual approach may allow it to capture a significant market share, contrasting with Pfizer's struggles, as its stock is down 3.16% year-to-date [2] - The availability of both injectable and oral formulations of VK2735 could enhance patient retention within the Viking ecosystem [2] Group 2: Earnings and Pipeline Expectations - The upcoming earnings report will focus on updates regarding Viking's pipeline, including VK2735, VK2809 for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and VK0214 for a rare neurodegenerative disease [3] - Investors are particularly interested in Viking's discussions with the FDA about advancing its obesity and NASH programs to late-stage development [3] - Promising results from a Phase 1b study for VK0214 have been reported, indicating it was well-tolerated and met its primary endpoint [3] Group 3: Stock Performance and Technical Indicators - Technical indicators show a mixed picture, with the 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages indicating a bullish trend, while the eight-day and 20-day SMAs suggest near-term selling pressure [4] - The stock is currently trading at $63.80, and investors are eager to see if the upcoming earnings will reflect the excitement or if the stock's momentum will decline [4]