Viking Therapeutics: Stock Falls 2.4% – Analysts See Target Price at $94

Viking Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VKTX) stock closed on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at $28.90 and recorded a decline of $0.70 or 2.4 percent compared to the previous day ($29.60). Trading volume totaled $260.1 million.

The San Diego-based biotech company has a market capitalization of approximately $3.8 billion. The 52-week range spans from $22.96 to $43.15. At a current price of $28.90, the stock is trading significantly below the annual high reached in July 2026.

Analyst Consensus: Predominantly Positive Rating

Of 24 analysts covering Viking Therapeutics, 23 issue a buy or strong buy recommendation, with only one analyst recommending a hold (as of July 9, 2026). There is no sell recommendation. The average price target is $93.60, with a median of $95. The range of analyst estimates spans from $83 to $101.

At a current price of $28.90, this translates to an upside potential of approximately 224 percent to the average price target. The stock's beta is 0.61, indicating lower volatility compared to the overall market.

VK2735: Phase-3 Development of Obesity Medication

At the center of the company's pipeline is VK2735, a dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist for treating obesity. The medication is being developed in both injection and oral forms. In July 2026, Viking Therapeutics announced that Phase-3 development had been initiated.

In a Phase-2 study, participants achieved an average weight loss of 14.7 percent within 13 weeks (data as of July 16, 2026). VK2735 targets the same mechanism of action as the established obesity medications from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, which have gained significant market share in recent years.

Financial Metrics and Valuation

Viking Therapeutics is currently not profitable and reports a loss per share (EPS) of -$4.66. A price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) cannot therefore be calculated. The price-to-book ratio (P/B) stands at 6.22, which is typical for a company in the clinical development stage without product revenues.

The average daily trading volume is approximately 1.89 million shares. Viking Therapeutics does not pay a dividend, which is common for clinical biotech companies that invest available funds into research and development.

Market Position and Competitive Landscape

Viking Therapeutics is positioning itself in an increasingly competitive market for obesity therapeutics. Market leaders Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly dominate with their already approved products Wegovy and Zepbound. For Viking, the challenge lies in demonstrating not only efficacy in Phase-3 trials, but also differentiation features compared to established active ingredients.

In addition to the subcutaneous injection, the company is focusing on an oral formulation of VK2735, which was also in clinical testing in July 2026. An oral alternative to the currently available injections could represent a competitive advantage, provided efficacy and tolerability are comparable.

Technical Outlook

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) of the stock was at 47.07 on August 12, 2026, placing it in the neutral range between 30 and 70. This indicates neither overbought nor oversold conditions from a technical perspective. In the days prior, the RSI had fluctuated between 35.80 (July 31) and 48.76 (August 10).