Viking Therapeutics: Stock rises 8.8% on positive study data
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Key Takeaways
- Viking Therapeutics stock rose 8.8 percent to $37.87 on June 24, 2026 with trading volume of $210.6 million
- 23 of 24 analysts rate the stock as "Buy" or "Strong Buy", with only one analyst recommending "Hold" (as of June 27, 2026)
- The average analyst price target is $93.60, representing upside potential of 147 percent
- The Relative Strength Index (RSI) reached overbought territory at 75.0 on June 24
- Truist Securities initiated coverage on June 24, 2026 with a price target of $83 and a Buy rating
Viking Therapeutics Inc. stock surged 8.8 percent to $37.87 on June 24, 2026. Trading volume reached $210.6 million on the day – many times the average daily trading volume of 5.6 million shares. The California-based biotech company's shares opened at $35.63 and marked an intraday high of $38.08.
Analyst consensus with high upside potential
The analyst community is decidedly optimistic: Of 24 covered analysts, 23 recommend buying the stock – including one "Strong Buy" and 22 "Buy" ratings. Only one analyst recommends "Hold", while sell recommendations are completely absent (as of June 27, 2026). The average price target is $93.60, with a median of $95. This implies upside potential of approximately 147 percent compared to the current stock price.
The range of price targets spans from $83 (low) to $101 (high). Truist Securities initiated coverage of Viking Therapeutics on June 24, 2026 with a price target of $83 and a Buy rating. The investment bank cited promising data from the company's clinical trials for obesity medications as justification.
Technical indicators signal overbought conditions
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) – a momentum indicator that measures overbought or oversold conditions – reached a value of 75.0 on June 24, 2026. Values above 70 are typically considered a sign of overbought market conditions in technical analysis. In the following days, the RSI remained at elevated levels: 70.4 on June 25 and 72.6 on June 26, 2026.
The persistently high RSI values indicate strong upward momentum, but could also prompt a short-term consolidation. For comparison: in mid-June, the RSI was still in the neutral range around 47 before the recent upward movement began.
Clinical pipeline in focus
Viking Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotech company developing therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders. The lead drug candidate VK2809 is an orally administered, tissue- and receptor-selective agonist of the thyroid hormone receptor beta (TRß). The drug is in Phase IIb trials for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Additional pipeline candidates include VK5211, a non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator in Phase II trials for patients recovering from hip fracture surgery, and VK0612, an oral drug for type 2 diabetes being prepared for Phase IIb trials. The positive analyst sentiment appears closely linked to progress in the clinical development of these candidates.
Trading volume significantly above average
The exceptionally high trading volume on June 24, 2026 underscores increased investor interest. With a turnover of over $210 million, the trading day exceeded average volume many times over. Such volume spikes frequently occur in connection with company news, analyst ratings, or clinical trial results.
The stock closed on June 24, 2026 near its daily high, indicating sustained buying pressure. The closing price of $37.87 marked a significant increase from the previous day's close of $34.81.