VKTX Stock Draws Fresh Attention Ahead Of Earnings: Wall Street Sees Over 170% Upside As GLP-1 Race Burns Hot

• Koyfin estimates point to a Q1 GAAP loss per share of $1.03, widening from a loss of $0.4 a year earlier.
• Revenue is expected to remain zero as the company continues to operate in the clinical development stage without commercial sales.
• Investor focus remains on the Phase 3 Vanquish program, following the completion of enrollment for Vanquish-2 in March.

Shares of Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX) jumped overnight ahead of its first-quarter (Q1) results as analysts pointed to over a 170% upside potential tied to its late-stage obesity program entering the rapidly expanding GLP-1 market largely dominated by Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Eli Lilly (LLY).

VKTX stock slumped 5% on Tuesday, logging its worst session in over three weeks. However, shares gained 1% after-hours and 1.4% in overnight trading. 

VKTX Q1 Preview

Viking is expected to report continued development-stage losses when it releases its first-quarter results due this month, reflecting increased spending for clinical trials in its obesity program.

According to Koyfin-compiled estimates, the company is projected to post a loss per share of $1.03 on a GAAP basis for the quarter, compared with a loss per share of $0.4 in the same period last year. Losses before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) are expected to stand at $129.5 million, widening from an loss of $55.4 million a year earlier. Revenue estimates remain at zero for the quarter as the company has not started generating commercial sales.

Analysts on Koyfin expect a 174% upside for VKTX stock, with a 12-month price target of $92.72. Coverage from 19 analysts mostly reflects a ‘Strong Buy’ consensus, including five ‘Strong Buy’ ratings, 12 ‘Buy’ ratings and two ‘Hold’ recommendations, with no ‘Sell’ or ‘Strong Sell’ ratings.

Phase 3 Pipeline Progress Supports Bull Case

Investor focus remains centered on the company’s weekly obesity treatment currently being evaluated in the Phase 3 Vanquish clinical program.

Viking completed enrollment for Phase 3 of its Vanquish-2 study in March, which is evaluating weight reduction over a 78-week treatment period. Enrollment in the companion Vanquish-1 study had already been completed in November, while a maintenance-dose study evaluating longer-term treatment strategies is expected to report results in the third quarter of this year.

CEO Brian Lian previously said that rapid enrollment across the Vanquish trials reflected strong demand for additional treatment options beyond currently available obesity medicines.

Obesity-Drug Race Draws New Entrants

Competition in the obesity drugs space is intensifying among emerging biotech players. Structure Therapeutics (GPCR) is VKTX’s primary rival, which recently reported mid-stage trial results showing its oral GLP-1 candidate produced weight loss exceeding 16% over ten months of treatment. Analysts have previously called both VKTX and GPCR as a potentially attractive acquisition target within the sector this year. 

Separately, Altimmune is also advancing its dual glucagon-GLP-1 receptor agonist Pemvidutide following regulatory alignment with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Phase 3 trial parameters.

Emerging players are pushing deeper into late-stage development as the GLP-1 weight-loss race heats up and market leaders expand both pill and injectable options. Eli Lilly recently secured U.S. approval for its once-daily obesity pill Foundayo, while Novo Nordisk launched a higher-dose version of Wegovy across the U.S. and continues rolling out pricing initiatives aimed at boosting patient access.

Competition is also widening beyond drugmakers, with Amazon launching an integrated GLP-1 treatment platform through Amazon One Medical.

How Do Retail Traders Feel About VKTX?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for VKTX, a buyout speculation darling, has been in the ‘bearish’ zone since a week amid a 94% jump in 24-hour message volumes.

One user said, “AMAZON will buy Viking, but Not now…they will wait so they can sell now other drugs…if Viking Phase 3/phase 1/2bis ending, they will be bought out”

Another user weighed in on Amazon’s entry into the GLP-1 space and said, “this a positive for VKTX and other bio techs which would just need to do a deal with Amazon for instant distribution. Maybe in return for an equity swap like what is being done with large ai private companies. This is just all algo’s.”

VKTX stock has risen 43% over the past year. 

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