VKTX Stock Outpaces LLY, ALT Ahead Of Earnings – Retail Eyes Breakout Ahead

• Raymond James reiterated a 'Strong Buy' rating and $118 price target, implying a 258% upside ahead of earnings.
• Consensus estimates expect a GAAP loss per share of $1.03, wider than last year’s $0.4 loss.
• Investor focus remains on the Phase 3 Vanquish obesity program, with a maintenance-dose study expected to report results in Q3.

Shares of Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) are outperforming several GLP-1 rivals ahead of its first-quarter results due Wednesday, with Eli Lilly (LLY) among the peers trailing the group’s monthly gains.

Over the past month, VKTX rose about 1.4%, outperforming LLY, which fell 1.1%, Altimmune (ALT), down 7.3%, Amgen (AMGN), down 2.5%, and Structure Therapeutics (GPCR), down 1.3%. Shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) led the weight-loss pack with a 17.3% gain over the same period.

Analyst Sees 258% Upside Ahead Of VKTX Earnings 

Ahead of the drugmaker’s earnings release, Raymond James reiterated a ‘Strong Buy’ rating and $118 price target on VKTX shares, implying a massive 258% upside from current levels. 

The firm addressed investor attention around a recent observational pre-print comparing body-composition outcomes between Tirzepatide and Semaglutide, saying that its analysis shows lean-body-mass loss relative to total weight loss appears similar between the two therapies. Raymond James said the readout from the study appears neutral to positive for Viking, reinforcing confidence in dual-mechanism obesity therapies, according to a report by Investing.com.

Consensus estimates compiled by Fiscal AI expect Viking to report a GAAP loss per share of $1.03, widening from $0.4 a year earlier, with EBITDA losses projected at nearly $129.5 million and no revenue expected, as the company remains in the clinical-stage phase.

Vanquish Trial Momentum Drives Bull Case

Investor attention continues to center on Viking’s weekly obesity therapy currently being evaluated in the Phase 3 Vanquish clinical program. Enrollment for Vanquish-2 was completed in March, while a maintenance-dose study evaluating longer-term treatment is expected to report results in the third quarter. 

The company previously said that rapid enrollment across the trials showed strong demand for additional treatment options beyond currently available obesity medicines.

Obesity-Drug Race Draws New Rivals

Competition across the obesity-drug market continues to widen as emerging biotech developers and large pharma players expand their pipelines.

Structure Therapeutics recently reported mid-stage results showing over a 16% weight loss over ten months with its oral GLP-1 candidate, while Altimmune continues advancing Pemvidutide after aligning Phase 3 trial plans with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Meanwhile, Lilly recently secured U.S. approval for its once-daily obesity pill Foundayo, though early prescription data suggests a slower initial rollout compared with competing oral therapies from Novo Nordisk. Competition is also expanding 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, was ‘bearish’ amid ‘low’ message volume.

One user said, “buy out twesday!”

Another user said, “this is going to take off any day now!  ignore all the red days recently, this is an $80 stock!”

VKTX stock has risen 32% over the past year. 

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