--- title: "Viking Therapeutics Stock Moves Lower: What's Going On?" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/294398295.md" description: "Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) shares fell 4.49% to $31.93 despite reporting a narrower Q2 loss of $1.10 per share, beating analyst estimates. The wider year-over-year loss stemmed from doubled R&D costs for clinical trials. The company holds $502 million in cash. Canaccord Genuity maintained a Buy rating with a $114 price target. Key pipeline updates include fully enrolled VANQUISH Phase 3 trials and upcoming maintenance dosing data expected before September." datetime: "2026-07-30T17:09:12.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/294398295.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/294398295.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/294398295.md) generator: "portal-rs" --- # Viking Therapeutics Stock Moves Lower: What's Going On? **Viking Therapeutics Inc** (NASDAQ:VKTX) shares are retreating Thursday despite reporting a narrower second-quarter loss than expected. Here’s what you should know. - Viking Therapeutics stock is showing weakness. What’s pulling VKTX shares down? ## Viking Beats Earnings Estimates but Stock Faces Selling Pressure The quarter ended June 30 produced a net loss of $1.10 per share, a figure that came in 12% better than the $1.25 loss analysts had been expecting. The loss widened considerably from the 58 cents per share recorded in the same period a year ago, driven by research and development costs that nearly doubled to $115.8 million from $60.2 million as the company poured more resources into clinical trials, personnel and outside advisors. Viking closed the quarter holding $502 million in cash and short-term investments, a reduction from $706 million at the start of the year that reflects the accelerating pace of investment, but still leaves the company with meaningful runway heading into a series of important data events. Canaccord Genuity’s **Edward Nash** maintained a Buy rating and nudged the price objective to $114 from $107, a move that signals continued conviction in the pipeline even as the stock retreats. ## Pipeline Milestones Are Coming Into Focus Both arms of the VANQUISH Phase 3 program for the subcutaneous version of VK2735 are fully enrolled and moving through their 78-week treatment periods without issue. VANQUISH-1 brought in roughly 4,500 patients and VANQUISH-2 added around 1,000 more, with all participants randomized across weekly dose levels and placebo. The studies are measuring percentage change in body weight from baseline as the primary endpoint alongside a range of secondary measures tracking how many patients hit various weight loss thresholds. Arriving sooner is data from a maintenance dosing study that will offer a window into whether patients can hold onto their weight loss while shifting to less frequent injections, a question with real commercial implications given how central long-term tolerability is to the obesity treatment market. Results are expected before the end of September. The oral formulation of VK2735 may carry the most long-term significance. Phase 2 testing showed participants losing up to 12.2% of their body weight over 13 weeks of once-daily dosing, with four in five patients on the drug achieving at least 10% weight loss against just 5% in the placebo group. ## VKTX Shares Are Sliding **VKTX Price Action:** Viking Therapeutics shares were down 4.49% at $31.93 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro. **Read Also: Stock Market Today: S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 Futures Gain as Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rates—Meta, Microsoft, Apple in Focus** *Image: Shutterstock* ### Related Stocks - [VKTX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/VKTX.US.md) - [.SPX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/.SPX.US.md) - [.NDX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/.NDX.US.md) - [META.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/META.US.md) - [MSFT.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/MSFT.US.md) - [AAPL.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AAPL.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. Purchases Shares of 32,564 Viking Therapeutics, Inc. $VKTX](https://longbridge.com/en/news/296678166.md) - [Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) Is Up 5.6% After Expanding At-The-Market Offerings And Shelf Registration - Has The Bull Case Changed?](https://longbridge.com/en/news/295557580.md) - [Fractyl Health Earnings Call Signals Promise Amid Risks](https://longbridge.com/en/news/296690642.md) - [Viking Therapeutics posts corporate presentation outlining obesity drug pipeline led by VK2735 Phase 3 program](https://longbridge.com/en/news/295028819.md) - [VKTX: Buy Rating Backed by VK2735’s Potential to Transform Obesity Maintenance Therapy Ahead of Key Phase I Data](https://longbridge.com/en/news/292956120.md) --- > **Disclaimer: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.**