Some Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) shareholders may be a little concerned to see that the President, Brian Lian, recently sold a substantial US$4.9m worth of stock at a price of US$33.32 per share. However, that sale only accounted for 6.3% of their holding, so arguably it doesn't say much about their conviction.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Viking Therapeutics

In fact, the recent sale by President Brian Lian was not their only sale of Viking Therapeutics shares this year. Earlier in the year, they fetched US$35.07 per share in a -US$7.7m sale. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$33.43. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn't a major concern, though it's hardly a good sign.

In total, Viking Therapeutics insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

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Does Viking Therapeutics Boast High Insider Ownership?

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Viking Therapeutics insiders own about US$94m worth of shares. That equates to 2.4% of the company. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Viking Therapeutics Tell Us?

Insiders haven't bought Viking Therapeutics stock in the last three months, but there was some selling. Despite some insider buying, the longer term picture doesn't make us feel much more positive. Insiders own shares, but we're still pretty cautious, given the history of sales. We're in no rush to buy! While it's good to be aware of what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision.

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For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.