VKTX
Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$3.66B
5Y Perf.+1322.5%
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Stock Comparison
VKTX vs PEPG
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
PEPG
PepGen Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$123M
5Y Perf.-84.0%
VKTX vs PEPG — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | VKTX | PEPG |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| Market Cap | $3.66B | $123M |
| Revenue (TTM) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-472M | $-90M |
| Total Debt | $137K | $17M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $166M | $61M |
VKTX vs PEPG — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
VKTX
PEPG
| Stock | May 22 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viking Therapeutics… (VKTX) | 100 | 1422.5 | +1322.5% |
| PepGen Inc. (PEPG) | 100 | 16.0 | -84.0% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: VKTX vs PEPG
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: PEPG leads in 4 of 6 categories, making it the strongest pick for growth and revenue expansion and capital preservation and lower volatility. Viking Therapeutics, Inc. is the stronger pick specifically for profitability and margin quality. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
VKTX
Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
The Long-Run Compounder
VKTX is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding.
- 25.8% 10Y total return vs PEPG's -86.1%
- 4.7% margin vs PEPG's 2.3%
Best for: long-term compounding
PEPG
PepGen Inc.
The Income Pick
PEPG carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- beta 0.17
- EPS growth 25.6%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.17, Low D/E 11.5%, current ratio 11.94x
Best for: income & stability and growth exposure
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | PEPG | -1.0% revenue growth vs VKTX's -270.1% |
| Quality / Margins | VKTX | 4.7% margin vs PEPG's 2.3% |
| Stability / Safety | PEPG | Beta 0.17 vs VKTX's 1.61 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PEPG | +42.1% vs VKTX's +14.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PEPG | -60.4% ROA vs VKTX's -65.3%, ROIC -73.2% vs -44.4% |
VKTX vs PEPG — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLVKTXLAGGINGPEPG
PEPGPepGen Inc.
1leads
VKTXViking Therapeutics, …
2leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs PEPGMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
PEPG1/1
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
Tied
—
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
VKTX6/8
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
VKTX5/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
Tied
—
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
—
—
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
PEPG leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
VKTX and PEPG operate at a comparable scale, with $0 and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | VKTXViking Therapeuti… | PEPGPepGen Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $0 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$502M | -$90M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$472M | -$90M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$340M | -$82M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.3% | +60.3% |
PEPG leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — VKTX and PEPG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | VKTXViking Therapeuti… | PEPGPepGen Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3.7B | $123M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $3.5B | $80M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -9.90x | -0.84x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.57x | 0.51x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Evenly matched — VKTX and PEPG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
VKTX leads this category, winning 6 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
VKTX delivers a -71.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-71 in annual profit, vs $-76 for PEPG. VKTX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PEPG's 0.12x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), PEPG scores 4/9 vs VKTX's 2/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | VKTXViking Therapeuti… | PEPGPepGen Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -71.3% | -75.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -65.3% | -60.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -44.4% | -73.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -51.8% | -63.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.12x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$166M | -$44M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $166M | $61M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $137,000 | $17M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -15687.44x | — |
VKTX leads this category, winning 6 of 8 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
VKTX leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in VKTX five years ago would be worth $53,526 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,389 for PEPG. Over the past 12 months, PEPG leads with a +42.1% total return vs VKTX's +14.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors VKTX at 11.4% vs PEPG's -50.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | VKTXViking Therapeuti… | PEPGPepGen Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -10.8% | -75.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +14.6% | +42.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +38.1% | -88.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +435.3% | -86.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +2576.3% | -86.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +11.4% | -50.7% |
VKTX leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — VKTX and PEPG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
PEPG is the less volatile stock with a 0.17 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than VKTX's 1.61 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. VKTX currently trades 73.2% from its 52-week high vs PEPG's 22.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | VKTXViking Therapeuti… | PEPGPepGen Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.61x | 0.17x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $43.15 | $7.80 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $22.96 | $1.01 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +73.2% | +22.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 47.1 | 37.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.3M | 1.5M |
Evenly matched — VKTX and PEPG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates VKTX as "Buy" and PEPG as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 291.1% upside for PEPG (target: $7) vs 219.0% for VKTX (target: $101).
| Metric | VKTXViking Therapeuti… | PEPGPepGen Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $100.75 | $7.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 24 | 6 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Key Takeaway
VKTX leads in 2 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). PEPG leads in 1 (Income & Cash Flow). 2 tied.
Best OverallViking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX)Leads 2 of 6 categories
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VKTX vs PEPG: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is VKTX or PEPG a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
(VKTX) a "Buy" — based on 24 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which is the better long-term investment — VKTX or PEPG?
Over the past 5 years, Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
(VKTX) delivered a total return of +435. 3%, compared to -86. 1% for PepGen Inc. (PEPG). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VKTX returned +25. 8% versus PEPG's -86. 1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — VKTX or PEPG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), PepGen Inc.
(PEPG) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 17β versus Viking Therapeutics, Inc. 's 1. 61β — meaning VKTX is approximately 829% more volatile than PEPG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 12% for PepGen Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — VKTX or PEPG?
On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: PepGen Inc.
grew EPS 25. 6% year-over-year, compared to -215. 8% for Viking Therapeutics, Inc.. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
05Which has better profit margins — VKTX or PEPG?
Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
(VKTX) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 0% net margin versus 0. 0% for PepGen Inc. — meaning it keeps 0. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: VKTX leads at 0. 0% versus 0. 0% for PEPG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VKTX leads at 0. 0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Which pays a better dividend — VKTX or PEPG?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.
All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
07Is VKTX or PEPG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, PepGen Inc.
(PEPG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 17)). Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX) carries a higher beta of 1. 61 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (PEPG: -86. 1%, VKTX: +25. 8%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
08What are the main differences between VKTX and PEPG?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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