VERA
Vera Therapeutics, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$2.57B
5Y Perf.+108.0%
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Stock Comparison
VERA vs VKTX
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
VKTX
Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$3.66B
5Y Perf.+502.7%
VERA vs VKTX — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | VERA | VKTX |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| Market Cap | $2.57B | $3.66B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-369M | $-472M |
| Total Debt | $77M | $137K |
| Cash & Equiv. | $355M | $166M |
VERA vs VKTX — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
VERA
VKTX
| Stock | May 21 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vera Therapeutics, … (VERA) | 100 | 208.0 | +108.0% |
| Viking Therapeutics… (VKTX) | 100 | 602.7 | +502.7% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: VERA vs VKTX
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: VERA 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.
VERA
Vera Therapeutics, Inc.
The Income Pick
VERA carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- beta 1.35
- EPS growth -69.5%
- Lower volatility, beta 1.35, Low D/E 12.8%, current ratio 13.64x
Best for: income & stability and growth exposure
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 VERA's 212.0%
- 4.7% margin vs VERA's 2.3%
Best for: long-term compounding
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | VERA | -111.5% revenue growth vs VKTX's -270.1% |
| Quality / Margins | VKTX | 4.7% margin vs VERA's 2.3% |
| Stability / Safety | VERA | Beta 1.35 vs VKTX's 1.61 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | VERA | +58.6% vs VKTX's +14.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | VERA | -60.2% ROA vs VKTX's -65.3%, ROIC -54.6% vs -44.4% |
VERA vs VKTX — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLVERALAGGINGVKTX
VKTXViking Therapeutics, …
1leads
VERAVera Therapeutics, In…
1leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs VKTXMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
VERA1/1
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
Tied
—
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
VKTX5/9
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
Tied
—
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
Tied
—
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
—
—
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
VERA leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
VERA and VKTX operate at a comparable scale, with $0 and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | VERAVera Therapeutics… | VKTXViking Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $0 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$382M | -$502M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$369M | -$472M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$294M | -$340M |
| 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 | -108.6% | -2.3% |
VERA leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — VERA and VKTX each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | VERAVera Therapeutics… | VKTXViking Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.6B | $3.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.3B | $3.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -7.70x | -9.90x |
| 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 | 3.81x | 5.57x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Evenly matched — VERA and VKTX each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
VKTX leads this category, winning 5 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
VKTX delivers a -71.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-71 in annual profit, vs $-75 for VERA. VKTX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to VERA's 0.13x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), VKTX scores 2/9 vs VERA's 1/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | VERAVera Therapeutics… | VKTXViking Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -74.9% | -71.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -60.2% | -65.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -54.6% | -44.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -48.1% | -51.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 1 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.13x | 0.00x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$277M | -$166M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $355M | $166M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $77M | $137,000 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -31.22x | -15687.44x |
VKTX leads this category, winning 5 of 9 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
Evenly matched — VERA and VKTX each lead in 3 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 $31,200 for VERA. Over the past 12 months, VERA leads with a +58.6% total return vs VKTX's +14.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors VERA at 68.1% vs VKTX's 11.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | VERAVera Therapeutics… | VKTXViking Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -26.2% | -10.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +58.6% | +14.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +374.6% | +38.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +212.0% | +435.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +212.0% | +2576.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +68.1% | +11.4% |
Evenly matched — VERA and VKTX each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — VERA and VKTX each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
VERA is the less volatile stock with a 1.35 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 VERA's 64.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | VERAVera Therapeutics… | VKTXViking Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.35x | 1.61x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $56.05 | $43.15 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $18.76 | $22.96 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +64.0% | +73.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 41.1 | 47.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.2M | 2.3M |
Evenly matched — VERA and VKTX each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates VERA as "Buy" and VKTX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 219.0% upside for VKTX (target: $101) vs 116.3% for VERA (target: $78).
| Metric | VERAVera Therapeutics… | VKTXViking Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $77.60 | $100.75 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 14 | 24 |
| 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
VERA leads in 1 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow). VKTX leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 3 tied.
Best OverallVera Therapeutics, Inc. (VERA)Leads 1 of 6 categories
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VERA vs VKTX: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is VERA or VKTX a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Vera Therapeutics, Inc.
(VERA) a "Buy" — based on 14 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 — VERA or VKTX?
Over the past 5 years, Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
(VKTX) delivered a total return of +435. 3%, compared to +212. 0% for Vera Therapeutics, Inc. (VERA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VKTX returned +25. 8% versus VERA's +212. 0%. 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 — VERA or VKTX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Vera Therapeutics, Inc.
(VERA) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 35β versus Viking Therapeutics, Inc. 's 1. 61β — meaning VKTX is approximately 19% more volatile than VERA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 13% for Vera Therapeutics, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — VERA or VKTX?
On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Vera Therapeutics, Inc.
grew EPS -69. 5% 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 — VERA or VKTX?
Vera Therapeutics, Inc.
(VERA) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 0% net margin versus 0. 0% for Viking Therapeutics, Inc. — meaning it keeps 0. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: VERA leads at 0. 0% versus 0. 0% for VKTX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VERA 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 — VERA or VKTX?
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 VERA or VKTX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Vera Therapeutics, Inc.
(VERA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+212. 0% 10Y return). 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 (VERA: +212. 0%, 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 VERA and VKTX?
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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