Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Viking Therapeutics ( VKTX ) .

And retail traders should know.

We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.

Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with VKTX, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.

So how do we know what these investors just did?

Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 14 uncommon options trades for Viking Therapeutics ( VKTX ).

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 50% bullish and 35%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 3 are puts, for a total amount of $280,000, and 11 are calls, for a total amount of $848,910.

What's The Price Target?

Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $35.0 to $75.0 for Viking Therapeutics ( VKTX ) over the last 3 months.

Volume & Open Interest Development

Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Viking Therapeutics's ( VKTX ) options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Viking Therapeutics's ( VKTX ) significant trades, within a strike price range of $35.0 to $75.0, over the past month.

Viking Therapeutics Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days

Noteworthy Options Activity:

About Viking Therapeutics

Viking Therapeutics Inc ( VKTX ) is a healthcare service provider. The company specializes in the area of biopharmaceutical development focused on metabolic and endocrine disorders. The company's clinical program pipeline consists of VK2809, VK5211, VK0214 products. VK2809 and VK0214 are orally available, tissue and receptor-subtype selective agonists of the thyroid hormone receptor beta. VK5211 is an orally available, non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator.

After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Viking Therapeutics ( VKTX ), we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.

Present Market Standing of Viking Therapeutics

Trading volume stands at 1,810,670, with VKTX's price up by 7.06%, positioned at $67.46.

RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching overbought.

Earnings announcement expected in 15 days.

Professional Analyst Ratings for Viking Therapeutics

Over the past month, 3 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $107.66666666666667.

Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move

Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access.

* In a cautious move, an analyst from JP Morgan downgraded its rating to Overweight, setting a price target of $80.

* Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Morgan Stanley lowers its rating to Overweight with a new price target of $105.

* Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Oppenheimer lowers its rating to Outperform with a new price target of $138.

Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Viking Therapeutics ( VKTX ) with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts.