We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Performing Small-Cap Stocks in 2024. In this article, we will look at where Viking Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) ranks among the best-performing small-cap stocks in 2024.

The Case for Small Caps

The recent Fed rate cut has made the market cautiously optimistic. Despite the unusual timing, historical data suggests a continued upward trend. Recently, we discussed the Dow’s new all-time high. The major stock index recently surpassed its previous peak, closing at a record-breaking level. This surge was fueled by a combination of factors, including positive investor sentiment following a central bank rate cut and broader economic optimism. This record-breaking performance reflects a strong upward trend in the market, indicating robust investor confidence and a favorable economic outlook.

Here’s an excerpt from the article on 10 Best Performing Stocks in 2024:

“The Dow Jones Industrial Average has recently made headlines by closing above the 42,000 mark for the first time, a significant milestone that reflects a surge in investor confidence following a substantial interest rate cut by the Fed. This momentous achievement occurred on September 19, when the Dow jumped over 500 points, closing at 42,063.36. This rise was part of a broader trend in the stock market, with major indices experiencing overall gains throughout the week, largely fueled by optimism surrounding the Fed’s decision to lower interest rates by 0.5%.

On September 21, Edward Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, while acknowledging that the market tends to keep rising, also discussed the warning signs of a melt-up, in the context of the markets’ response to the September rate cut on CNBC’s ‘Closing Bell’. He doubted the necessity of such a large rate cut, suggesting that the economy is currently growing at about 3% year-over-year and could potentially grow even faster. Yardeni noted that while productivity gains are expected to be more pronounced shortly, he would have preferred to see the market stabilize for a while instead of continuing its upward trajectory.”

Richard Bernstein, CEO of Richard Bernstein Advisers, joined CNBC’s ‘The Exchange’ on September 24 to provide insights on the performance of small-cap stocks. He noted that while small caps have been performing well, they have not kept pace with more speculative investments, such as cryptocurrencies, which have seen significant gains. Bernstein expressed concern that this trend could signal to the Fed that their liquidity measures may have been excessive, as funds are not being directed towards productive uses in the economy.

He elaborated on his bullish stance regarding mid-cap and small-cap stocks, emphasizing that these categories are expected to experience substantial earnings growth. By the end of this year or early next year, Bernstein forecasts that small caps will grow at a rate significantly higher than the MAG 7 tech stocks. He pointed out that this phenomenon is typical when profit cycles hit a trough; small caps tend to be more sensitive to upturns in profitability, and noted the Fed’s current easing policies are occurring simultaneously with an environment of accelerating profits, an unusual combination that could fuel economic growth.

When asked about the current market dynamics favoring mega-cap stocks over smaller ones, Bernstein acknowledged that many managers are indeed gravitating towards these larger companies. However, he cautioned that from a fundamental investment perspective, mega-cap stocks are generally slower-growing and more expensive compared to other market segments. He argued that historically, a combination of cheaper and faster-growing stocks has proven to be advantageous for investors.

Bernstein also discussed the implications of rising gold prices and the performance of cryptocurrencies following recent Fed actions. He distinguished between gold and cryptocurrencies, suggesting that while gold has legitimate economic uses, cryptocurrencies often do not serve productive economic functions. He expressed concern over the speculative fervor in the market, arguing that excessive financial asset inflation can be as detrimental as real asset inflation. This misallocation of capital can lead to inflationary pressures as resources are diverted from essential sectors like infrastructure to less productive areas such as cryptocurrencies.

Overall, Bernstein’s insights reflect a cautious optimism regarding small-cap stocks amidst broader market trends. With that, we’re here with a list of the 10 best-performing small-cap stocks in 2024.

Methodology

We used stock screeners to look for companies trading between $1 billion and $10 billion, that’s our definition of small-cap stocks. We then selected the top 10 stocks with the best year-to-date performance and that were also the most popular among elite hedge funds. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their year-to-date performance.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

Viking Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX)

Year-to-Date Performance as of September 23: 254.92%

Market Cap as of September 23: $7.31 billion

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 50

Viking Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapies for patients suffering from metabolic and endocrine disorders and is working on treatments for conditions like obesity, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and thyroid disorders.

The company’s lead drug candidate is VK-2809, intended to treat patients with steatohepatitis. However, another key aspect of the drug is that it is a GLP-1 agonist, which also opens up the secondary weight loss drug market to the company. A key advantage of VK-2809 is that it is in tablet form, which makes the drug easier to administer as opposed to the injections that are currently dominating the market.

It is also developing the VK-2735 drug that also targets the weight loss market and increases the firm’s exposure to this multi-billion dollar industry. VK-2735 entered into Phase 2 trials in Q2. Patients receiving VK2735 demonstrated significant reductions in mean body weight from baseline, ranging up to 14.7%, as well as significant reductions in body weight relative to placebo, ranging up to 13.1%.

Viking Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) reported a net loss of $22.3 million in Q2 2024, compared to $19.2 million in Q2 2023. The increase in net loss was primarily due to higher research and development and general and administrative expenses, partially offset by increased interest income.

The company has a strong balance sheet with over $900 million in cash. This highlights the company’s ability to keep up with all of its pipeline programs. Many investors and hedge funds continue to support Viking Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) due to its growth potential and ability to challenge big pharma players.

Alger Mid Cap Focus Fund stated the following regarding Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:

“Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapies for patients suffering from metabolic and endocrine disorders. Their lead drug VK2809, a beta-selective thyroid hormone receptor agonist, is in development for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Their VK2735 drug is a GLP-1 dual agonist being developed for patients with obesity. During the quarter, the company’s shares were negatively impacted by several factors: 1) a challenging environment for biotechnology stocks, exacerbated by Fed policy decisions to maintain elevated interest rates, 2) increased competition in the obesity treatment landscape, 3) manufacturability and scalability concerns regarding Viking’s obesity drug and 4) the absence of strategic partnerships from large pharmaceutical companies. Despite the challenging quarter, we continue to believe that the company’s GLP-1 drug has the potential to be a best-in-class obesity drug given its favorable efficacy and safety profile. Further, with approximately one-third of U.S. adults suffering from obesity, we believe the company’s GLP[1]1 drug has the potential to address a large market once approved.”

Overall VKTX ranks 7th on our list of the best-performing small-cap stocks in 2024. While we acknowledge the growth potential of VKTX, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than VKTX but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article was originally published on Insider Monkey.