What You Need to Know About These Hot Stocks

Nano-cap Viking Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:VKTX) has surged by more than 80% today after analysts at H.C. Wainwright initiated a ‘Buy’ rating with a $6 price target on the stock. Viking’s lead product candidate is VK5211, a non-steroidal androgen receptor modulator which is currently in phase 2 trials for the treatment of patients recovering from a hip fracture. VK5211 theoretically delivers the therapeutic benefits of testosterone without any unwanted side effects. The FDA still needs to verify the efficacy and safety of the treatment however. Viking Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:VKTX) is also in the final stages of preparing a potential secondary offering that could help it raise $8 million. As with all nano-caps, we urge investors to do their due diligence before investing. As with Lucas Energy, there were no long positions in this stock among the investors in our database at the end of December.

Wrapping up our coverage of gainers we turn to SL Industries, Inc. (NYSEMKT:SLI), which is up by 18% after Handy & Harman Ltd (NASDAQ:HNH) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire it through a tender offer for $40 in cash per share. Both companies’ board of directors have approved the deal, and the acquisition offer will be consummated if the tender offer successfully gathers the majority of SL Industries’ outstanding shares and 60% of SL Industries’ shares not owned by Handy & Harman or any of its affiliates. Other customary conditions also apply. Handy & Harman Ltd (NASDAQ:HNH) chairman Warren Lichtenstein of Steel Partners said:

“We believe this transaction exemplifies our strategy of profitably growing and building upon our core business units both internally and through strategic acquisitions. Affiliates of HNH first purchased shares in SLI almost 25 years ago when the stock was selling for around $3.50 per share. SLI is a company we know well and we expect it will be a great addition to the HNH / Steel family of businesses.”

4 elite funds in our system held over one-third of SL Industries, Inc. (NYSEMKT:SLI) shares on December 31, while the same number of elite funds held 73.5% of Handy & Harman shares at the end of December, which were almost entirely held by Mr. Lichtenstein’s fund.

Disclosure: None