Vistra (NYSE:VST) Upgraded to Strong-Buy at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

Key Points

• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce upgraded Vistra to “strong buy.” Overall analyst sentiment remains positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $216.74.
• Vistra shares fell 1.4% to $152.06, while the company’s latest quarterly results missed expectations: adjusted EPS was $0.76 versus a $1.61 consensus, and revenue was $4.02 billion versus $5.46 billion expected.
• Institutional investors own 90.88% of Vistra’s shares, including new positions from BlackRock and Bank of America. Separately, CEO James Burke bought shares, while an executive vice president sold stock under a pre-arranged trading plan.

Vistra (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce to a "strong-buy" rating in a report released on Thursday, Zacks reports.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on VST. BNP Paribas Exane set a $255.00 target price on shares of Vistra in a research note on Wednesday, August 19th. Scotiabank raised their target price on Vistra from $293.00 to $298.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Vistra from $212.00 to $227.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. Mizuho initiated coverage on Vistra in a research report on Monday, August 24th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $169.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $212.00 price target on shares of Vistra in a research report on Monday, August 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $216.74.

Vistra Trading Down 1.4%

Shares of Vistra stock traded down $2.11 during trading on Thursday, hitting $152.06. The stock had a trading volume of 5,204,918 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,408,404. Vistra has a 1 year low of $132.66 and a 1 year high of $210.05. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $145.07 and a 200 day simple moving average of $151.29. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.87. The company has a market capitalization of $51.04 billion, a PE ratio of 25.69 and a beta of 1.38.

Vistra (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 7th. The company reported $0.76 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.61 by ($0.85). Vistra had a net margin of 11.55% and a return on equity of 108.68%. The firm had revenue of $4.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.46 billion. On average, research analysts expect that Vistra will post 9.04 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Scott Hudson sold 44,444 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.82, for a total value of $6,747,488.08. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 331,137 shares in the company, valued at approximately $50,273,219.34. This represents a 11.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO James A. Burke acquired 4,465 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $135.25 per share, for a total transaction of $603,891.25. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,146,352 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $155,044,108. This represents a 0.39% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 0.92% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of VST. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in Vistra in the second quarter worth $4,610,496,000. State Street Corp increased its position in Vistra by 0.5% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 16,850,452 shares of the company's stock worth $2,672,987,000 after buying an additional 79,972 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in Vistra by 1.0% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,436,880 shares of the company's stock valued at $516,616,000 after buying an additional 32,982 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new position in Vistra during the second quarter valued at about $468,354,000. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in Vistra during the second quarter valued at about $381,938,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.88% of the company's stock.

Vistra News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The Department of Energy announced a $4.2 billion federal loan to help Vistra modernize its generation fleet and expand capacity in high-growth power markets. The financing could strengthen the company’s ability to serve data centers and other customers as electricity demand rises. Vistra Stock Surged Following Its $4.2 Billion Federal Loan
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and financial media continue to identify Vistra as a major beneficiary of AI data-center power demand, with generation assets in fast-growing U.S. markets. One article estimates substantial long-term upside if nuclear and power-demand growth persist. Why Constellation Energy Has A Near-Term Edge Over Vistra
• Neutral Sentiment: Vistra announced the redemption of all one million Series A preferred shares for $1 billion. Eliminating the 8% preferred stock may simplify the capital structure and reduce preferred obligations, although it also requires a substantial cash outlay. Vistra Announces Redemption of All Outstanding Series A Preferred Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Vistra was featured as a top AI data-center stock associated with portfolios attributed to President Trump and Nancy Pelosi. The coverage is largely promotional and does not represent a new company-specific catalyst. President Trump and Nancy Pelosi’s AI Data Center Stock Pick
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded VST from “Hold” to “Strong Sell,” adding a clear near-term bearish signal. Recent volatility and a sharp decline earlier in the week may also be keeping investors cautious.
• Negative Sentiment: Vistra’s latest reported quarter missed consensus expectations for both earnings and revenue, which may reinforce concerns about execution despite the company’s favorable long-term power-demand outlook.

Vistra Company Profile

Vistra Corp. NYSE: VST is an integrated energy company headquartered in Irving, Texas. The company operates electricity generation facilities and provides electricity and related energy services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Its portfolio includes natural gas, nuclear, coal, solar, and battery energy storage assets.

Vistra also operates a retail electricity business that offers power plans, renewable energy options, and energy-management services. Its retail brands include TXU Energy, Homefield Energy, Dynegy, and Ambit Energy, serving customers in competitive electricity markets across the United States.

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