Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) Stock Now Rated "Moderate Buy" by Sell-Side Brokerages

Key Points

• Analysts rate Vistra a “Moderate Buy.” Seventeen of 20 analysts recommend buying the stock, with an average 12-month price target of $202.43, although several firms recently lowered their targets.
• Vistra shares opened at $140.63 and have declined 1.5%, trading below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages. The company’s latest quarterly results missed expectations, reporting $0.76 in adjusted earnings per share versus a $1.61 consensus estimate.
• Investor sentiment is mixed: CEO James Burke purchased nearly $604,000 of Vistra stock, while an executive vice president sold about $6.75 million in shares. Institutional investors own approximately 90.88% of the company.

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the twenty ratings firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has given a hold recommendation, seventeen have assigned a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $202.43.

VST has been the topic of several recent research reports. Bank of America dropped their price objective on shares of Vistra from $196.00 to $194.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on shares of Vistra from $231.00 to $210.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Scotiabank dropped their target price on Vistra from $207.00 to $189.00 and set a "sector outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Siebert Williams Shank assumed coverage on Vistra in a report on Friday, October 2nd. They issued a "buy" rating and a $202.00 price target for the company. Finally, Mizuho assumed coverage on Vistra in a research note on Monday, August 24th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $169.00 price objective on the stock.

Vistra Trading Down 1.5%

NYSE:VST opened at $140.63 on Friday. Vistra has a 12 month low of $132.66 and a 12 month high of $198.82. The company has a current ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.87. The firm's 50 day moving average is $145.09 and its 200 day moving average is $153.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $47.20 billion, a PE ratio of 23.76 and a beta of 1.38.

Vistra (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 7th. The company reported $0.76 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.61 by ($0.85). The firm had revenue of $4.02 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.46 billion. Vistra had a net margin of 11.55% and a return on equity of 108.68%. Sell-side analysts expect that Vistra will post 9.13 earnings per share for the current year.

Vistra News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Vistra’s board declared a quarterly common-stock dividend of $0.231 per share, representing an estimated aggregate payment of approximately $75 million. The dividend is payable Dec. 31 to shareholders of record Dec. 22, providing continued shareholder returns. Vistra Declares Dividend on Common Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, and Series C Preferred Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo maintained an “overweight” rating despite reducing its price target from $212 to $198, implying substantial potential upside from recent trading levels. Vistra Stock Has Slumped for a Year: Why Wells Fargo Still Sees 39% Upside
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America Securities reaffirmed its Buy rating, signaling that the firm continues to see attractive long-term value in Vistra despite the recent weakness. Bank of America Securities Reaffirms Their Buy Rating on Vistra Corp
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst views remain mixed. Commentary highlights both the possibility of a significant recovery after the stock’s dip and questions about whether Vistra’s business and valuation can support further gains. Can Vistra Stock Rally 50% After This Dip?
• Negative Sentiment: Scotiabank lowered its Vistra price target to $189 from $207, while still reflecting a more cautious outlook on the shares’ near-term valuation. Scotiabank Adjusts Price Target on Vistra to $189 From $207
• Negative Sentiment: Vistra shares declined while the broader market improved and underperformed competitors, adding to the stock’s recent weakness. The pressure follows the company’s latest quarterly earnings miss, which may be weighing on investor sentiment. Vistra Corp. Stock Underperforms Wednesday When Compared to Competitors

Insider Transactions at Vistra

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vistra

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Premier Financial Group bought a new position in Vistra during the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Stonehage Fleming Financial Services Holdings Ltd purchased a new stake in Vistra in the second quarter worth approximately $37,000. Silicon Valley Capital Partners purchased a new stake in Vistra in the second quarter worth approximately $39,000. Latitude Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Vistra in the third quarter worth approximately $42,000. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its position in Vistra by 46.6% in the 1st quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 302 shares of the company's stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 90.88% of the company's stock.

About Vistra

Vistra Corp. NYSE: VST is an integrated energy company based in Irving, Texas. The company operates across electricity generation, power distribution support, energy marketing and retail electricity sales, serving residential, commercial and industrial customers primarily in the United States.

Vistra owns and operates a diverse portfolio of power generation and energy storage facilities. Its assets include natural gas, nuclear, coal and renewable generation, as well as battery storage projects.

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