AE Wealth Management LLC Trims Stake in Vistra Corp. $VST

Key Points

• AE Wealth Management cut its stake in Vistra by 68.8% in Q4, selling 60,150 shares and leaving it with 27,294 shares worth about $4.4 million.
• Vistra missed quarterly estimates (EPS $2.18 vs. $2.45 expected; revenue $4.58B vs. $5.75B expected) and shows elevated leverage and valuation metrics (debt‑to‑equity 6.01, P/E 75.18), which may raise investor concerns despite profitability measures like ROE.
• Despite the misses and notable insider selling (EVP sold 10,000 shares), analysts remain largely positive with a consensus Buy rating and a $236.87 average target, and the stock is trading above its 50‑day moving average and is up ~43% year‑over‑year.

AE Wealth Management LLC lowered its stake in Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST - Free Report) by 68.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 27,294 shares of the company's stock after selling 60,150 shares during the quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC's holdings in Vistra were worth $4,404,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new position in Vistra in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Quent Capital LLC acquired a new position in Vistra in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Archer Investment Corp raised its holdings in Vistra by 2,700.0% in the 3rd quarter. Archer Investment Corp now owns 140 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 135 shares during the last quarter. Pinpoint Asset Management Singapore Pte. Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Vistra during the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Orion Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vistra during the 3rd quarter worth $29,000. 90.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Vistra Stock Down 0.2%

Shares of NYSE VST opened at $163.14 on Monday. Vistra Corp. has a 12-month low of $103.34 and a 12-month high of $219.82. The company has a market cap of $55.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 75.18, a P/E/G ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 1.49. The company has a current ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.01. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $161.28 and a 200 day moving average price of $170.46.

Vistra (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $2.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.45 by ($0.27). The company had revenue of $4.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.75 billion. Vistra had a net margin of 5.32% and a return on equity of 81.09%. Research analysts anticipate that Vistra Corp. will post 7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 20th were paid a dividend of $0.228 per share. This is a boost from Vistra's previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. This represents a $0.91 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 20th. Vistra's payout ratio is 41.94%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vistra

In other news, EVP Stephanie Zapata Moore sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.31, for a total transaction of $1,603,100.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 114,409 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $18,340,906.79. This trade represents a 8.04% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.92% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Vistra

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Technical momentum — VST is trading above its 50‑day simple moving average and is up ~43% year‑over‑year, a signal some momentum traders and quant funds use to buy. This supports near‑term demand for the stock. Vistra Stock Trades Above 50-Day SMA: Buy, Hold or Take Profits?
• Positive Sentiment: Digital transformation signal — Vistra appointed Damian Leach as Chief AI & Digital Officer to accelerate AI and digital capabilities, which may improve operational efficiency, hedging analytics and customer offerings over time. Investors often reward visible tech/efficiency initiatives in commodity‑exposed companies. Vistra Names Chief AI And Digital Officer As Investors Weigh Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: High profile endorsement — Jim Cramer publicly called Vistra “a steal” on Mad Money, which can boost retail interest and buying pressure in the short term. Jim Cramer on Vistra: “I Know It’s Utility, Doesn’t Matter, It’s a Steal”
• Neutral Sentiment: Cramer comparison / sector choice — in other comments Cramer named Sempra his preferred pick over Vistra and Constellation; that introduces mixed media context and may limit further upside from Cramer’s endorsement alone. Jim Cramer Names Sempra His Favorite Choice Over Vistra and Constellation
• Neutral Sentiment: Price action context — recent intraday gains (e.g., a 1.6% session close) show continued buying, but volume has been below recent averages so momentum may be fragile until confirmed by stronger volume or fundamental beats. Vistra Corp. (VST) Surpasses Market Returns: Some Facts Worth Knowing
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling and fundamentals — notable insider dispositions over the last year and the company’s leverage/valuation (high D/E and elevated P/E) are potential red flags for some investors; together with past quarterly revenue/earnings misses, this likely contributes to profit‑taking or cautious institutional positioning. Possible Bearish Signals With Vistra Insiders Disposing Stock

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently commented on VST shares. Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Vistra in a report on Friday, March 27th. BMO Capital Markets restated an "outperform" rating and set a $241.00 price objective on shares of Vistra in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Vistra from $236.00 to $234.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 27th. Scotiabank increased their price target on Vistra from $287.00 to $293.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Vistra from $239.00 to $240.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, March 19th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $236.87.

Vistra Profile

Vistra NYSE: VST is an integrated power company that develops, owns and operates electricity generation and retail businesses in the United States. The company's operations span wholesale power production—through a diversified fleet of thermal and lower‑carbon generation assets—and retail electricity supply to residential, commercial and industrial customers. Vistra serves organized wholesale markets and competitive retail markets, with a notable presence in Texas and other regional U.S. power markets.

Vistra's core activities include the ownership and operation of generation facilities, the commercial dispatch and optimization of those assets into wholesale markets, and the sale of electricity and related services to end-use customers through its retail brands.

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