Assenagon Asset Management S.A. Decreases Stake in Vistra Corp. $VST

Key Points

• Assenagon Asset Management cut its stake in Vistra by 99.4% in Q4, selling 458,858 shares and retaining just 2,544 shares valued at about $410,000.
• Credit upgrades from Fitch and S&P plus new long‑term commercial contracts and hedging/nuclear PPAs have improved cash‑flow visibility, which could lower borrowing costs and support a higher valuation for Vistra.
• Vistra missed Q4 estimates (EPS $2.18 vs. $2.45 consensus; revenue $4.58B vs. $5.75B), will report Q1 results on May 7, yet analysts still show a consensus "Buy" rating with a $236.87 price target.

Assenagon Asset Management S.A. reduced its position in Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST - Free Report) by 99.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 2,544 shares of the company's stock after selling 458,858 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A.'s holdings in Vistra were worth $410,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Vistra during the third quarter valued at about $1,445,000. CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. bought a new position in shares of Vistra in the third quarter valued at approximately $8,755,000. Teamwork Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in Vistra by 39.9% during the fourth quarter. Teamwork Financial Advisors LLC now owns 78,855 shares of the company's stock valued at $12,722,000 after acquiring an additional 22,492 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Funds Management LTD purchased a new position in Vistra during the third quarter valued at approximately $1,241,000. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in Vistra by 49.2% during the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 371,497 shares of the company's stock worth $72,784,000 after acquiring an additional 122,545 shares during the period. 90.88% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Vistra

In related news, EVP Stephanie Zapata Moore sold 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.31, for a total transaction of $1,603,100.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly 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 position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 1.42% of the company's stock.

Vistra Stock Performance

Vistra stock opened at $153.99 on Thursday. Vistra Corp. has a fifty-two week low of $90.51 and a fifty-two week high of $219.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.01, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.78. The stock has a market cap of $52.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 70.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 1.42. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $161.02 and its 200-day moving average price is $174.84.

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

Vistra Increases Dividend

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

Key Stories Impacting Vistra

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Fitch and S&P both upgraded Vistra to investment‑grade — this should lower borrowing costs, broaden institutional demand, and support valuation as the company gains easier access to capital. Vistra’s New Investment Grade Status And What It Means For Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: New long‑term commercial contracts (including data center/META-related deals) and gas‑repricing assumptions have shifted analyst models only modestly but materially improve visibility into future cash flows and justify higher valuations under some scenarios. How The Vistra (VST) Investment Story Is Shifting With Meta Contracts And Gas Repricing
• Positive Sentiment: Hedging strategies and long‑term nuclear PPAs are cited as creating clearer earnings visibility for 2026–2028, reducing commodity exposure and smoothing expected cash generation. Hedging & Nuclear PPAs Create Visibility for Vistra's Future Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators note Vistra’s strong relative performance over the last year driven by clean‑energy demand, earnings growth and shareholder returns — messaging that supports continued investor interest. Vistra Outperforms Industry in a Year: How to Play the Stock?
• Neutral Sentiment: Vistra will report Q1 results on May 7 (earnings call/webcast); this is the near‑term catalyst for guidance updates and could move the shares depending on results and 2026 guidance. Vistra to Report First Quarter Results on May 7, 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst pieces highlight valuation dynamics: Vistra still trades below some peers despite stronger earnings visibility, so upside may depend on re‑rating post‑earnings or improved multiples as the credit story unfolds. VST Stock: Valuation and Other Factors That Could Move Shares
• Neutral Sentiment: Heightened retail/investor searches and coverage (Zacks/Yahoo syndication) are increasing attention — this can amplify moves but doesn’t by itself change fundamentals. Investors Heavily Search Vistra Corp. (VST): Here is What You Need to Know

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. Bank of America lowered their target price on shares of Vistra from $231.00 to $218.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Vistra in a report on Friday, March 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Vistra from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $205.00 price target on the stock in a report on Friday, February 6th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Vistra from $236.00 to $234.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 27th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $215.00 price objective on shares of Vistra in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Vistra currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $236.87.

About Vistra

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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