Central Asset Investments & Management Holdings HK Ltd Sells 44,500 Shares of Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST)

Key Points

• Central Asset Investments & Management Holdings HK Ltd sold 44,500 shares of Vistra Corp., reducing its stake by 69.4% to 19,600 shares, representing 3.9% of its investment portfolio.
• The quarterly earnings report revealed a miss in consensus estimates, with adjusted earnings per share of $1.01 versus the expected $1.63, alongside a significant revenue shortfall.
• Vistra announced a quarterly dividend increase to $0.226 per share, with a yield of 0.5%, reflecting solid dividend management and a payout ratio of 14.35%.

Central Asset Investments & Management Holdings HK Ltd lowered its stake in Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST - Free Report) by 69.4% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 19,600 shares of the company's stock after selling 44,500 shares during the period. Vistra comprises 3.9% of Central Asset Investments & Management Holdings HK Ltd's investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest position. Central Asset Investments & Management Holdings HK Ltd's holdings in Vistra were worth $2,302,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Northern Trust Corp increased its holdings in shares of Vistra by 10.9% in the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 3,026,484 shares of the company's stock valued at $417,261,000 after acquiring an additional 296,714 shares during the last quarter. Castle Hook Partners LP grew its stake in Vistra by 13.6% during the 4th quarter. Castle Hook Partners LP now owns 2,964,222 shares of the company's stock worth $408,677,000 after buying an additional 353,949 shares during the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. grew its stake in Vistra by 5.1% during the 4th quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 2,206,046 shares of the company's stock worth $304,148,000 after buying an additional 106,803 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors purchased a new position in Vistra during the 4th quarter worth approximately $286,414,000. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its stake in Vistra by 6.8% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 2,072,045 shares of the company's stock worth $285,674,000 after buying an additional 132,530 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.88% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity

In other Vistra news, EVP Scott A. Hudson sold 56,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $157.00, for a total transaction of $8,792,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 306,600 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $48,136,200. This trade represents a 15.44% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Stephanie Zapata Moore sold 35,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.44, for a total transaction of $5,650,400.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 88,073 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,218,505.12. The trade was a 28.44% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 294,000 shares of company stock worth $47,461,490 in the last 90 days. 1.42% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Vistra Stock Down 0.9%

VST stock opened at $200.38 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.53. Vistra Corp. has a fifty-two week low of $72.90 and a fifty-two week high of $216.85. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $189.48 and its 200 day simple moving average is $155.96. The stock has a market cap of $68.00 billion, a PE ratio of 31.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 1.30.

Vistra (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 7th. The company reported $1.01 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.63 by ($0.62). Vistra had a return on equity of 104.02% and a net margin of 12.90%. The firm had revenue of $4.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.15 billion. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Vistra Corp. will post 7 EPS for the current year.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.226 per share. This represents a $0.90 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 19th. This is a positive change from Vistra's previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. Vistra's dividend payout ratio is 14.35%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have weighed in on VST. Jefferies Financial Group set a $241.00 price objective on Vistra and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Vistra from $207.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on Vistra from $134.00 to $164.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, May 23rd. Evercore ISI set a $192.00 price target on Vistra and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 15th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Vistra from $178.00 to $186.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 18th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $186.69.

About Vistra

Vistra Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated retail electricity and power generation company. The company operates through six segments: Retail, Texas, East, West, Sunset, and Asset Closure. It retails electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers across states in the United States and the District of Columbia.

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