Vistra Corp. $VST Shares Sold by Venture Visionary Partners LLC

Key Points

• Venture Visionary Partners cut its Vistra position by 54.6% in the third quarter, selling 15,558 shares and retaining 12,938 shares valued at approximately $1.79 million. Institutional investors collectively own 90.88% of Vistra.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive, with 15 Buy ratings and two Hold ratings producing a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $217.61.
• Vistra’s latest quarter fell short of expectations, reporting $0.76 in EPS versus a $1.61 consensus estimate and revenue of $4.02 billion versus $5.46 billion expected. The company nevertheless raised its quarterly dividend to $0.23 per share, while nuclear-expansion funding and growing AI data-center demand provide potential growth catalysts.

Venture Visionary Partners LLC decreased its position in Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST - Free Report) by 54.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 12,938 shares of the company's stock after selling 15,558 shares during the quarter. Venture Visionary Partners LLC's holdings in Vistra were worth $1,790,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Premier Financial Group bought a new stake in Vistra in the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. grew its holdings in Vistra by 141.2% in the 1st quarter. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. now owns 246 shares of the company's stock valued at $37,000 after buying an additional 144 shares in the last quarter. Stonehage Fleming Financial Services Holdings Ltd bought a new position in Vistra during the 2nd quarter worth $37,000. Silicon Valley Capital Partners bought a new position in Vistra during the 2nd quarter worth $39,000. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of Vistra by 46.6% in the first quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 302 shares of the company's stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 90.88% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VST has been the subject of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings cut Vistra from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a report on Thursday, August 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $181.00 price target on shares of Vistra in a research report on Thursday, October 1st. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $212.00 price objective on shares of Vistra in a research note on Monday, August 10th. BNP Paribas Exane set a $255.00 price target on shares of Vistra in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. Finally, Mizuho assumed coverage on shares of Vistra in a research report on Monday, August 24th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $169.00 price target on the stock. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $217.61.

Vistra Stock Up 3.9%

Shares of VST opened at $166.77 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $55.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.17 and a beta of 1.38. Vistra Corp. has a 52 week low of $132.66 and a 52 week high of $217.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.87, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 0.97. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $143.51 and a 200-day moving average of $151.04.

Vistra (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report) last posted its 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 the consensus estimate of $5.46 billion. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Vistra Corp. will post 9.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Monday, September 21st were issued a $0.23 dividend. This is a boost from Vistra's previous quarterly dividend of $0.2290. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 21st. This represents a $0.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Vistra's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 15.54%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Vistra news, CEO James Burke purchased 4,465 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was purchased 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 in the company, valued at $155,044,108. The trade was a 0.39% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Scott A. Hudson sold 44,444 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $151.82, for a total transaction of $6,747,488.08. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 331,137 shares of the company's stock, valued at $50,273,219.34. The trade was a 11.83% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.92% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

More Vistra News

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The U.S. Department of Energy announced a conditional loan commitment of up to $4.2 billion to help Vistra expand capacity and extend the operating lives of nuclear plants in Pennsylvania and Ohio. The funding could reduce project-financing needs, support additional generation and improve the long-term value of Vistra’s nuclear fleet. DoE confirms up to $4.2B loan to Vistra
• Positive Sentiment: The announcement reinforced the market’s view that reliable, around-the-clock nuclear electricity will become increasingly valuable as AI data centers expand. Vistra’s long-term power agreements with large customers, including Meta and New Era Energy, provide additional visibility into future demand and revenue. Vistra Stock Gains as Federal Funds Fuel Nuclear Power Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Vistra rallied alongside Constellation Energy and Talen Energy after a separate announcement involving a long-term Google commitment to nuclear power. Investors interpreted the deal as evidence that hyperscalers may sign multiyear contracts for firm nuclear generation, potentially supporting higher power prices and cash flows across the sector. Constellation Energy, Vistra and Talen move on AI nuclear deals
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and investors continue comparing Vistra with Talen as potential AI-power beneficiaries. The key issue is how much of the opportunity becomes shareholder cash flow after capital spending, financing costs and debt service. Vistra vs. Talen: Which AI Power Stock Has the Stronger Cash-Flow Case?
• Negative Sentiment: Vistra is challenging a PJM market proposal at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, arguing it is discriminatory and legally flawed. Although the filing seeks to protect future investment incentives, regulatory uncertainty could affect market revenues and investment planning in the region. Vistra’s high leverage remains an additional risk for investors.

About Vistra

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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