Stock Traders Buy High Volume of Call Options on Vistra (NYSE:VST)

Key Points

• Unusual options activity: Traders bought 52,402 call options on Vistra, 52% above the average daily volume, signaling increased bullish interest.
• Analysts remain generally positive: Fifteen analysts rate the stock a Buy and two rate it a Hold, producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $217.61.
• Mixed operating signals: Vistra shares rose 4.5% to $146.38 and the company increased its quarterly dividend to $0.23, but its latest earnings and revenue fell well short of analyst expectations.

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report) was the recipient of some unusual options trading activity on Monday. Stock traders bought 52,402 call options on the company. This represents an increase of 52% compared to the average daily volume of 34,572 call options.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

VST has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Zacks Research downgraded Vistra from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 18th. Scotiabank lifted their target price on shares of Vistra from $293.00 to $298.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Williams Trading set a $202.00 price target on Vistra in a report on Friday. TD Cowen dropped their price target on Vistra from $222.00 to $221.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 19th. Finally, Siebert Williams Shank initiated coverage on Vistra in a research report on Friday. They set a "buy" rating and a $202.00 price objective for the company. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Vistra has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $217.61.

Vistra Trading Up 4.5%

NYSE:VST traded up $6.36 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $146.38. 6,829,264 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,934,355. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.87. The stock has a market capitalization of $49.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.71 and a beta of 1.38. Vistra has a 52 week low of $132.66 and a 52 week high of $217.10. The firm's 50 day moving average is $143.04 and its two-hundred day moving average is $151.24.

Vistra (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, August 7th. The company reported $0.76 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.61 by ($0.85). Vistra had a net margin of 11.55% and a return on equity of 108.68%. The business had revenue of $4.02 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.46 billion. On average, equities research analysts predict that Vistra will post 9.04 earnings per share for the current year.

Vistra Increases Dividend

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

Vistra News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The DOE financing is viewed as a major catalyst for Vistra’s nuclear fleet and could strengthen its role as a reliable power provider. Analysts cited potential upside from plant upgrades, contracted revenue and future asset expansions. Did a US$4 Billion Federal Nuclear Loan Just Shift Vistra's Investment Narrative?
• Positive Sentiment: A bullish analysis projects fiscal 2027 adjusted EBITDA of approximately $8.1 billion to $8.5 billion, helped by Cogentrix and Meta power-purchase agreements. It also anticipates more than $3 billion of dividends and about $1 billion of buybacks during 2026–27, with a fair value estimate of $190.62 per share. Vistra's $4B DOE Loan Ignites Great Nuclear Rally
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street coverage remains broadly favorable: brokerages classify VST as a “Moderate Buy,” while Siebert Williams Shank added coverage and BMO retained an “Outperform” rating. Vistra Corp. Stock Now Rated Moderate Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Vistra extended the maturity of its revolving credit facility to September 2027, providing additional financing flexibility, although the company remains highly leveraged. Vistra Extends Revolving Credit Maturity
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary compares Vistra with Constellation Energy as investors reassess nuclear-power opportunities tied to federal support and potential data-center agreements. VST Versus CEG
• Negative Sentiment: BMO lowered its price target from $231 to $210, signaling more cautious valuation assumptions despite maintaining an “Outperform” rating. Vistra Stock Price Target Cut by BMO Capital Markets

Insiders Place Their Bets

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

Institutional Trading of Vistra

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Polaris Financial Partners bought a new stake in shares of Vistra during the third quarter valued at approximately $338,000. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its holdings in Vistra by 89.1% during the 3rd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,023 shares of the company's stock worth $142,000 after purchasing an additional 482 shares during the period. QRG Capital Management Inc. raised its position in Vistra by 15.6% during the 2nd quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 70,821 shares of the company's stock valued at $11,234,000 after purchasing an additional 9,556 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. raised its position in Vistra by 19.5% during the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 1,829 shares of the company's stock valued at $290,000 after purchasing an additional 298 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Vistra by 16.1% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 258,337 shares of the company's stock worth $40,979,000 after buying an additional 35,862 shares during the period. 90.88% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Vistra Company Profile

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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