Vistra (NYSE:VST) Stock Price Up 3.6% - Here's Why

Key Points

• Vistra shares jumped 3.6% midday to $163.93 (intraday high $165.28) after multiple firms raised ratings and price targets; analysts’ consensus is a Buy with an average target of $236.87.
• The company missed quarterly estimates (EPS $2.18 vs. $2.45 expected; revenue $4.58B vs. $5.75B) but raised its quarterly dividend to $0.228, while carrying substantial leverage with a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.01.

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report)'s share price shot up 3.6% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $165.28 and last traded at $163.93. 3,743,721 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 30% from the average session volume of 5,312,331 shares. The stock had previously closed at $158.20.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on VST. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Vistra from $230.00 to $233.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Vistra from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their target price for the stock from $191.00 to $203.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Scotiabank upped their target price on shares of Vistra from $287.00 to $293.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Vistra from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $205.00 target price for the company in a report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Bank of America dropped their target price on shares of Vistra from $231.00 to $218.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 12th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Vistra currently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $236.87.

Vistra Price Performance

The stock's fifty day moving average price is $159.93 and its 200-day moving average price is $171.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.01, a current ratio of 0.78 and a quick ratio of 0.69. The firm has a market cap of $55.50 billion, a PE ratio of 75.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 1.49.

Vistra (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $2.18 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.45 by ($0.27). The firm had revenue of $4.58 billion for 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%. As a group, equities analysts expect that Vistra Corp. will post 7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared 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 represents a $0.91 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 20th. This is a positive change from Vistra's previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. Vistra's dividend payout ratio is presently 41.94%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vistra

In other news, EVP Stephanie Zapata Moore sold 10,000 shares of the business's 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. The trade was a 8.04% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.92% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Bridgewater Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of Vistra by 3.1% during the 3rd quarter. Bridgewater Advisors Inc. now owns 1,787 shares of the company's stock valued at $350,000 after acquiring an additional 53 shares during the last quarter. Y.D. More Investments Ltd lifted its position in Vistra by 7.1% in the third quarter. Y.D. More Investments Ltd now owns 916 shares of the company's stock valued at $168,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the last quarter. Equitable Holdings Inc. lifted its position in Vistra by 0.9% in the third quarter. Equitable Holdings Inc. now owns 7,045 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,380,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the last quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC lifted its position in Vistra by 2.0% in the third quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 3,275 shares of the company's stock valued at $642,000 after buying an additional 63 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wealth Effects LLC lifted its position in Vistra by 1.1% in the third quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 5,782 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,133,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.88% of the company's stock.

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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