Vistra (NYSE:VST) Stock Rating Raised to “Strong-Buy” at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce upgraded shares of Vistra (NYSE:VST) to a strong-buy rating in a research report report published on Thursday,Zacks reports.

VST has been the subject of a number of other reports. TD Cowen lowered their price target on shares of Vistra from $222.00 to $221.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $206.00 price target on shares of Vistra in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Zacks Research cut shares of Vistra from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Mizuho assumed coverage on shares of Vistra in a research note on Monday, August 24th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $169.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Vistra from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $216.74.

Vistra Trading Down 1.4%

VST traded down $2.11 on Thursday, hitting $152.06. 5,204,918 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,408,404. 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 firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $145.07 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $151.29. The stock has a market capitalization of $51.04 billion, a PE ratio of 25.69 and a beta of 1.38. Vistra has a 12 month low of $132.66 and a 12 month high of $210.05.

Vistra (NYSE:VST) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 7th. The company reported $0.76 earnings per share 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 company had revenue of $4.02 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.46 billion. Sell-side analysts expect that Vistra will post 9.04 earnings per share for the current year.

Vistra Increases Dividend

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Vistra

In other Vistra news, EVP Scott Hudson sold 22,222 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.14, for a total transaction of $3,558,631.08. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 308,915 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $49,469,648.10. The trade was a 6.71% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO James A. Burke acquired 4,465 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was bought at an average price of $135.25 per share, with a total value of $603,891.25. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,146,352 shares in the company, valued at approximately $155,044,108. This represents a 0.39% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders own 0.92% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vistra

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of VST. Premier Financial Group purchased a new stake in Vistra in the second quarter worth about $34,000. Stonehage Fleming Financial Services Holdings Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Vistra during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Silicon Valley Capital Partners purchased a new position in shares of Vistra during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $39,000. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Vistra by 141.2% during the 1st quarter. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. now owns 246 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares during the period. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Vistra by 46.6% in the 1st quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 302 shares of the company’s stock worth $45,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.88% of the company’s stock.

Key Vistra News

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The Department of Energy announced a $4.2 billion federal loan to help Vistra modernize its generation fleet and expand capacity in high-growth power markets. The financing could strengthen the company’s ability to serve data centers and other customers as electricity demand rises. Vistra Stock Surged Following Its $4.2 Billion Federal Loan
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and financial media continue to identify Vistra as a major beneficiary of AI data-center power demand, with generation assets in fast-growing U.S. markets. One article estimates substantial long-term upside if nuclear and power-demand growth persist. Why Constellation Energy Has A Near-Term Edge Over Vistra
• Neutral Sentiment: Vistra announced the redemption of all one million Series A preferred shares for $1 billion. Eliminating the 8% preferred stock may simplify the capital structure and reduce preferred obligations, although it also requires a substantial cash outlay. Vistra Announces Redemption of All Outstanding Series A Preferred Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Vistra was featured as a top AI data-center stock associated with portfolios attributed to President Trump and Nancy Pelosi. The coverage is largely promotional and does not represent a new company-specific catalyst. President Trump and Nancy Pelosi’s AI Data Center Stock Pick
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded VST from “Hold” to “Strong Sell,” adding a clear near-term bearish signal. Recent volatility and a sharp decline earlier in the week may also be keeping investors cautious.
• Negative Sentiment: Vistra’s latest reported quarter missed consensus expectations for both earnings and revenue, which may reinforce concerns about execution despite the company’s favorable long-term power-demand outlook.

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.