Vistra (NYSE:VST) Stock Price Down 1.4% Following Analyst Downgrade

Shares of Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) fell 1.4% during trading on Friday after JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on the stock from $240.00 to $231.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has an overweight rating on the stock. Vistra traded as low as $154.93 and last traded at $155.6190. 3,063,351 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 39% from the average session volume of 5,061,211 shares. The stock had previously closed at $157.84.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Vistra from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $191.00 to $203.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $241.00 target price on shares of Vistra in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Vistra from $236.00 to $234.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 27th. UBS Group raised their price target on Vistra from $230.00 to $233.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Scotiabank lifted their price objective on Vistra from $287.00 to $293.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $235.27.

Insider Activity at Vistra

In other news, EVP Stephanie Zapata Moore sold 10,000 shares of Vistra 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 114,409 shares in the company, 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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.92% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Vistra

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Board declared a quarterly common dividend of $0.229/share (payable June 30 to holders of record June 22), a ~0.4% raise from the prior quarter and an estimated $75M aggregate payment — modest income support and a sign of cash-return discipline. Vistra Declares Dividend on Common Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, and Series C Preferred Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Included in lists of top electrical infrastructure picks by hedge funds and sector articles — positive publicity that can attract institutional interest for a company with diversified generation (gas, nuclear, coal, solar, batteries). Vistra Corp. (VST) – Among the 10 Best Electrical Infrastructure Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary comparing Vistra favorably to peers (e.g., cheaper valuation and nuclear investments vs. Southern Co.) bolsters the narrative that Vistra has long-term growth/transition potential. Vistra or Southern Co.: Which Utility Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?
• Neutral Sentiment: JPMorgan trimmed its price target from $240 to $231 but kept an “overweight” rating — a lowered target can weigh on near-term sentiment, but the maintained positive rating and large implied upside remain supportive. JPMorgan lowers VST price target to $231 (report)
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation pieces and volatility rundowns are putting Vistra on investors’ radars; these analyses highlight mixed metrics (P/E, revenue scale, recent price swings) that can attract both value and momentum traders. Assessing Vistra (VST) Valuation After Recent Share Price Volatility
• Negative Sentiment: Pre-earnings coverage warns Vistra may lack the setup for an earnings beat next week — raises the risk of downward pressure if results or guidance disappoint. Vistra Corp. (VST) Earnings Expected to Grow: What to Know Ahead of Next Week’s Release
• Negative Sentiment: Reports noted the stock underperformed peers on a recent trading day despite intraday gains — suggests relative weakness that may prompt short-term selling or rotation out of the name. Vistra Corp. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors despite daily gains

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vistra

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of VST. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Vistra in the 4th quarter valued at $746,729,000. Capital World Investors acquired a new position in Vistra during the fourth quarter worth $574,499,000. Rubric Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of Vistra during the fourth quarter valued at $322,660,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its stake in shares of Vistra by 15.1% in the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 7,106,465 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,392,299,000 after purchasing an additional 930,912 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amundi boosted its stake in shares of Vistra by 72.3% in the 4th quarter. Amundi now owns 1,949,568 shares of the company’s stock valued at $314,524,000 after purchasing an additional 817,876 shares in the last quarter. 90.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Vistra Trading Down 1.4%

The company’s fifty day moving average price is $159.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $168.18. The company has a current ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.01. The firm has a market cap of $52.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 71.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 1.49.

Vistra (NYSE:VST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $2.18 earnings per share (EPS) 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 the consensus estimate of $5.75 billion. Vistra had a net margin of 5.32% and a return on equity of 81.09%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Vistra Corp. will post 8.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 22nd will be paid a $0.229 dividend. This represents a $0.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Vistra’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 22nd. Vistra’s dividend payout ratio is presently 41.94%.

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.