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

Vistra (NYSE:VST) was upgraded by stock analysts at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce to a “strong-buy” rating in a report released on Thursday, Zacks reports.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Williams Trading set a $202.00 price objective on shares of Vistra in a report on Friday, October 2nd. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Vistra from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Thursday, August 13th. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $212.00 target price on shares of Vistra in a research report on Monday, August 10th. TD Cowen cut their target price on shares of Vistra from $222.00 to $221.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 19th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Vistra from $212.00 to $227.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $216.74.

Vistra Stock Performance

Vistra stock traded down $2.11 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $152.06. 5,204,918 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,408,404. Vistra has a 12 month low of $132.66 and a 12 month high of $210.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.87. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $145.07 and a 200 day moving average of $151.29. The firm has a market cap of $51.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.69 and a beta of 1.38.

Vistra (NYSE:VST) last released its quarterly 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 firm had revenue of $4.02 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.46 billion. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Vistra will post 9.04 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO James A. Burke acquired 4,465 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were bought at an average cost of $135.25 per share, with a total value of $603,891.25. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer 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 acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Scott Hudson sold 22,222 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.14, for a total value of $3,558,631.08. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 308,915 shares in the company, valued at approximately $49,469,648.10. This represents a 6.71% decrease in their ownership of the stock. 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 currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Vistra

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. V Square Quantitative Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Vistra by 4.7% during the third quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 2,283 shares of the company’s stock valued at $316,000 after acquiring an additional 103 shares during the period. Oak Grove Capital LLC increased its position in shares of Vistra by 12.8% during the 3rd quarter. Oak Grove Capital LLC now owns 224,510 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,061,000 after purchasing an additional 25,400 shares in the last quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC increased its position in shares of Vistra by 41.5% during the 3rd quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 2,559 shares of the company’s stock worth $354,000 after purchasing an additional 751 shares in the last quarter. Avaii Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Vistra by 18.6% during the 3rd quarter. Avaii Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,124 shares of the company’s stock valued at $577,000 after purchasing an additional 648 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wedmont Private Capital lifted its holdings in Vistra by 3.7% during the 3rd quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 4,226 shares of the company’s stock valued at $585,000 after purchasing an additional 151 shares during the last quarter. 90.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Vistra

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.