Insider Selling: Vistra (NYSE:VST) EVP Sells 44,444 Shares of Stock

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) EVP Scott Hudson sold 44,444 shares of Vistra stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.82, for a total transaction of $6,747,488.08. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 331,137 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $50,273,219.34. This represents a 11.83% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Vistra Trading Down 2.4%

Shares of Vistra stock traded down $3.69 on Thursday, hitting $147.41. 4,467,651 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,893,862. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $148.94 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $154.25. The stock has a market capitalization of $49.48 billion, a PE ratio of 24.90 and a beta of 1.40. Vistra Corp. has a one year low of $132.66 and a one year high of $219.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.87, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 0.87.

Vistra (NYSE:VST) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 7th. The company reported $0.76 earnings per share 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 company had revenue of $4.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.46 billion. On average, research analysts expect that Vistra Corp. will post 9.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 21st will be paid a $0.23 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 21st. This is a positive change from Vistra’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. This represents a $0.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Vistra’s payout ratio is currently 15.54%.

Key Headlines Impacting Vistra

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Vistra’s diversified 43,641-MW generation fleet, hedging strategy, long-term power-purchase agreements and capacity revenues provide earnings stability while positioning the company to benefit from higher U.S. electricity demand. Can VST’s Diversified Power Generation Fleet Drive Long-Term Growth?
• Positive Sentiment: Long-term nuclear agreements with Meta and Amazon Web Services, the Cogentrix acquisition and potential AI-related power demand could improve earnings visibility and offset softer conditions in ERCOT. One analysis cited adjusted EBITDA growth of more than 30% in the second quarter and 2026 guidance at or above its midpoint. Vistra: Cogentrix And Meta Can Offset A Softer ERCOT Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly constructive, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus. Bullish cases point to data-center, electrification and industrial load growth, as well as possible upside from Meta contracts, Cogentrix and other infrastructure initiatives that may not be fully reflected in current valuations. Vistra Receives Consensus Recommendation of Moderate Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary argues that VST has outperformed its industry and may be undervalued, but acknowledges that its high debt load and the need for a better entry point could limit near-term upside. Regulatory uncertainty and potential project delays also remain risks. VST Stock Outperforms Industry in the Past 3 Months: Time to Buy?
• Negative Sentiment: Vistra announced an underwritten public offering of multiple series of junior subordinated unsecured notes. While the proceeds could support corporate needs, the added financing reinforces concerns about leverage and may weigh on investor sentiment. Vistra Announces Registered Offering of Junior Subordinated Notes

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vistra

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of VST. Equitable Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Vistra by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. Equitable Holdings Inc. now owns 7,045 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,380,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. increased its stake in Vistra by 3.8% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 1,770 shares of the company’s stock worth $286,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC raised its holdings in Vistra by 2.9% during the 4th quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC now owns 2,409 shares of the company’s stock worth $389,000 after buying an additional 68 shares during the period. Outlook Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Vistra by 4.9% during the 1st quarter. Outlook Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,511 shares of the company’s stock worth $227,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the period. Finally, Principle Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in Vistra by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Principle Wealth Partners LLC now owns 14,462 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,333,000 after buying an additional 73 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.88% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently issued reports on VST. Weiss Ratings lowered Vistra from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 13th. BNP Paribas Exane set a $255.00 price objective on shares of Vistra in a research note on Wednesday, August 19th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Vistra from $233.00 to $227.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $212.00 target price on shares of Vistra in a research note on Monday, August 10th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Vistra from $212.00 to $227.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $223.53.

Vistra Company Profile

Vistra Corp. is an integrated energy company headquartered in Irving, Texas. The company operates electricity generation and retail energy businesses, serving residential, commercial, industrial and wholesale customers primarily across the United States.

Vistra’s generation portfolio includes natural gas, nuclear, coal, solar and battery energy storage facilities. Through its retail operations, the company provides electricity, natural gas and renewable energy plans under brands that include TXU Energy, Dynegy, Homefield Energy and Ambit Energy.

The company was established in 2016 following the separation of Energy Future Holdings’ competitive energy businesses.