Vistra (NYSE:VST) Stock Price Up 3.9% Following Dividend Announcement

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST)’s stock price was up 3.9% during mid-day trading on Thursday following a dividend announcement from the company. The stock traded as high as $151.97 and last traded at $148.31. Approximately 4,582,323 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 7% from the average session volume of 4,951,961 shares. The stock had previously closed at $142.81.

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 21st will be paid a dividend of $0.23 per share. 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 presently 15.41%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on Vistra from $240.00 to $231.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Scotiabank raised their price target on shares of Vistra from $293.00 to $298.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. Raymond James Financial set a $208.00 price target on shares of Vistra in a report on Monday, April 27th. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $187.00 price objective on shares of Vistra and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 16th. Finally, Seaport Research Partners reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $230.00 price objective on shares of Vistra in a research note on Monday, June 15th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $229.88.

Vistra Trading Up 3.9%

The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $156.71 and a 200-day simple moving average of $158.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.51, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 0.90. The firm has a market cap of $50.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.84 and a beta of 1.40.

Vistra (NYSE:VST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported $2.87 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.32 by $1.55. The firm had revenue of $5.64 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.22 billion. Vistra had a return on equity of 105.64% and a net margin of 11.52%. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Vistra Corp. will post 9.49 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Trending Headlines about Vistra

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target for Vistra to $212 and maintained a Buy rating, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. The more optimistic view may be helping the stock recover from its recent selloff. Morgan Stanley Raises Vistra Price Target to $212
• Positive Sentiment: Vistra declared a quarterly common-stock dividend of $0.23 per share, payable September 30 to shareholders of record on September 21. The approximately $75 million distribution signals continued capital returns and could modestly improve investor sentiment. Vistra Declares Dividend on Common Stock and Series A Preferred Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts continue to focus on Vistra’s exposure to rising electricity demand from data centers. New York’s limits on data-center development complicate the growth outlook, leaving valuation assessments mixed after the stock’s recent pullback. Vistra Stock Looks Reasonable Following New York Data Center Limits
• Negative Sentiment: Recent downgrades from other analysts, including TD Cowen, triggered sharp declines in Vistra shares and highlight concerns about valuation and future performance. These bearish views remain an overhang despite Morgan Stanley’s more favorable stance. Vistra Shares Down After Analyst Downgrade

Insider Buying and Selling at Vistra

In other Vistra news, Director John R. Sult sold 6,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total transaction of $1,105,000.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 70,714 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,021,380. The trade was a 8.42% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CAO Margaret Montemayor sold 4,600 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total transaction of $736,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 9,760 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,561,600. This trade represents a 32.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 41,588 shares of company stock valued at $6,739,227. 0.92% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Vistra

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking S.P.A. acquired a new position in Vistra during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Vistra in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Vistra in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Vistra in the third quarter valued at about $38,000. Finally, Strive Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Vistra during the third quarter worth about $38,000. 90.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Vistra Company Profile

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.