Traders Purchase Large Volume of Vistra Put Options (NYSE:VST)

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) saw unusually large options trading activity on Thursday. Stock traders purchased 53,525 put options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 115% compared to the average volume of 24,860 put options.

Vistra Price Performance

Vistra stock opened at $166.60 on Friday. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $170.87 and its 200 day simple moving average is $188.48. Vistra has a 12 month low of $90.51 and a 12 month high of $219.82. The company has a market cap of $56.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 60.14, a PEG ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.74.

Vistra (NYSE:VST) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 7th. The company reported $1.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.78 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $4.97 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.60 billion. Vistra had a net margin of 6.70% and a return on equity of 64.04%. Sell-side analysts forecast that Vistra will post 7 EPS for the current year.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Monday, December 22nd were paid a dividend of $0.227 per share. This represents a $0.91 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 22nd. This is an increase from Vistra’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. Vistra’s dividend payout ratio is currently 32.85%.

Insider Transactions at Vistra

In other Vistra news, CEO James A. Burke sold 22,251 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $162.05, for a total value of $3,605,774.55. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 297,998 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $48,290,575.90. This trade represents a 6.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Carrie Lee Kirby sold 58,275 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.75, for a total value of $10,183,556.25. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 218,239 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $38,137,265.25. This represents a 21.07% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 405,876 shares of company stock valued at $76,995,686. 1.42% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Salomon & Ludwin LLC bought a new position in shares of Vistra in the third quarter worth $25,000. Quent Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vistra during the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Archer Investment Corp boosted its stake in Vistra by 2,700.0% in the 3rd quarter. Archer Investment Corp now owns 140 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares during the period. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Vistra in the 2nd quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Pinpoint Asset Management Singapore Pte. Ltd. bought a new position in Vistra in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. 90.88% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Cowen started coverage on shares of Vistra in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Daiwa Capital Markets raised shares of Vistra from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $250.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday, September 17th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $228.00 target price on shares of Vistra in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. KeyCorp initiated coverage on Vistra in a research report on Monday, November 24th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $217.00 price target for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Vistra in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $231.40.

Trending Headlines about Vistra

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Vistra announced 20-year power purchase agreements with Meta that will deliver more than 2,600 MW of zero-carbon energy (2,176 MW operating + 433 MW uprates) from three Vistra nuclear plants in PJM — described as the largest corporate-supported nuclear uprates in the U.S. This underpins long-term contracted revenue and demand from hyperscale customers. PR Newswire
• Positive Sentiment: Major outlets (WSJ, Yahoo Finance and others) picked up the Meta-Vistra deal; coverage emphasized that Meta is turning to nuclear to power AI data centers, which amplified investor interest in Vistra as a strategic supplier to tech hyperscalers. WSJ: Meta’s Nuclear Deals
• Positive Sentiment: Market headlines and premarket commentary flagged a multi-dealer lift in Vistra and peer Oklo after Meta’s announcement, which likely triggered momentum buying and higher volume. Yahoo Finance
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor pieces and analysts note Vistra’s positioning to benefit from rising data-center electricity demand; some articles highlight the company’s pricing power and long-term case for utility-like stability. The Motley Fool
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation and prior share weakness pieces appeared this week, which provide context on why a confirmed long-term PPA matters for re-rating multiples — the deal reduces revenue uncertainty but valuation still reflects elevated expectations. Yahoo: Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Unusually heavy put buying was reported the day before the announcement (53,525 puts), indicating some traders were positioned for downside or hedging; that activity could have amplified volatility around the news. (No article link provided)
• Negative Sentiment: Recent fundamentals: Vistra’s last reported quarter missed revenue/was slightly below EPS consensus and the company carries relatively high leverage (debt/equity), which keeps downside risk if power markets or margins weaken. (See company filings/earnings release for details.)

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.