ARS Investment Partners LLC Purchases 96,111 Shares of Vistra Corp. $VST

ARS Investment Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) by 101.3% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 190,964 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 96,111 shares during the period. Vistra makes up about 1.5% of ARS Investment Partners LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. ARS Investment Partners LLC’s holdings in Vistra were worth $28,708,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $241.00 price objective on shares of Vistra in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Seaport Research Partners reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $230.00 target price on shares of Vistra in a research note on Monday, June 15th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $190.00 target price on shares of Vistra in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $187.00 price target on Vistra and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their price target on Vistra from $253.00 to $230.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, May 4th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Vistra has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $230.44.

Vistra Stock Performance

Shares of VST stock opened at $163.59 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.51. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $154.21 and a 200-day moving average price of $159.63. Vistra Corp. has a 52 week low of $132.66 and a 52 week high of $219.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $55.16 billion, a PE ratio of 27.40 and a beta of 1.40.

Vistra (NYSE:VST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported $2.87 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.32 by $1.55. Vistra had a net margin of 11.52% and a return on equity of 105.64%. The company had revenue of $5.64 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.22 billion. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Vistra Corp. will post 9.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 22nd will be paid a dividend of $0.229 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 22nd. This represents a $0.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Vistra’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. Vistra’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 15.24%.

Key Vistra News

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Goldman Sachs maintained its Buy rating on Vistra, reinforcing the bullish analyst view after recent strength in the shares. Goldman Sachs Sticks to Its Buy Rating for Vistra Corp (VST)
• Positive Sentiment: Vistra is benefiting from investor enthusiasm around its role as the main power provider for Helix Digital Infrastructure’s $10 billion KKR-backed AI data center venture, which highlights VST’s exposure to surging AI electricity demand. Vistra (VST) Stock Could Be 27.3% Undervalued After Helix AI Power Deal
• Positive Sentiment: Melius Research also reiterated a Buy rating, adding to the broader analyst support behind the stock. Melius Research Remains a Buy on Vistra Corp (VST)
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary from Jim Cramer that Vistra has “just fallen enough” may be helping sentiment by signaling the shares could still offer value after recent pullbacks. Jim Cramer on Vistra: “It’s Just Fallen Enough”
• Neutral Sentiment: Vistra’s director Scott Helm sold 25,000 shares in a pre-arranged 10b5-1 transaction, which is usually less concerning than discretionary insider selling but can still weigh on sentiment. Insider Selling: Vistra (NYSE:VST) Director Sells 25,000 Shares of Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are also reacting to Vistra’s ongoing $6.3 billion buyback program, strong free cash flow, and analyst commentary that the company could unlock more per-share value over time. Can Vistra Unlock More Value for Investors Through Share Buybacks?

Insider Buying and Selling at Vistra

In other news, CAO Margaret Montemayor sold 4,600 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total value of $736,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 9,760 shares in the company, valued at $1,561,600. This trade represents a 32.03% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Paul M. Barbas sold 244 shares of Vistra stock in a transaction on Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.00, for a total value of $37,332.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 53,006 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,109,918. The trade was a 0.46% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 35,088 shares of company stock worth $5,634,227. Insiders own 0.92% of the company’s stock.

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.