Vistra (NYSE:VST) Shares Gap Up – Time to Buy?

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) gapped up prior to trading on Friday . The stock had previously closed at $150.60, but opened at $174.33. Vistra shares last traded at $172.3560, with a volume of 5,320,671 shares trading hands.

Vistra News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Vistra this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Vistra announced 20‑year PPAs to provide >2,600 MW of zero‑carbon energy (2,176 MW operating + 433 MW of uprates) from three Vistra nuclear plants to support Meta in PJM — the deal includes the largest corporate‑backed nuclear uprates in U.S. history, improving long‑term contracted cash flow and ESG credentials. Vistra and Meta Announce Agreements to Support Nuclear Plants in PJM and Add New Nuclear Generation to the Grid
• Positive Sentiment: Major business press and market coverage emphasize Meta’s nuclear deals as the catalyst for the rally, highlighting the strategic link between AI/data‑center demand and stable, long‑duration clean power contracts for Vistra. Oklo, Vistra Rally on Meta Nuclear Deals
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple outlets report the Meta agreements (including coverage on Yahoo, MSN and niche sites), reinforcing investor confidence that Vistra will capture sizeable, contracted demand from hyperscalers — a structural growth story for the utility. Oklo and Vistra Shares Surge as Meta Turns to Nuclear Power for AI
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and sector pieces note Vistra’s favorable positioning for rising data‑center electricity demand and pricing power among utilities — supportive context but not immediate catalysts. What Is One of the Best Energy Stocks to Hold for?
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent valuation/longer‑term pieces review Vistra’s past stock performance and valuation after prior weakness — useful background for investors assessing whether the rally is a durable re‑rating. A Look At Vistra (VST) Valuation After Recent Share Price Weakness
• Negative Sentiment: There was unusually large put‑option buying the day before, indicating some traders had positioned for downside or volatility ahead of the news; options flows can signal short‑term hedging or skepticism. (reported by market data)
• Negative Sentiment: Risks: long‑term PPAs and uprates may require capital investment, expose Vistra to project/execution and regulatory risk, and the company has high leverage and a recent revenue miss that investors should weigh as the deal gets implemented.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Daiwa America raised shares of Vistra from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 17th. TD Cowen began coverage on shares of Vistra in a research note on Thursday, October 16th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $250.00 price objective on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $230.00 target price (down previously from $241.00) on shares of Vistra in a research note on Monday, September 22nd. Daiwa Capital Markets raised Vistra from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $250.00 price target on the stock in a report on Wednesday, September 17th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Vistra in a research note on Monday, October 27th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $238.00 price objective for the company. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $231.40.

Vistra Price Performance

The stock has a fifty day moving average of $171.31 and a two-hundred day moving average of $188.62. The stock has a market cap of $57.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 61.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.74.

Vistra (NYSE:VST) last issued its earnings results on Friday, November 7th. The company reported $1.75 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.78 by ($0.03). Vistra had a return on equity of 64.04% and a net margin of 6.70%.The company had revenue of $4.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.60 billion. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Vistra Corp. will post 7 earnings per share for the current year.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 22nd were given a dividend of $0.227 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 22nd. This is an increase from Vistra’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. This represents a $0.91 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. Vistra’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 32.49%.

Insider Activity at Vistra

In other Vistra news, EVP Carrie Lee Kirby sold 58,275 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.75, for a total transaction of $10,183,556.25. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 218,239 shares in the company, valued at approximately $38,137,265.25. The trade was a 21.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Scott A. Hudson sold 56,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $168.86, for a total value of $9,456,160.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 306,600 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $51,772,476. This represents a 15.44% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 405,876 shares of company stock valued at $76,995,686 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 1.42% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vistra

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. 180 Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Vistra by 5.7% in the fourth quarter. 180 Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,932 shares of the company’s stock valued at $634,000 after purchasing an additional 211 shares during the last quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC lifted its stake in Vistra by 440.4% in the 4th quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 19,476 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,142,000 after buying an additional 15,872 shares in the last quarter. Teamwork Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Vistra by 39.9% during the 4th quarter. Teamwork Financial Advisors LLC now owns 78,855 shares of the company’s stock valued at $12,722,000 after buying an additional 22,492 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its position in Vistra by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 163,258 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,686,000 after buying an additional 1,825 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vistra in the fourth quarter worth $206,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.88% of the company’s stock.

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.