Vistra (NYSE:VST) Stock Price Down 0.3% – Time to Sell?

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST)’s stock price dropped 0.3% on Thursday . The company traded as low as $139.21 and last traded at $141.75. Approximately 935,896 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 86% from the average daily volume of 6,915,132 shares. The stock had previously closed at $142.12.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently issued reports on VST. BNP Paribas initiated coverage on shares of Vistra in a research report on Monday, October 14th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $231.00 target price for the company. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Vistra from $110.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, September 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on Vistra in a report on Thursday, October 17th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $178.00 target price for the company. UBS Group lowered their price target on Vistra from $157.00 to $150.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, October 22nd. Finally, Guggenheim raised their price objective on Vistra from $133.00 to $177.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $145.40.

Vistra Stock Performance

The firm has a market cap of $48.39 billion, a PE ratio of 26.54 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.68, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 1.11. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $119.52 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $97.23.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.221 per share. This is a boost from Vistra’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 20th. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.62%. Vistra’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 16.42%.

Vistra announced that its board has initiated a share repurchase plan on Thursday, November 7th that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to repurchase up to 2.1% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are generally a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Institutional Trading of Vistra

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. MidWestOne Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Vistra in the third quarter valued at approximately $1,215,000. First Sabrepoint Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of Vistra in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $17,781,000. Segra Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vistra in the 3rd quarter valued at $15,493,000. Brophy Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vistra during the 3rd quarter worth $774,000. Finally, Continuum Advisory LLC grew its stake in shares of Vistra by 1,332.6% during the third quarter. Continuum Advisory LLC now owns 659 shares of the company’s stock worth $78,000 after purchasing an additional 613 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.88% of the company’s stock.

Vistra Company Profile

Vistra Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated retail electricity and power generation company. The company operates through six segments: Retail, Texas, East, West, Sunset, and Asset Closure. It retails electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers across states in the United States and the District of Columbia.