Vistra (NYSE:VST) Stock Price Down 0.1% – Should You Sell?

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST)’s share price traded down 0.1% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $143.13 and last traded at $146.49. 1,482,136 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 78% from the average session volume of 6,879,207 shares. The stock had previously closed at $146.63.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. UBS Group cut their price target on Vistra from $157.00 to $150.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 22nd. Guggenheim upped their target price on Vistra from $133.00 to $177.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. BNP Paribas assumed coverage on Vistra in a report on Monday, October 14th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $231.00 target price on the stock. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Vistra from $146.00 to $147.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 29th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on Vistra from $105.00 to $141.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 3rd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $145.40.

Vistra Stock Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $51.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.33 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $120.95 and a 200-day moving average price of $97.99. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.68.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 20th will be given a dividend of $0.221 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 20th. This is a boost from Vistra’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.58%. Vistra’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 16.42%.

Vistra announced that its board has approved a share repurchase program on Thursday, November 7th that allows the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to purchase up to 2.1% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are often a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Institutional Trading of Vistra

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Forum Financial Management LP boosted its position in Vistra by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 11,527 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,366,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the period. Umpqua Bank grew its holdings in Vistra by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. Umpqua Bank now owns 3,780 shares of the company’s stock valued at $448,000 after buying an additional 81 shares during the last quarter. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Vistra by 3.0% in the 3rd quarter. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,809 shares of the company’s stock valued at $333,000 after buying an additional 81 shares during the last quarter. Douglass Winthrop Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vistra by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. Douglass Winthrop Advisors LLC now owns 11,335 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,344,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Interchange Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vistra by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter. Interchange Capital Partners LLC now owns 2,710 shares of the company’s stock worth $321,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.88% of the company’s stock.

About Vistra

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.