Vistra (NYSE:VST) Trading Down 0.3% Following Analyst Downgrade

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST)’s stock price dropped 0.3% on Friday after JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on the stock from $203.00 to $186.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has an overweight rating on the stock. Vistra traded as low as $117.77 and last traded at $118.94. Approximately 2,290,811 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 69% from the average daily volume of 7,487,688 shares. The stock had previously closed at $119.31.

A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on VST. Bank of America upgraded shares of Vistra from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and decreased their target price for the company from $164.00 to $152.00 in a research note on Tuesday, March 4th. Daiwa Capital Markets began coverage on shares of Vistra in a research report on Wednesday, March 5th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $120.00 price target on the stock. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Vistra from $151.00 to $191.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Daiwa America raised Vistra to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 5th. Finally, Evercore ISI began coverage on shares of Vistra in a report on Tuesday, January 21st. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $202.00 target price for the company. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $163.50.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vistra

In related news, Director John William Pitesa purchased 1,500 shares of Vistra stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 12th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $126.75 per share, with a total value of $190,125.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 3,467 shares in the company, valued at approximately $439,442.25. The trade was a 76.26 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Paul M. Barbas sold 24,136 shares of Vistra stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.19, for a total value of $2,997,449.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 51,063 shares in the company, valued at $6,341,513.97. This trade represents a 32.10 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.42% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Vistra

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Peregrine Asset Advisers Inc. lifted its holdings in Vistra by 3.2% during the fourth quarter. Peregrine Asset Advisers Inc. now owns 2,064 shares of the company’s stock valued at $285,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Vistra by 56.5% in the 4th quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 180 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Galvin Gaustad & Stein LLC increased its stake in Vistra by 3.6% during the 4th quarter. Galvin Gaustad & Stein LLC now owns 2,077 shares of the company’s stock worth $286,000 after buying an additional 73 shares in the last quarter. Paloma Partners Management Co lifted its position in shares of Vistra by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Paloma Partners Management Co now owns 8,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,103,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Csenge Advisory Group boosted its stake in shares of Vistra by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Csenge Advisory Group now owns 5,096 shares of the company’s stock worth $703,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.88% of the company’s stock.

Vistra Stock Down 0.2 %

The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.68. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $147.39 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $139.96. The company has a market cap of $40.49 billion, a PE ratio of 22.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.21.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Thursday, March 20th will be given a dividend of $0.2235 per share. This is an increase from Vistra’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 20th. This represents a $0.89 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.75%. Vistra’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 12.62%.

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.