Vistra (NYSE:VST) Shares Up 3% – Time to Buy?

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST)’s share price shot up 3% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $113.50 and last traded at $111.75. 3,311,903 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 56% from the average session volume of 7,449,153 shares. The stock had previously closed at $108.49.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently commented on VST. 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 objective for the company. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Vistra from $135.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Vistra from $161.00 to $174.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 3rd. Daiwa America raised shares of Vistra to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 5th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Vistra from $151.00 to $191.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 22nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Vistra currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $162.83.

Vistra Price Performance

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 firm has a market cap of $39.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.21. The company’s 50-day moving average is $156.60 and its 200-day moving average is $136.53.

Vistra Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 20th will be given a $0.2235 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 20th. This represents a $0.89 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.76%. This is a positive change from Vistra’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. Vistra’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 12.62%.

Insider Transactions at Vistra

In related news, Director Paul M. Barbas sold 24,136 shares of Vistra stock in a transaction on Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $124.19, for a total transaction of $2,997,449.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 51,063 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,341,513.97. This trade represents a 32.10 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 1.42% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vistra

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC raised its stake in Vistra by 616.0% during the fourth quarter. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC now owns 179 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 154 shares during the last quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Vistra by 56.5% in the fourth quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 180 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Founders Capital Management bought a new stake in Vistra in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. West Branch Capital LLC bought a new stake in Vistra in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Comprehensive Financial Planning Inc. PA bought a new stake in Vistra in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. 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.