Eagle Asset Management Inc. Boosts Holdings in Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST)

Eagle Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) by 131.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,099,192 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 624,272 shares during the period. Eagle Asset Management Inc. owned 0.32% of Vistra worth $130,298,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of VST. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its position in Vistra by 115.3% during the 2nd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 2,532,657 shares of the company’s stock worth $217,758,000 after purchasing an additional 1,356,488 shares in the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans boosted its stake in shares of Vistra by 1,358.2% during the 2nd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 1,228,144 shares of the company’s stock worth $105,596,000 after purchasing an additional 1,143,918 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP grew its holdings in shares of Vistra by 315.9% during the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,175,811 shares of the company’s stock worth $101,096,000 after buying an additional 893,093 shares in the last quarter. Maple Rock Capital Partners Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Vistra by 100.5% during the first quarter. Maple Rock Capital Partners Inc. now owns 1,720,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $119,798,000 after buying an additional 862,000 shares during the period. Finally, Point72 Asset Management L.P. boosted its holdings in shares of Vistra by 121.1% during the second quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 1,536,192 shares of the company’s stock worth $132,082,000 after purchasing an additional 841,292 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.88% of the company’s stock.

Vistra Stock Up 7.0 %

Shares of VST stock opened at $165.53 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.68, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 1.11. The stock has a market cap of $56.32 billion, a PE ratio of 30.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.09. The business’s fifty day moving average is $125.72 and its 200-day moving average is $99.36. Vistra Corp. has a 1 year low of $34.25 and a 1 year high of $167.60.

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 represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.53%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 20th. This is a boost from Vistra’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. Vistra’s payout ratio is 16.42%.

Vistra declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, November 7th that allows the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to buy up to 2.1% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are typically an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently weighed in on VST. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on Vistra in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $178.00 target price on the stock. Guggenheim boosted their target price on shares of Vistra from $133.00 to $177.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Vistra from $110.00 to $132.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, September 23rd. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of 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 shares of Vistra from $105.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 3rd. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, Vistra presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $145.40.

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.