Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) Short Interest Down 16.5% in January

Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST - Get Free Report) was the target of a large decrease in short interest in January. As of January 31st, there was short interest totalling 8,170,000 shares, a decrease of 16.5% from the January 15th total of 9,790,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 7,140,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.1 days. Approximately 2.4% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Vistra Stock Up 0.9 %

NYSE:VST traded up $1.55 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $169.21. 5,957,357 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 9,102,639. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $159.26 and a 200 day moving average price of $130.88. The firm has a market cap of $57.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.57, a PEG ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 1.22. Vistra has a fifty-two week low of $45.52 and a fifty-two week high of $199.84. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.68.

Vistra declared that its board 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 purchase up to 2.1% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are typically a sign that the company's management believes its shares are undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VST has been the topic of several research reports. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Vistra from $135.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, November 22nd. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Vistra from $151.00 to $191.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Vistra from $161.00 to $174.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Evercore ISI initiated coverage on Vistra in a report on Tuesday, January 21st. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $202.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Bank of America began coverage on Vistra in a research note on Monday, January 27th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $206.00 price objective for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Vistra presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $171.64.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Scott B. Helm sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.77, for a total value of $2,795,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 343,350 shares in the company, valued at $47,990,029.50. This represents a 5.50 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Scott A. Hudson sold 115,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.16, for a total transaction of $18,878,400.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 254,932 shares in the company, valued at approximately $41,849,637.12. The trade was a 31.09 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 342,100 shares of company stock valued at $55,087,314 in the last three months. 1.42% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vistra

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of VST. Avior Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Vistra by 56.5% in the 4th quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 180 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares during the period. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC increased its stake in Vistra by 616.0% in the 4th quarter. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC now owns 179 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 154 shares during the period. Founders Capital Management purchased a new stake in Vistra in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. West Branch Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vistra during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Comprehensive Financial Planning Inc. PA purchased a new position in shares of Vistra during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. 90.88% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.