Vistra Energy Corp (NYSE:VST) was the target of a large decrease in short interest in the month of November. As of November 29th, there was short interest totalling 11,430,000 shares, a decrease of 9.6% from the November 14th total of 12,640,000 shares. Currently, 2.5% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 4,510,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.5 days.
In other news, COO James A. Burke sold 12,102 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.20, for a total transaction of $317,072.40. Also, major shareholder Brookfield Asset Management In sold 20,801,471 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.09, for a total transaction of $501,107,436.39. Insiders have sold a total of 20,828,699 shares of company stock worth $501,820,810 in the last ninety days. 14.05% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Amundi Pioneer Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Vistra Energy by 24.4% in the 1st quarter. Amundi Pioneer Asset Management Inc. now owns 458,120 shares of the company’s stock worth $11,925,000 after purchasing an additional 89,962 shares in the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management & Equity Research Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Vistra Energy by 41.0% during the second quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management & Equity Research Inc. now owns 162,747 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,685,000 after buying an additional 47,330 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Vistra Energy by 64.1% during the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,254,500 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,402,000 after acquiring an additional 490,176 shares in the last quarter. Aviva PLC increased its position in shares of Vistra Energy by 0.5% during the second quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 150,325 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,403,000 after acquiring an additional 689 shares in the last quarter. Finally, KBC Group NV raised its holdings in Vistra Energy by 651.2% in the 2nd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 198,767 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,500,000 after acquiring an additional 172,306 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 95.87% of the company’s stock.
Several brokerages have issued reports on VST. Citigroup dropped their price target on Vistra Energy from $36.00 to $31.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, September 9th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Vistra Energy from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $31.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. Evercore ISI reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $32.00 price objective on shares of Vistra Energy in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Vistra Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, November 8th. Finally, SunTrust Banks lifted their price objective on Vistra Energy from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 17th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $32.40.
VST traded down $0.21 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $22.82. 4,257,766 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,568,011. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.94. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.53, a P/E/G ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 0.54. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $25.18 and a two-hundred day moving average of $24.70. Vistra Energy has a 52 week low of $21.33 and a 52 week high of $27.96.
Vistra Energy (NYSE:VST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.23 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.87 by ($0.64). The company had revenue of $3.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.21 billion. Vistra Energy had a net margin of 4.40% and a return on equity of 5.01%. The business’s revenue was down 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.61 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Vistra Energy will post 1.97 EPS for the current year.
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 16th will be paid a $0.125 dividend. This represents a $0.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.19%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 13th. Vistra Energy’s payout ratio is presently -2,500.00%.
About Vistra Energy
Vistra Energy Corp., through its subsidiaries, engages in the integrated power business in Texas. The company operates through Wholesale Generation and Retail Electricity segments. The Wholesale Generation segment engages in the electricity generation, wholesale energy sales and purchases, commodity risk management, fuel production, and fuel logistics management activities.
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