The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund has raised its investment in Vistra Corp. (NYSE: VST) by 7.5% during the second quarter of 2023, as reported in a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund now holds a total of 37,798 shares of Vistra, following the acquisition of an additional 2,634 shares, bringing the value of its holdings to approximately $7,326,000.
Institutional interest in Vistra remains strong, with various investors adjusting their stakes. For instance, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings by 0.3% during the first quarter, owning 4,190,462 shares valued at $492,102,000 after purchasing 11,386 shares. Similarly, Northern Trust Corp raised its position by 1.9%, now holding 3,083,842 shares worth $362,166,000 after acquiring 57,358 shares in the same quarter.
Another notable investment comes from Jennison Associates LLC, which boosted its stake by 23.8%, resulting in ownership of 1,712,726 shares valued at $331,943,000. Additionally, UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its shareholding by 8.7%, now owning 1,470,680 shares valued at $172,717,000. Currently, institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 90.88% of Vistra’s stock.
Insider Transactions and Financial Performance
In related news, Vistra’s Chief Executive Officer, James A. Burke, sold 43,074 shares on September 11, 2023, at an average price of $208.75, totaling $8,991,697.50. Following this transaction, Burke holds 217,025 shares valued at around $45,303,968.75, representing a decrease of 16.56% in his position. Over the past three months, insiders have sold 723,910 shares of Vistra stock, valued at $148,086,569, leaving insiders with 1.42% of the total shares.
Vistra recently announced its quarterly earnings, reporting earnings per share (EPS) of $1.75 for the quarter ending November 6, 2023. This figure fell short of analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.78. The company generated revenue of $4.97 billion, significantly below the forecast of $6.60 billion. Vistra recorded a net margin of 6.70% and a return on equity of 64.04%. Analysts project that Vistra will report a total EPS of 7 for the current fiscal year.
Dividend Announcement and Market Performance
Vistra has also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.227 per share, set to be paid on December 31, 2023. Shareholders of record on December 22, 2023, will receive this dividend, which represents an increase from the previous dividend of $0.23. With an annualized dividend yield of 0.5%, the company’s payout ratio currently stands at 32.49%.
As of the latest trading session, Vistra’s stock opened at $178.92, with a market capitalization of $60.62 billion. The company’s price-to-earnings ratio is recorded at 64.59, alongside a PEG ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 1.30. Over the past year, Vistra’s stock has fluctuated between a low of $90.51 and a high of $219.82, with a 50-day simple moving average of $198.88 and a 200-day simple moving average of $186.07.
Vistra Corp. operates as an integrated retail electricity and power generation company, providing services across six segments: Retail, Texas, East, West, Sunset, and Asset Closure. The company serves residential, commercial, and industrial customers in multiple states across the United States and the District of Columbia.
