Vistra Slides to 155th in Trading Activity as Daily Volume Plummets 23.37% on 0.20% Drop

Vistra (VST) closed on August 25 with a 0.20% decline, trading at a daily volume of $0.51 billion, a 23.37% drop from the previous day. This performance positioned it at rank 155 in terms of trading activity among listed stocks.

Analysts remain optimistic about Vistra’s long-term trajectory, with a "Strong Buy" consensus from 15 analysts, including 12 "Strong Buy" and three "Hold" ratings. Morgan Stanley recently raised its price target to $207, reflecting an 8.7% upside potential. The mean analyst target of $224.86 implies an 18.1% premium to current levels, while the highest target of $295 signals a 54.9% potential gain.

Institutional investors have significantly increased their stakes in Vistra during the first quarter. Jump Financial LLC boosted its holdings by 2,963.9%, owning 283,591 shares valued at $33.3 million. Other firms, including HM Payson & Co. and Ameriflex Group Inc., also added to their positions, contributing to Vistra’s 90.88% institutional ownership. However, insiders sold a total of 110,000 shares worth $18.58 million in the last quarter, reducing their ownership to 1.42%.

Vistra’s strategic focus on the U.S. energy transition has driven its outperformance relative to broader markets and utility ETFs. The company’s diversified portfolio of renewables, gas, and storage assets, alongside its acquisition of natural gas facilities, positions it to meet rising demand from AI data centers. Despite a mixed earnings history—missing estimates in the latest quarter with $1.01 EPS versus $1.63 expected—its long-term growth narrative remains intact.

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