Analyst's Disclosure - The analyst has no current stock, option, or derivative positions in the mentioned companies but may initiate a beneficial Long position in VST and TLN within the next 72 hours [1] - The article reflects the analyst's personal opinions and is not influenced by compensation or business relationships with the mentioned companies [1] Seeking Alpha's Disclosure - Past performance does not guarantee future results, and no specific investment recommendations are provided [2] - The views expressed may not represent those of Seeking Alpha, and the platform is not a licensed securities dealer, broker, or investment adviser [2] - Analysts contributing to Seeking Alpha include both professional and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by regulatory bodies [2]

Core Insights - The 2024 Energy Leadership Awards recognize five companies for their achievements in energy management, innovation, engagement, sustainability, and community [1][2] Group 1: Leadership in Energy Management - United Dairy Farmers (UDF) has been recognized for its commitment to energy management, having implemented significant energy efficiency upgrades that resulted in a 75% reduction in power usage and $50,000 in maintenance cost savings [3] Group 2: Leadership in Innovation - Logoplaste is acknowledged for its innovative practices in the packaging industry, focusing on sustainability and aiming for 100% bottle-to-bottle lifecycles [4][5] - The company utilized $14,000 from Dynegy's Greenback Rebate program to enhance its process cooling system, contributing to energy efficiency improvements [6] Group 3: Leadership in Engagement - The Peoria Civic Center is recognized for its community engagement and sustainability efforts, including a $45 million renovation project supported by local government [7] - Dynegy has supported the Civic Center's beautification efforts through tree donations and energy efficiency initiatives, with a comprehensive survey covering its 1 million-square-foot facility [8][9] Group 4: Leadership in Sustainability - Ebara Elliott Energy is noted for its commitment to sustainability, maintaining ISO 14001 certification and purchasing 100% Green-E® certified wind-powered Renewable Energy Certificates [10][11] Group 5: Leadership in Community - Dollar Energy Fund has received recognition for its community support initiatives, including the Cool Down for Warmth program, which has raised over $100,000 to assist vulnerable individuals with energy needs [12][13] - The organization has provided significant contributions to support households facing financial hardships, demonstrating a commitment to community welfare [14]

Growth stocks are attractive to many investors, as above-average financial growth helps these stocks easily grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. But finding a growth stock that can live up to its true potential can be a tough task.That's because, these stocks usually carry above-average risk and volatility. In fact, betting on a stock for which the growth story is actually over or nearing its end could lead to significant loss.However, the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks ...

Investors often turn to recommendations made by Wall Street analysts before making a Buy, Sell, or Hold decision about a stock. While media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm employed (or sell-side) analysts often affect a stock's price, do they really matter?Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Vistra Corp. (VST) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.Vistra currently has an average brokera ...

Core Viewpoint - Vistra Corp. has experienced a significant stock price increase of 65.9% over the past six months, outperforming the Zacks Utility-Electric Power industry, which grew by 9.3%, primarily due to strong retail and commercial operations [1]. Group 1: Financial Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Vistra's earnings per share has risen by 5.53% for 2024 and 9.42% for 2025 in the last 60 days [13]. - Vistra's trailing 12-month return on equity (ROE) stands at 57.63%, significantly higher than the industry average of 10.99% [16]. - The company has repurchased over $4.25 billion in shares since November 2021, leading to a 29% reduction in outstanding shares [14]. Group 2: Operational Strengths - Vistra benefits from strong residential and business results in Texas, Midwest, and Northeast markets, with over 96% commercial availability of fossil generation and more than 98% capacity factor of its nuclear fleet in Q3 [2]. - The demand for clean electricity is increasing in Vistra's service area, driven by the rise of data centers and electrification of oil field operations, particularly in the Permian Basin [9]. - Vistra has hedged 100% of its expected generation volumes for the remainder of 2024, 96% for 2025, and about 64% for 2026, supporting its guidance [10]. Group 3: Market Position and Valuation - Vistra is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 23.55X, which is a premium compared to the industry average of 15.97X and Duke Energy Corporation's P/E of 17.24X [18]. - The company is expanding its clean energy generation portfolio and has received approval to operate its Comanche Peak nuclear plant for an additional 20 years [11]. Group 4: Future Outlook - The company is well-positioned to benefit from the anticipated $1 trillion investment in data centers by major tech companies over the next five years [12]. - Vistra's management continues to focus on increasing shareholder value through share repurchases and dividends, with a quarterly dividend of 22.15 cents reflecting a sequential increase of 0.9% [15]. - The stock is considered deserving of a premium valuation due to its positive earnings outlook and operational strengths [21].

Group 1: Market Overview - U.S. stock markets have continued their upward trend in 2024, following a remarkable rally in 2023, with major indexes reaching all-time highs [2] - Year-to-date performance of major stock indexes: Dow up 17.7%, S&P 500 up 27.6%, and Nasdaq Composite up 33.7% [2] Group 2: Old Economy Stocks Performance - Several old economy stocks have shown significant advancement this year, driven by a favorable Zacks Rank, indicating potential for profits in 2025 [3] - The rally in old economy stocks has been supported by a reduction in inflation rates and aggressive interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve [6] Group 3: Featured Old Economy Stocks - **Vistra Corp. (VST)**: Expected revenue growth of 12.6% and earnings growth of 26.4% for next year, with a stock price increase of 285% year-to-date [10] - **Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. (SFM)**: Anticipates a 7% increase in comparable store sales and 12% net sales growth for 2024, with a stock price increase of 199.7% year-to-date [12] - **MasTec Inc. (MTZ)**: Reported a 32.5% earnings beat and 71.6% year-over-year growth, with an 18-month backlog of $13.86 billion, up 11% year-over-year; stock price increased by 76.7% year-to-date [15] - **Comfort Systems USA Inc. (FIX)**: Expected revenue growth of 7.9% and earnings growth of 20.8% for next year, with a stock price increase of 125% year-to-date [18] - **Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp. (WAB)**: Expected revenue growth of 4.7% and earnings growth of 13.6% for next year, with a stock price appreciation of 59.7% year-to-date [21]

Group 1: Nvidia Financial Performance - Nvidia reported a remarkable 94% year-over-year revenue growth for its fiscal 2025 third quarter, with stock prices up nearly 200% year to date [1] - Despite Nvidia's impressive performance, it is not the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 for 2024, a title currently held by Vistra, which has gained 332% [1][2] Group 2: Vistra's Market Position - Vistra provides residential electricity and owns power generation plants, including nuclear facilities, positioning it to meet the increasing power demands driven by artificial intelligence [2] - Vistra's stock was added to the S&P 500 in May, and historical data suggests that stocks added mid-year still tend to appreciate in value the following year [8] Group 3: Historical Stock Performance Insights - Over the past decade, top-performing stocks in the S&P 500 have included companies like Southwest Airlines, Netflix, Nvidia, and AMD, with many continuing to perform well in the subsequent year [4][5] - Historical analysis indicates that the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 tends to see further gains the following year, with strong underlying business results being a key driver [10][12] Group 4: Future Outlook for Vistra - Vistra is expected to benefit from growing demand for its services due to trends in AI and grid electrification, with a focus on expanding its nuclear power capabilities [11] - The company's history of profitability and returning cash to shareholders supports a positive outlook for its stock performance [11][12]

Core Viewpoint - Vistra Corp. has announced a private offering of $1.25 billion in senior secured notes to refinance existing debt and fund early payments related to the acquisition of Vistra Vision LLC [1][2][3] Group 1: Offering Details - The offering consists of $500 million in senior secured notes due 2026 and $750 million in senior secured notes due 2034, with interest rates of 5.050% and 5.700% respectively [1] - The notes will be secured by a first-priority security interest in collateral pledged for the benefit of lenders under the existing Credit Agreement [1] - The offering is expected to close on December 4, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions [3] Group 2: Use of Proceeds - Proceeds from the offering will be used for general corporate purposes, including refinancing outstanding debt and funding early payments to Avenue Capital Management for the acquisition of Vistra Vision [2][3] - The total obligation to Avenue for the Vistra Vision purchase installment payments is approximately $550 million, which will be extinguished for about $506 million [3][6] Group 3: Company Overview - Vistra Corp. is a leading integrated retail electricity and power generation company, operating a diverse fleet of energy generation facilities [7][8] - The company focuses on reliability, affordability, and sustainability in its operations [7]

Vistra Corp. (VST) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.Shares of this company have returned +10.8% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3% change. The Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, to which Vistra belongs, has lost 0.7% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?While media ...

Core Insights - Vistra (VST) reported third-quarter 2024 earnings of $5.25 per share, significantly exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.24 by 323.4% and increasing 320% from the previous year's figure of $1.25 [1] - Total revenues for the quarter reached $6.29 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.96 billion by 26.7% and reflecting a 53.8% increase from $4.09 billion in the same quarter last year [2] Operational Highlights - Fuel, purchased power costs, and delivery fees amounted to $2.2 billion, up 4.6% from $2.1 billion in the year-ago quarter [3] - Operating costs totaled $616 million, a 49.9% increase from $411 million in the previous year [3] - Selling, general, and administrative expenses were $411 million, up 15.1% from $357 million a year ago [3] - Operating income reached $2.59 billion compared to $0.83 billion in the year-ago quarter [3] Financial Highlights - Interest expenses and related charges were $332 million, compared to $143 million in the prior-year period [4] - Cash and cash equivalents totaled $0.94 billion as of September 30, 2024, down from $3.2 billion a year earlier [5] - Net cash flow from operating activities for the first nine months of 2024 was $3.2 billion, compared to $4.6 billion in the same period last year [5] - Total capital expenditures for the first nine months of 2024 were $1.6 billion, up from $1.3 billion a year ago [5] Guidance - The company lowered its guidance for 2024 ongoing operations adjusted EBITDA to a range of $5.0-$5.2 billion and ongoing operations adjusted Free Cash Flow Before Growth (FCFbG) to $2.65-$2.85 billion [6] - For 2025, ongoing operations adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between $5.5-$6.1 billion and ongoing operations adjusted FCFbG is projected to be in the range of $3.0-$3.6 billion [6] Zacks Rank - Vistra currently holds a Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell) [7]