Evaluating VST Stock's Actual Performance

Core Viewpoint - Vistra Corp. has gained attention due to its acquisitions of nuclear power plants and expansion of solar farms, yet its stock performance has shown mixed results for investors over different time frames [1]. Short-Term Performance - Over the past year, Vistra's share price has underperformed compared to the broader market, with a current one-year gain of 15.2%, which increases to 15.8% when including a low dividend yield of 0.5% [3]. - In contrast, the S&P 500 has returned 13.3% for the year, indicating that Vistra shareholders are slightly ahead by 1.9 percentage points without dividends and 1.1 percentage points with dividends [4]. Medium-Term Performance - The three-year return for Vistra stock is significantly higher, with a massive 640% gain without dividends and 678% on a total return basis, outperforming the market's 68.2% return [4][5]. - The remarkable performance in 2024, where the stock surged by 257.9%, has greatly influenced these returns [4]. Long-Term Performance - Over the last five years, Vistra has shown consistent improvement, with an 846% absolute gain and a 958% total return for shareholders who invested in December 2020, far exceeding the S&P 500's 87% absolute and 101% total returns during the same period [6].