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ATO vs. VST: Atmos Energy vs. Vistra Stock Comparison

How do Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but ATO is classified in Gas Utilities while VST is classified in Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers.

Company profile comparison for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST)
Profile ItemATOVST
NameAtmos Energy CorporationVistra Corp.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryGas UtilitiesIndependent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers
GICS Sub-IndustryGas UtilitiesIndependent Power Producers & Energy Traders
Market Capitalization29.27 billion USD42.31 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 28, 1983October 5, 2016
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ATO
VST
GSPC
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST)
MetricATOVST
Total Return (1Y)0.43%-30.09%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.83%57.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.10%49.55%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ATO
VST
GSPC
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Vistra (VST) has an aggressive beta of 1.38, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Atmos Energy (ATO) is defensive at 0.55 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST)
MetricATOVST
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)16.06%53.39%
Beta (5Y)0.551.38
Max Drawdown (5Y)-19.08%-48.80%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.03M5.98M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ATO and VST are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST)
MetricATOVST
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.24-0.64
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.34-0.86

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Atmos Energy (ATO) earns 9.79% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Vistra (VST) has no ROE this period.

ATO

Utilities industry group

9.79%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
ATO
9.79%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

VST

Utilities industry group

--

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
VST
--
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): VST does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; ATO is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 28.50% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Vistra (VST) at 13.15%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ATO

Utilities industry group

28.50%

Max
28.78%
ATO
28.50%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

VST

Utilities industry group

13.15%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
VST
13.15%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 37.22% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Vistra (VST) at 31.12%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ATO

Utilities industry group

37.22%

Max
53.83%
ATO
37.22%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

VST

Utilities industry group

31.12%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
VST
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST)
MetricATOVST
ROE (TTM)9.79%--
ROA (TTM)3.89%--
Net Margin (TTM)28.50%13.15%
Operating Margin (TTM)37.22%31.12%
Gross Margin (TTM)62.21%41.52%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 12.91% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Vistra (VST) at 2.98% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 9.22% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Vistra (VST) at -69.98% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.

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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST)
MetricATOVST
Revenue Growth (YoY)12.91%2.98%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.83%8.92%
EPS Growth (YoY)9.22%-69.98%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)10.03%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: Atmos Energy (ATO) shows current ratio of 0.81 against its industry benchmark, while Vistra (VST) has no reading this period.

ATO

Utilities industry group

0.81

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
ATO
0.81
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29

VST

Utilities industry group

--

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
VST
--
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): VST does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; ATO is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 0.68 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while Vistra (VST) at 3.73 is above its industry debt-to-equity ratio range.

ATO

Utilities industry group

0.68

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
ATO
0.68
Min
0.00

VST

Utilities industry group

3.73

VST
3.73
Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST)
MetricATOVST
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.81--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.683.73
Net Debt / EBITDA3.74--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 2.21% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while Vistra (VST) at 0.20% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

ATO

Utilities industry group

2.21%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
ATO
2.21%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

VST

Utilities industry group

0.20%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
VST
0.20%
Min
0.00%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 46.13% keeps its payout within the industry’s typical band; Vistra (VST) at 15.35% pays out less than peers usually do, retaining more of its earnings — a policy difference more than a quality gap.

ATO

Utilities industry group

46.13%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
ATO
46.13%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

VST

Utilities industry group

15.35%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
VST
15.35%
Min
0.00%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST)
MetricATOVST
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.21%0.20%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)46.13%15.35%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 20.65 and Vistra (VST) at 16.80 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

ATO

Utilities industry group

20.65

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
ATO
20.65
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

VST

Utilities industry group

16.80

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
VST
16.80
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Vistra (VST) at 2.05 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Atmos Energy (ATO) at 5.95 sits in the pricier quartile — ATO costs more per dollar of sales.

ATO

Utilities industry group

5.95

Max
6.35
ATO
5.95
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

VST

Utilities industry group

2.05

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
VST
2.05
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 1.92 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Vistra (VST) at 16.10 prices above its benchmark range — VST looks rich relative to book.

ATO

Utilities industry group

1.92

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
ATO
1.92
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

VST

Utilities industry group

16.10

VST
16.10
Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and Vistra (VST)
MetricATOVST
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.6516.80
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.952.05
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.9216.10
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-7.59%--