ES vs. VST: Eversource Energy vs. Vistra Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Eversource Energy (ES) 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

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

Company profile comparison for Eversource Energy (ES) and Vistra (VST)
Profile Item	ES	VST
Name	Eversource Energy	Vistra Corp.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry Group	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry	Electric Utilities	Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers
GICS Sub-Industry	Electric Utilities	Independent Power Producers & Energy Traders
Market Capitalization	26.31 billion USD	42.31 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 21, 1973	October 5, 2016
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

VST

GSPC

Eversource Energy (ES) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) and Vistra (VST). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	ES	VST
Total Return (1Y)	0.35%	-30.09%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	14.06%	57.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	0.61%	49.55%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

VST

GSPC

Eversource Energy (ES) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) is defensive at 0.65 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	ES	VST
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	24.60%	53.39%
Beta (5Y)	0.65	1.38
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-41.69%	-48.80%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.53M	5.98M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

ES 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 Eversource Energy (ES) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	ES	VST
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.16	-0.64
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.20	-0.86

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Neither Eversource Energy (ES) nor Vistra (VST) reports a ROE value for this period, so a direct comparison isn’t possible.

ES

Utilities industry group

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
Median: 9.44%
Q1: 7.56%
Min: 2.17%
ES: --

VST

Utilities industry group

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
Median: 9.44%
Q1: 7.56%
Min: 2.17%
VST: --

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Vistra (VST): Neither stock reports ROE, so the chart shows available benchmark boxes without value markers.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Eversource Energy (ES) at 10.38% and Vistra (VST) at 13.15% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

ES

Utilities industry group

10.38%

Max: 28.78%
Q3: 17.30%
Median: 12.73%
ES: 10.38%
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%

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Eversource Energy (ES) at 21.14% and Vistra (VST) at 31.12% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

ES

Utilities industry group

21.14%

Max: 53.83%
Q3: 31.12%
Median: 23.62%
ES: 21.14%
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%

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	ES	VST
ROE (TTM)	--	--
ROA (TTM)	--	--
Net Margin (TTM)	10.38%	13.15%
Operating Margin (TTM)	21.14%	31.12%
Gross Margin (TTM)	51.63%	41.52%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Eversource Energy (ES) at 13.83% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Vistra (VST) at 2.98% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.

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

EPS Growth

Eversource Energy (ES) at 100.88% sits above its peer range for EPS growth; Vistra (VST) at -69.98% sits below its range, putting their earnings trajectories at opposite ends.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	ES	VST
Revenue Growth (YoY)	13.83%	2.98%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	3.30%	8.92%
EPS Growth (YoY)	100.88%	-69.98%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.03%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Neither Eversource Energy (ES) nor Vistra (VST) reports a current ratio value for this period, so a direct comparison isn’t possible.

ES

Utilities industry group

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
Min: 0.29
ES: --

VST

Utilities industry group

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
Min: 0.29
VST: --

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Vistra (VST): Neither stock reports current ratio, so the chart shows available benchmark boxes without value markers.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but VST is more stretched: Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.81 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and Vistra (VST) at 3.73 is above its industry benchmark range.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.81

Max: 2.63
ES: 1.81
Q3: 1.77
Median: 1.35
Q1: 0.84
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

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	ES	VST
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.81	3.73
Net Debt / EBITDA	5.73	--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 4.33% offers top-quartile income, while Vistra (VST) at 0.20% sits in the bottom quartile — a wide gap in cash returned to shareholders.

ES

Utilities industry group

4.33%

Max: 6.66%
ES: 4.33%
Q3: 3.58%
Median: 2.85%
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%

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Vistra (VST) at 15.35% retains more earnings than its industry usually does; Eversource Energy (ES) at 82.19% distributes an above-typical share — opposite departures from the band, with the risk sitting on ES’s side.

ES

Utilities industry group

82.19%

Max: 113.04%
ES: 82.19%
Q3: 68.72%
Median: 56.38%
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%

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	ES	VST
Dividend Yield (TTM)	4.33%	0.20%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	82.19%	15.35%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Eversource Energy (ES) at 18.43 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.

ES

Utilities industry group

18.43

Max: 31.22
Q3: 23.30
Median: 19.64
ES: 18.43
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

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.91 and Vistra (VST) at 2.05 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.91

Max: 6.35
Q3: 3.63
Median: 2.63
ES: 1.91
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

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.61 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.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.61

Max: 3.12
Q3: 2.21
Median: 1.83
ES: 1.61
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

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	ES	VST
P/E Ratio (TTM)	18.43	16.80
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.91	2.05
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.61	16.10
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	--	--