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ETN vs. VST: Eaton vs. Vistra Stock Comparison

How do Eaton (ETN) 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

Eaton (ETN) is classified in the Industrials sector (Capital Goods), whereas Vistra (VST) belongs to Utilities (Utilities) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.

Company profile comparison for Eaton (ETN) and Vistra (VST)
Profile ItemETNVST
NameEaton Corporation plcVistra Corp.
Country/RegionIrelandUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsUtilities
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsUtilities
GICS IndustryElectrical EquipmentIndependent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers
GICS Sub-IndustryElectrical Components & EquipmentIndependent Power Producers & Energy Traders
Market Capitalization132.76 billion USD42.31 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 1, 1972October 5, 2016
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ETN
VST
GSPC
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Eaton (ETN) 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 Eaton (ETN) and Vistra (VST). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Vistra (VST)
MetricETNVST
Total Return (1Y)-2.33%-30.09%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.68%57.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)17.50%49.55%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ETN
VST
GSPC
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Eaton (ETN) 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 Eaton (ETN) and Vistra (VST). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Vistra (VST)
MetricETNVST
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)43.57%53.39%
Beta (5Y)1.141.38
Max Drawdown (5Y)-34.46%-48.80%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.32M5.98M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ETN and VST are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. Each dashed Capital Allocation Line uses that stock's own industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Vistra (VST)
MetricETNVST
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.15-0.64
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.21-0.86

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Eaton (ETN) earns 19.55% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Vistra (VST) has no ROE this period.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

19.55%

Max
40.55%
ETN
19.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

VST

Utilities industry group

--

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

Net Margin (TTM)

Eaton (ETN) at 12.18% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Vistra (VST) at 13.15%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

12.18%

Max
27.47%
ETN
12.18%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

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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Eaton (ETN) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Capital Goods and Utilities industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Eaton (ETN) at 17.85% and Vistra (VST) at 31.12% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

17.85%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
ETN
17.85%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

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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Eaton (ETN) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Capital Goods and Utilities industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Vistra (VST)
MetricETNVST
ROE (TTM)19.55%--
ROA (TTM)7.22%--
Net Margin (TTM)12.18%13.15%
Operating Margin (TTM)17.85%31.12%
Gross Margin (TTM)35.16%41.52%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Eaton (ETN) at 10.33% 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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Eaton (ETN) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Eaton (ETN) at 10.00% 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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Eaton (ETN) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Vistra (VST)
MetricETNVST
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.33%2.98%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.77%8.92%
EPS Growth (YoY)10.00%-69.98%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)19.39%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: Eaton (ETN) shows current ratio of 1.23 against its industry benchmark, while Vistra (VST) has no reading this period.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

1.23

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
ETN
1.23
Min
0.36

VST

Utilities industry group

--

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Eaton (ETN) at 1.00 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while Vistra (VST) at 3.73 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

1.00

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
ETN
1.00
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
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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Eaton (ETN) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against their respective Capital Goods and Utilities industry group benchmarks.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Vistra (VST)
MetricETNVST
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.23--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.003.73
Net Debt / EBITDA2.85--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Eaton (ETN) at 1.33% offers top-quartile income, while Vistra (VST) at 0.20% sits in the bottom quartile — a wide gap in cash returned to shareholders.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

1.33%

Max
2.66%
ETN
1.33%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
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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Eaton (ETN) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Capital Goods and Utilities industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Vistra (VST) at 15.35% retains more earnings than its industry usually does; Eaton (ETN) at 43.36% distributes an above-typical share — opposite departures from the band, with the risk sitting on ETN’s side.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

43.36%

Max
67.39%
ETN
43.36%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
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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Eaton (ETN) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Capital Goods and Utilities industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Vistra (VST)
MetricETNVST
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.33%0.20%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)43.36%15.35%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Eaton (ETN) at 34.14 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.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

34.14

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
ETN
34.14
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

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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Eaton (ETN) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Capital Goods and Utilities industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Vistra (VST) at 2.05 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Eaton (ETN) at 4.15 sits in the pricier quartile — ETN costs more per dollar of sales.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

4.15

Max
7.54
ETN
4.15
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

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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Eaton (ETN) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Capital Goods and Utilities industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Eaton (ETN) at 6.33 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Vistra (VST) at 16.10 prices even higher, above its industry range.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

6.33

Max
9.66
ETN
6.33
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

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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Eaton (ETN) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Capital Goods and Utilities industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Vistra (VST)
MetricETNVST
P/E Ratio (TTM)34.1416.80
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.152.05
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.3316.10
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.29%--