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PPL vs. VST: PPL vs. Vistra Stock Comparison

How do PPL (PPL) 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

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

Company profile comparison for PPL (PPL) and Vistra (VST)
Profile ItemPPLVST
NamePPL CorporationVistra Corp.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesIndependent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesIndependent Power Producers & Energy Traders
Market Capitalization26.94 billion USD42.31 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980October 5, 2016
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

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

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for PPL (PPL) and Vistra (VST)
MetricPPLVST
Total Return (1Y)1.73%-30.09%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)16.47%57.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.32%49.55%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PPL
VST
GSPC
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PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) is defensive at 0.54 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for PPL (PPL) and Vistra (VST)
MetricPPLVST
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.30%53.39%
Beta (5Y)0.541.38
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.73%-48.80%
Avg. Volume (3M)7.63M5.98M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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PPL 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 PPL (PPL) and Vistra (VST)
MetricPPLVST
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.14-0.64
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.19-0.86

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: PPL (PPL) earns 8.63% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Vistra (VST) has no ROE this period.

PPL

Utilities industry group

8.63%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
PPL
8.63%
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Vistra (VST): VST does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; PPL is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both PPL (PPL) at 13.47% 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

13.47%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
PPL
13.47%
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both PPL (PPL) at 23.59% and Vistra (VST) at 31.12% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

PPL

Utilities industry group

23.59%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
PPL
23.59%
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for PPL (PPL) and Vistra (VST)
MetricPPLVST
ROE (TTM)8.63%--
ROA (TTM)3.20%--
Net Margin (TTM)13.47%13.15%
Operating Margin (TTM)23.59%31.12%
Gross Margin (TTM)44.09%41.52%

Growth

Revenue Growth

PPL (PPL) at 6.85% 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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PPL (PPL) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

PPL (PPL) at 32.50% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Vistra (VST) at -69.98% falls below its industry range — a large difference in per-share earnings trajectories.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for PPL (PPL) and Vistra (VST)
MetricPPLVST
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.85%2.98%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.59%8.92%
EPS Growth (YoY)32.50%-69.98%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)15.95%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: PPL (PPL) shows current ratio of 0.91 against its industry benchmark, while Vistra (VST) has no reading this period.

PPL

Utilities industry group

0.91

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
PPL
0.91
Median
0.88
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Vistra (VST): VST does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; PPL is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

PPL (PPL) at 1.35 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

1.35

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
PPL
1.35
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
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PPL (PPL) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for PPL (PPL) and Vistra (VST)
MetricPPLVST
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.91--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.353.73
Net Debt / EBITDA5.33--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

PPL (PPL) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Vistra (VST) reports a yield of 0.20%, ranking against industry peers normally.

PPL

Utilities industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

PPL (PPL) at 65.98% 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

65.98%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
PPL
65.98%
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%
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PPL (PPL) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for PPL (PPL) and Vistra (VST)
MetricPPLVST
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.20%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)65.98%15.35%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both PPL (PPL) at 20.57 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

20.57

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
PPL
20.57
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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PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) at 2.87 and Vistra (VST) at 2.05 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

PPL

Utilities industry group

2.87

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
PPL
2.87
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

PPL (PPL) at 1.81 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

1.81

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
PPL
1.81
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for PPL (PPL) and Vistra (VST)
MetricPPLVST
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.5716.80
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.872.05
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.8116.10
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-7.19%--