It didn't take long for shares of Texas-based power generation firm Vistra (NYSE:VST) to make new highs again after its spring and summer breather.
The gains keep coming for shares of independent power producer Vistra Corp. (VST), which jumped more than 5% on Thursday to notch one of the best performances in the S&P 500 and set a new record closing high.
Vistra stock has been on a tear this year, rising nearly 250%.
As of October 3, 2024, Vistra Corp's stock price has reached its new all-time high. This spike is contributed by several factors, including its strong financial performance and higher demand for energy linked to its nuclear power assets.
The market is getting excited about the prospect of nuclear-powered energy.
Shares of Vistra Corp (VST, Financial) surged 3.55% in mid-day trading on Oct 2. The stock reached an intraday high of $127.02, before settling at $126.90, up from its previous close of $122.55.
This energy stock has tripled in 2024 so far, comfortably outperforming every other stock in the S&P 500 including Nvidia.
Independent power producers like Vistra, Constellation, and Talen Energy have seen massive stock price increases due to surging capacity clearing prices. The broken market equilibrium has led to unusually high prices, benefiting IPPs with increased earnings and favorable forward multiples. GE Vernova, as a key supplier, stands to gain from the demand for power infrastructure, offering a longer-term growth outlook beyond 2028.
Nvidia was No. 1 in 2023 and led S&P 500 stocks for most of 2024, but another AI player has seized the crown.
Should you bet on the S&P 500's top-performing stock in 2024?
Key Points: VST is the top-performing S&P 500 stock, outperforming Nvidia.
Strong ongoing growth in electricity demand from data centers and AI applications encourages a positive outlook for electricity generators. Recent deals with Microsoft and a nuclear power generator imply that the pricing of nuclear-powered energy for data centers has upside potential.