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Vistra Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income moved from loss to profit: Net income was $1,029 million, against a $268 million loss a year earlier. Management attributed the increase mainly to unrealized mark-to-market gains on derivative positions. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose $254 million: Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA was $1,494 million, up from $1,240 million, on higher realized energy and capacity prices and three months of Lotus plant contribution. Source
  • Retail earnings fell on mild weather: Retail Adjusted EBITDA was $68 million, down from $184 million. The company attributed the decline to unfavorable results primarily driven by mild weather. Source
  • Hedging program supports guidance ranges: Management said the comprehensive hedging program supports the reaffirmed 2026 guidance ranges and the 2027 midpoint range. Source
  • Cogentrix acquisition pending: Vistra plans to acquire the 5,500-MW Cogentrix natural gas generation portfolio, and the deal remains pending. Source
  • Meta agreements signed at PJM sites: Long-term power purchase agreements with Meta were signed at PJM nuclear sites, following the Cogentrix announcement early in the year. Source

“Vistra had an exciting start to 2026, powered by the talent of our people, the capabilities of our generation portfolio, our commitment to our customers, and our ability to grow strategically,”

Jim Burke, president and CEO of Vistra

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA Source2026$6,800 - $7,600 millionKept
Ongoing Operations Adjusted FCFbG Source2026$3,925 - $4,725 millionKept
2027 Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA midpoint range Source2027$7.4 billion to $7.8 billionKept
Capital expenditures including nuclear fuel and LTSA prepayments Source2026$1,536 millionKept
Share repurchase authorization remaining SourceThrough year end 2027~$1.5 billion remainingKept
Hedged share of expected generation volumes Source2026, 2027 and 202898% (2026), 89% (2027), 65% (2028)

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: 2026 Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted FCFbG ranges reaffirmed, unchanged from the prior release. Source
  • Guidance kept: 2027 Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA midpoint range carried forward as previously announced. Source
  • New: Fitch upgraded the corporate issuer credit rating to Investment Grade, the second major rating agency to do so. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net income moved from loss to profit: Net income was $1,029 million, against a $268 million loss a year earlier. Management attributed the increase mainly to unrealized mark-to-market gains on derivative positions. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose $254 million: Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA was $1,494 million, up from $1,240 million, on higher realized energy and capacity prices and three months of Lotus plant contribution. Source
  • Revenue and fuel costs both rose: Operating revenues were $5,640 million against $3,933 million. Fuel, purchased power costs, and delivery fees were $2,530 million, up from $2,447 million. Source
  • Operating income turned positive: Operating income was $1,499 million, compared with an operating loss of $120 million a year earlier. Other deductions, net were $24 million. Source

Segments and regions

  • Retail earnings fell on mild weather: Retail Adjusted EBITDA was $68 million, down from $184 million. The company attributed the decline to unfavorable results primarily driven by mild weather. Source
  • Texas segment earnings rose: Texas Adjusted EBITDA was $586 million, up from $490 million. Source
  • East segment earnings rose most: East Adjusted EBITDA was $801 million, up from $514 million, the largest year-over-year increase among the segments. Source
  • West, corporate and Asset Closure: West Adjusted EBITDA was $56 million, against $62 million. Corporate and Other was $(17) million and Asset Closure $(19) million. Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA was $1,475 million. Source

“Finally, Fitch's recent upgrade of our corporate credit rating to Investment Grade, following S&P's action last year, reflects the progress we’ve made in strengthening our balance sheet and providing visibility into the longer-term earnings power of the company.”

Jim Burke, president and CEO of Vistra

Hedging and demand

  • Unrealized hedge gain of $723 million: GAAP net income included an unrealized gain from hedges expected to settle in future years of $723 million. Source
  • Hedging program supports guidance ranges: Management said the comprehensive hedging program supports the reaffirmed 2026 guidance ranges and the 2027 midpoint range. Source
  • Dispatchable fleet seen as essential: Management said a large, diversified, and dispatchable generation fleet is essential in meeting demand and supporting market reliability. Source

Costs and margins

  • Operating and SG&A costs rose: Operating costs were $700 million, up from $693 million, and SG&A expenses were $427 million, up from $391 million. Depreciation and amortization fell to $484 million from $522 million. Source
  • Interest expense fell year over year: Interest expense and related charges were $263 million, against $319 million. Income tax was an expense of $183 million, compared with a benefit of $176 million. Source

Cash, capital and liquidity

  • Operating cash flow rose: Cash provided by operating activities was $1,199 million, against $599 million. Capital expenditures, including nuclear fuel and LTSA prepayments, were $883 million, against $768 million. Source
  • Liquidity at quarter end: Total available liquidity was about $4,173 million, including $634 million of cash and $2,126 million of corporate revolver availability. Source
  • Commodity facility availability limited: Commodity-linked facility borrowing base was $1,413 million. The company excluded $337 million of commitments that were not available to be drawn at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Debt issued and facilities repaid: Debt issuance was $2,250 million. Repayments included $1,420 million under the commodity-linked facility and $530 million under the revolving credit facility. Source

Share repurchases and dividends

  • Buybacks continue since 2021: Stock repurchases were $372 million in the quarter. About 337 million shares were outstanding, a reduction of about 30% since November 2, 2021. Source
  • Common and preferred dividends paid: Dividends paid to common stockholders were $77 million and to preferred stockholders $21 million in the quarter. Source
  • Equity award tax withholding rose: Tax withholding on stock-based compensation was $69 million, up from $50 million. Source

Credit rating and balance sheet

  • Balance sheet progress cited: Management said the Fitch action reflects progress in strengthening the balance sheet and visibility into longer-term earnings power, following the S&P action last year. Source

Growth projects and deals

  • Cogentrix acquisition pending: Vistra plans to acquire the 5,500-MW Cogentrix natural gas generation portfolio, and the deal remains pending. Source
  • Meta agreements signed at PJM sites: Long-term power purchase agreements with Meta were signed at PJM nuclear sites, following the Cogentrix announcement early in the year. Source
  • Lotus plants contributing: Three months of contribution from the plants acquired in the Lotus acquisition added to the quarter's Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Guidance excludes both deals: The 2026 ranges exclude any benefit from the pending Cogentrix acquisition and the recently signed Meta agreements. Source

Coming up, as management said on 7 May 2026

  • Cogentrix closing targeted for second half: Management said it continues to target closing the Cogentrix acquisition in the second half of the year. The prior release said mid-to-late 2026. Source
  • Meta agreements begin contributing in 2027: Part of the Meta power purchase agreements is expected to begin contributing to Adjusted EBITDA in 2027. Source
  • Fleet readied for summer months: Management said it remains focused on operational execution and on preparing the fleet for the upcoming summer months. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Capital plan Source2026 capital expenditures guidance of $1,536 million
Load growth SourceDescribed qualitatively across primary markets; no figure given

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management described an extended period of volatile weather, including Winter Storm Fern, that the fleet operated through during the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The 2026 Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted FCFbG ranges were reaffirmed, unchanged from the prior release. Source
  • Not stated: The 2027 range was described as previously announced and carried forward unchanged. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it continues to target a second-half closing, after the prior release gave a mid-to-late 2026 expectation. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.