Vistra stock jumps after $4.7 billion Cogentrix buyout bet on AI power demand
New York, Jan 6, 2026, 17:09 EST — After-hours Vistra Corp (VST) shares rose 4.1% to $169.53 in after-hours trading on Tuesday after the power producer agreed to buy Cogentrix Energy for about $4.7 billion, expanding its natural-gas fleet as U.S. power demand climbs. Reuters The acquisition lands as generators move to lock in “dispatchable” supply — plants that can run on demand — for data centers and other large users that need steady power. Jefferies analyst Julien Demoulin-Smith called the portfolio “attractively priced” and said the push into New England “makes abundant sense,” pointing to the region’s capacity market,