COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
AQN vs VST
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. AQN scored 50.6, VST scored 73.8 — VST leads.
Compare another set
Different reporting periods. VST's fundamentals are as of June 2026, but AQN's are as of December 2025 — a 6-month gap. Growth, margin and valuation figures below therefore describe different windows and aren't strictly like-for-like.
AQN
Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp.
50.6
$5.70 · $4.4B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
23.2
VST leads
VST
Vistra Corp.
73.8
$136.21 · $45.7B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- Fastest growthVST+18.6%
- Strongest balance sheetAQN1.34
- Highest qualityVST65 / 100
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
AQN
stronger →← stronger
VST
33
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
65
65
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
88
60
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
70
VST is stronger on 3 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
AQN
VST
-$178mF
FCF
$2.3bB
+4.9%C+
Rev
+18.6%B+
1.34B
D/E
3.73D
1.8xB+
P/S
—
1.72C+
PEG
0.41A
—
P/E
23.0xC+
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
AQN
VST
—
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
17% above
—
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~19%/yr
—
1-yr DCF upside
-34%
—
5-yr DCF upside
-14%
—
10-yr DCF upside
+25%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
AQN
Why this score
- Diluting shareholders
- Cut its dividend
VST
No notable signals flagged.
The companies
AQNAlgonquin Power & Utilities Corp.
Why now
Utilities - Diversified · market cap $4.4b. 20% off the 52-week high of $7.11. 10 sell-side analysts rate this a Hold with a mean 1-yr target of $6.75 (implying +18% upside).
Moat
Higher-variance name — the moat signals on the quantitative card are modest, so the durability case rests on execution (turning current growth into durable earnings power) or an un-monetized asset (IP / network effects / first-mover position) rather than an entrenched competitive position.
Risk
Free cash flow is negative (-$178m) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Dividend payout 108% of earnings on a 4.5% yield — distribution coverage is thin; one earnings stumble could force a dividend cut. ROE 4% is below the long-run sustainable threshold of ~10% — capital efficiency would need to improve for the equity base to compound at the market rate.
VSTVistra Corp.
Why now
Utilities - Independent Power Producers · market cap $45.7b. Down 38% from 52-week high of $219.82 — deep drawdown territory. Revenue growing +19%, comfortably above the S&P median. PEG 0.41 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 18 sell-side analysts rate this a Strong Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $219.72 (implying +61% upside).
Moat
ROE 40% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which. FCF converts 102% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
D/E 3.73 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Down 38% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up. Beta 1.43 implies above-market volatility — position-size to the drawdowns this name will produce in a market correction, not to its bull-case return.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Where AQN and VST diverge
On the headline score the gap is 23.2 points in favor of VST. The widest single difference is Quality, where VST leads by 31.3 points.
- QualityAQN 33.5 · VST 64.8VST +31.3
- GrowthAQN 64.9 · VST 88.3VST +23.4
- ValueAQN 59.6 · VST 70.2VST +10.6
Pillars run 0–100 against sector peers, so a score is a statement about a company relative to its own industry rather than to the other name here. A wide Value gap usually means the market already prices the difference in quality or growth — which is the trade-off this comparison comes down to.