COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
NI vs VST
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. NI scored 55.7, VST scored 73.8 — VST leads.
Compare another set
NI
NiSource Inc.
55.7
$40.62 · $19.5B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
18.1
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 sheetNI1.47
- Highest qualityVST65 / 100
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
NI
stronger →← stronger
VST
52
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
65
81
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
88
41
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
70
VST is stronger on 3 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
NI
VST
-$1.1bF
FCF
$2.3bB
+17.0%B+
Rev
+18.6%B+
1.47B
D/E
3.73D
1.7xA-
P/S
—
2.37C
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
NI
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
NI
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
VST
No notable signals flagged.
The companies
NINiSource Inc.
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Gas · market cap $19.5b. 17% off the 52-week high of $49.21. Revenue growing +17%, comfortably above the S&P median. 14 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $50.07 (implying +23% 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 (-$1.1b) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Production-cost sensitivity — top-quartile cost producers generate cash through the cycle while marginal producers burn it; watch the cost-per-unit trend, not just headline revenue.
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 NI and VST diverge
On the headline score the gap is 18.1 points in favor of VST. The widest single difference is Value, where VST leads by 29.0 points.
- ValueNI 41.2 · VST 70.2VST +29.0
- QualityNI 51.6 · VST 64.8VST +13.2
- GrowthNI 81.0 · VST 88.3VST +7.3
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.