Vista Energy Lands New $12.7 Million Investor as Stock Rallies — Should You Follow?

On November 14, asset manager VR Advisory Services disclosed a new position in Vista Energy (NYSE:VIST), acquiring 368,652 shares valued at approximately $12.7 million.

What Happened

According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dated November 14, VR Advisory Services initiated a new position in Vista Energy (NYSE:VIST) during the third quarter. The fund reported owning 368,652 shares with a quarter-end market value of $12.7 million. This trade represented 3.1% of the fund’s $412.41 million in reportable U.S. equity holdings.

What Else to Know

This was a new position for the fund, making up 3.1% of reportable AUM after the third quarter

Top five holdings after the filing:

• NASDAQ: KSPI: $88 million (21.3% of AUM)
• NYSE: YPF: $87.6 million (21.2% of AUM)
• NASDAQ: HEPS: $42.9 million (10.4% of AUM)
• NYSE: IRS: $31.4 million (7.6% of AUM)
• NYSE: AL: $23.9 million (5.8% of AUM)

As of Wednesday, shares were priced at $51.97, down approximately 2% over the prior year and well underperforming the S&P 500, which is up 13% in the same period.

Company Overview

Company Snapshot

Vista Energy is a leading independent oil and gas producer in Latin America, with a strategic focus on Argentina's prolific Vaca Muerta formation. Its diversified asset base and customer portfolio support its position in the regional energy sector. The company generates revenue primarily through the sale of crude oil and natural gas, leveraging its portfolio of proved reserves and ongoing development projects. Vista Energy serves a range of customers, including energy distributors, industrial clients, and other entities requiring oil and gas products in Latin America.

Foolish Take

Vista Energy just delivered another quarter of production-driven earnings strength, and a new buyer suggests confidence in the company’s operational momentum rather than a short-term trade. For a fund that concentrates heavily in just a handful of names, a new mid-sized position offers useful insight into how it views Vista’s cash-generating potential even amid commodity volatility. And it's good timing, too, with shares up more than 50% since the end of last quarter.

The addition fits the fund’s pattern of high-conviction bets across emerging-markets energy and infrastructure. Even so, the position sits well below its largest holdings, which include KSPI and YPF at more than 20% each.

Vista’s fundamentals offer context for the move. In the third quarter, revenue rose 53% year over year to $706 million, driven by a 74% jump in total production and strong performance from Vaca Muerta wells. Adjusted EBITDA climbed 52% to $472 million with a 67% margin, and oil production hit nearly 110,000 barrels per day. Despite higher capex and negative free cash flow this quarter, the company maintained solid liquidity with $320 million in cash.

For long-term investors, key questions now revolve around whether Vista can sustain production growth while managing its elevated leverage and heavy spending cycle—and whether rising institutional interest hints at durable upside.

Glossary

Assets Under Management (AUM): The total market value of investments managed by a fund or investment firm.
Reportable Assets: Investments that must be disclosed in regulatory filings, usually above a certain threshold.
Position: The amount of a particular security or asset held by an investor or fund.
Trailing Twelve Months (TTM): The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.
Vaca Muerta: A major shale oil and gas formation in Argentina, known for significant hydrocarbon reserves.
Proved Reserves: Quantities of oil or gas that geological and engineering data demonstrate with reasonable certainty to be recoverable.
Exploration and Production: The process of searching for, extracting, and producing oil and natural gas.
Quarter-End: The last day of a fiscal quarter, used as a reference point for financial reporting.
Independent Producer: An energy company focused on production, not integrated with refining or distribution operations.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Joint Stock Kaspi.kz. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.