AEE vs VST Stock Comparison
AEE currently leads VST in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 51 vs 47. The clearest difference is risk resilience, while VST has the stronger quality profile.
What is the main difference between AEE and VST?
AEE leads the current stock comparison as Ameren Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from risk resilience and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Ameren Corporation vs Vistra Corp.
AEE leads
AEE leads by 4 AIQ points, primarily on Risk Resilience and Momentum, having only recently taken the lead back from VST. Wall Street currently favors VST on target upside.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support AEE, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Ameren Corporation
Vistra Corp.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors AEE over VST, 51 versus 47 as of Oct 21, 2026. AEE's advantage is driven primarily by stronger risk resilience and momentum, while VST holds the stronger quality profile. AEE also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors VST. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor AEE today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. AEE lead: Reversed — VST led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; AEE now leads by 4.
Compare Ameren Corporation and Vistra Corp. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare AEE and VST against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Risk Resilience51 vs 30AEE +21
- Momentum74 vs 61AEE +13
- Quality36 vs 46VST +10
- Value47 vs 45Even
3 of 6 evidence groups favor AEE. AEE’s edge is concentrated in risk resilience and momentum; VST keeps a meaningful quality edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum +17
New signals
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
No factor moved materially.
New signals
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
AEE's lead widened by 4 AIQ points in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — AEE and VST both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
AEE (Ameren Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by risk resilience and momentum.
VST (Vistra Corp.): the counter-case, on quality, technicals, analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 59.2% against 18.3%.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
AEEAEE on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
AEEAEE on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
EvenThe two are level on Value.
Momentum
AEEAEE on the Momentum factor, by 13 points.
Lower downside
AEEAEE on Risk Resilience, by 21 points.
Analyst upside
VSTVST on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors AEE, analyst targets favor VST. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | AEE | VST | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +8.9% | +36.5% | VST has more room |
| Target dispersion | +19% | +60.5% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 8 | 13 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Dividend growth
| Dividend metric | AEE | VST |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y dividend CAGR | 7.26% | 10.79% |
| 2020 regular DPS | $2.000 | $0.540 |
| 2025 regular DPS | $2.840 | $0.902 |
| Years increased | 5 | 5 |
| No cut in window | Yes | Yes |
| Cohort rank | #175 | #81 |
VST grew its split-adjusted regular dividend faster over 2020–2025 — 10.79% a year against AEE's 7.26%. Neither company reduced its regular dividend in any year of the window.
Yield and payout ratio shown elsewhere on this page are current values, not part of the study window.
Split-adjusted regular dividends per share, 2020–2025, excluding special dividends. Research as of Sep 19, 2026.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor AEE. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | AEE | 51 vs 47 |
| Fundamentals | AEEon balance | revenue growth -3.9% vs -13.7%; EPS growth -11.6% vs -73.8%; TTM ROE 11.7% vs 41.5%; gross margin 41.1% vs 13%; operating margin 24.9% vs 2.3% — AEE takes 4 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | Even | Value 47 vs 45 |
| Technicals | VST | Price vs 50-day 1.9% vs 7.5%; vs 200-day -1.7% vs -2.7% |
| Risk Resilience | AEE | Risk Resilience 51 vs 30 |
| Analyst expectations | VST | Target upside 8.9% vs 36.5% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of AEE and VST and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on AEE.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20AEE lead: Reversed — VST led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; AEE now leads by 4.
- Today
- AEE +4
- 51 vs 47
- 7 sessions ago
- VST +1
- 48 vs 49
- 30 sessions ago
- VST +1
- 39 vs 40
- 90 sessions ago
- VST +10
- 42 vs 52
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted
Only AEE
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
0 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral
Only VST
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (4.89%)
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
Both carry 1 more signal that do not separate them: Death Cross Active.
AEE leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +0.24%, AIQ +4 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +3.87%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1VST closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 21 points behind, the largest single contributor to AEE's edge.
- 2VST's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3AEE's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
AEE leads on balance| Metric | AEE | VST |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -3.9% | -13.7% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -11.6% | -73.8% |
| Gross margin | 41.1% | 13% |
| Operating margin | 24.9% | 2.3% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 11.7% | 41.5% |
| Debt to equity | 1.59 | 3.63 |
Performance
AEE leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | AEE | VST |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 1.8% | -7.4% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 4.5% | 7.1% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -5.2% | -9.8% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -3.4% | -3% |
| Year to date | 6.4% | -6.8% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 1% | -28.6% |
Technicals
VST has the stronger structure| Metric | AEE | VST |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 74.8 | 58.6 |
| ADX (14) | 26.2 | 17.1 |
| Price vs 50-day | 1.9% | 7.5% |
| Price vs 200-day | -1.7% | -2.7% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 18.3% | 59.2% |
Risk
AEE is the more resilient| Metric | AEE | VST |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | -0.1 | 1.45 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.1 | -0.42 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.15 | -0.61 |
| Max drawdown | -16.2% | -33.1% |
| Current drawdown | -10.2% | -25.4% |
| Annualized volatility | 17.5% | 49.9% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -1.8% | -5.2% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, AEE or VST?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, AEE is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 51 against VST's 47. The edge comes from risk resilience and momentum. VST is not without a case — it holds the better quality profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is AEE or VST the better buy right now?
AEE carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor AEE over VST?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. AEE leads Risk Resilience by 21 points; AEE leads Momentum by 13 points; VST leads Quality by 10 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, AEE or VST?
Analyst price targets imply +8.9% upside for AEE and +36.5% for VST, so the Street currently favors VST. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors AEE. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, AEE or VST?
Neither name separates on the peer-relative Value factor. The two are level on Value. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, AEE or VST?
AEE on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, AEE or VST?
AEE on the Momentum factor, by 13 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, AEE or VST?
AEE is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. AEE on Risk Resilience, by 21 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is AEE more profitable than VST?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 41.1% vs 13%; operating margin 24.9% vs 2.3%; ttm roe 11.7% vs 41.5%. AEE leads on two measures and VST on one measure, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is AEE's lead over VST getting stronger or weaker?
AEE lead: Reversed — VST led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; AEE now leads by 4. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has not changed hands in that window.
What would change the AEE vs VST verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: VST closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 21 points behind, the largest single contributor to AEE's edge; VST's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; AEE's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about AEE and VST?
AEE: 2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted. VST: 0 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on AEE is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On VST it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare AEE and VST with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.