Dynegy's Stock Soars Report Of Buyout Approach; Analyst Suggests It Could Go a Lot Higher

Shares of Dynegy Inc. shot up 24% toward a three-month high in premarket trade Friday, after The Wall Street Journal reported that the power company was approached by rival Vistra Energy Corp. regarding a potential takeover. Analyst Ali Agha at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey said his analysis derives a $14-per-share net asset value for Dynegy, which would be 93% above Thursday's closing price of $7.26, and would give the company a market capitalization of about $1.84 billion. Agha Vistra buying Dynegy "would make strategic sense" because it would allow Vistra to diversify out of the Texas power market; Dynegy has a relatively small exposure in Texas, implying market power concerns would not be an issue; and because Vistra Chief Executive Curt Morgan used to work at Energy Capital Partners, which is Dynegy's largest shareholder. Dynegy's stock traded at $8.99 about 45 minutes before open, the highest level seen during regular session hours since Feb. 24. The stock had tumbled 14% year to date through Thursday, while Vistra shares had lost 4.5% and the S&P 500 has gained 5.7%.