PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:PENN) Stock, Quote.Headers.trade-ideas

PENN Entertainment

Penn Entertainment's origins date back to its 1972 racetrack opening in Pennsylvania. Today, Penn operates 43 properties across 20 states and 12 brands, including Hollywood Casino and Ameristar. Land-based casinos represented 89% of total sales in 2023; 11% was from the interactive segment, which includes sports, iGaming, and media revenue. The retail portfolio generates mid-30s EBITDAR margins and helps position the company to obtain licenses for the digital wagering markets. Additionally, Penn's media assets, theScore and ESPN (starting with its partnership launch in November 2023), provide access to sports betting/iGaming technology and clientele, helping it form a leading digital position.

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VIRC

Virco Manufacturing Corporation (NASDAQ: VIRC) reported mixed second-quarter fiscal 2024 (ended July 31, 2024) results, wherein earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate but sales missed the same. Following the results, the company&#39;s shares lost 9.3% on Sept. 09.

Virco&#39;s Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates, Revenues Miss, Stock Falls

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Shares of PENN Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: PENN) have moved down 28.5% year to date against the Zacks Gaming industry&#39;s 7.3% growth and the S&amp;P 500&#39;s rise of 19.6%.

PENN Entertainment Stock Falls 29% YTD: Buy the Dip or Wait?

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Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust 7 3/8 % Cum Red Perp Pfd Shs Series -B-

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PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust 8.125% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust Common Shares of Beneficial Interest

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust 8.50% Senior Notes due 2028

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — People began betting on which political party would win control of Congress in the November elections within minutes of a judge's ruling Thursday allowing the bets — the only ones to be legally approved by a U.S. jurisdiction.
 <a href="https://apnews.com/article/betting-on-elections-kalshi-gambling-trump-harris-882f1e6e4f434f0e6ac6e5985a5583ce" title="https://apnews.com/article/betting-on-elections-kalshi-gambling-trump-harris-882f1e6e4f434f0e6ac6e5985a5583ce">https://apnews.com/article/betting-on-elections-kalshi-gambling-trump-harris-882f1e6e4f434f0e6ac6e5985a5583ce</a>

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Virco Manufacturing Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/virc#NASDAQ">VIRC</a>) reported mixed second-quarter fiscal 2024 (ended July 31, 2024) results, wherein earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate but sales missed the same. Following the results, the company&#39;s shares lost 9.3% on Sept. 09.
On a year-over-year basis, the top and the bottom lines increased. This was primarily driven by higher factory output and improved operating efficiencies. A large counter-seasonal disaster recovery order also contributed to the positive results. This order is now blending into the company&#39;s usual seasonal delivery pattern, which peaks during the second and third quarters when schools are closed.
Although order rates declined slightly with the progress of summer, Shipments plus Backlog remained higher compared to last year. The company is confident in its ability to adapt to these changes. Its strong financial position supports the ongoing investments in new manufacturing equipment and service expansions. VIRC is well-positioned to seize unexpected opportunities as the market adjusts to a new post-pandemic phase.
Going forward, the company aims to seek potential acquisition opportunities to expand and strengthen its current business capabilities. Also, along with driving its prospects, Virco expects to add shareholder value through quarterly dividends and share repurchases.
<h2>Delving Deeper</h2>
The company reported adjusted earnings of $1.04 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.00 by 4%. In the last reported quarter, it reported adjusted earnings of 95 cents per share.
<div class="chart_embed">
<h3>Virco Manufacturing Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise</h3>
<img alt="Virco Manufacturing Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/charts/b9/1725964901.png" style="height:265px; width:577px" title="" />
Virco Manufacturing Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Virco Manufacturing Corporation Quote
Net sales of $108.4 million missed the consensus mark of $115.9 million by 6.5% but grew 1% from the prior-year quarter&#39;s level.
</div>
<h2>Operating Highlights</h2>
During the fiscal second quarter, Virco&#39;s gross profit increased 3.4% year over year to $50.2 million. The gross margin expanded 100 basis points (bps) to 46.3% from 45.3% a year ago.
Selling, general and administrative expenses, as a percentage of sales, increased 60 bps to 26.1% from 25.5% reported a year ago. The uptick in operating expenses stemmed from a modest increase in full-service orders and the associated installation costs.
The company reported an operating profit of $21.9 million compared with $21.2 million in the prior-year quarter.
<h2>Financials</h2>
At the end of the fiscal second-quarter, Virco had cash of $0.8 million, down from $5.3 million at fiscal 2023-end. As of July 31, long-term debt (less current portion) was $4 million, slightly down from $4.1 million at fiscal 2023-end.
At the end of second-quarter fiscal 2024, the company&#39;s inventory came in at $58.6 million, slightly up from $58.4 million in the year-ago period.
<h2>VIRC&#39;s Zacks Rank</h2>
Virco currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
<h2>Recent Consumer Discretionary Releases</h2>
PENN Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/penn#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) reported a narrower-than-expected loss in second-quarter 2024. The company&#39;s bottom and top lines surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate but declined on a year-over-year basis. PENN&#39;s quarterly results were hampered by disappointing performances of its South and Interactive segments.
However, top-of-funnel growth improvement, better risk management and enhanced promotional strategies led to stronger-than-expected revenues and adjusted EBITDA in the Interactive segment. PENN continues to focus on database growth and customer engagement through the use of latest technology, ongoing investments in gaming and non-gaming areas and partnerships in food and beverage.
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/chh#NYSE">CHH</a>) delivered drab second-quarter 2024 results, with adjusted earnings and revenues missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Nevertheless, both metrics increased on a year-over-year basis.
The results were backed by strong demand trends across the company&#39;s diversified portfolio of brands. This uptrend in demand aided in accelerating global hotel openings, expanding international market reach and increasing the size of its reward program. CHH&#39;s versatile business model and accretive growth strategies ensure the support required to foster its growth trends.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/hlt#NYSE">HLT</a>) reported mixed second-quarter 2024 results, with earnings beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate but revenues missing the same. Both metrics increased year over year.
The company&#39;s performance was backed by notable improvements in revenue per available room, attributed to higher occupancy rates and average daily rates. As of June 30, 2024, Hilton&#39;s development pipeline comprised nearly 3,370 hotels, with almost 508,300 rooms across 136 countries and territories. For 2024, HLT expects net unit growth to be in the range of 7-7.5%.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2334038/virco-s-q2-earnings-beat-estimates-revenues-miss-stock-falls?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|earnings_article-2334038">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Virco's Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates, Revenues Miss, Stock Falls

PENN Entertainment's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NYSE">PENN</a>) short percent of float has fallen 8.03% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 22.23 million shares sold short, which is 16.49% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 6.26 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>PENN Entertainment Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1725631222_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for PENN Entertainment has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing PENN Entertainment's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, PENN Entertainment's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 3.96%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

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How Is The Market Feeling About PENN Entertainment?

Throughout the last three months, 11 analysts have evaluated PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>), offering a diverse set of opinions from bullish to bearish.
The table below summarizes their recent ratings, showcasing the evolving sentiments within the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Indifferent</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">3</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The 12-month price targets, analyzed by analysts, offer insights with an average target of $23.91, a high estimate of $30.00, and a low estimate of $20.00. Observing a 6.5% increase, the current average has risen from the previous average price target of $22.45. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1725458421_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Exploring Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Overview</h2>
An in-depth analysis of recent analyst actions unveils how financial experts perceive PENN Entertainment. The following summary outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Stephen Grambling</td>
<td>Morgan Stanley</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$21.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chad Beynon</td>
<td>Macquarie</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Carlo Santarelli</td>
<td>Deutsche Bank</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$18.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brandt Montour</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$23.00</td>
<td>$22.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Steven Wieczynski</td>
<td>Stifel</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$19.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bernie McTernan</td>
<td>Needham</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bernie McTernan</td>
<td>Needham</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dara Mohsenian</td>
<td>Morgan Stanley</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$21.00</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Joseph Moore</td>
<td>Susquehanna</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Positive</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ryan Sigdahl</td>
<td>Craig-Hallum</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$30.00</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Barry Jonas</td>
<td>Truist Securities</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$25.00</td>
<td>$23.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Analysts adapt their recommendations to changing market conditions and company performance. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their response to recent developments related to PENN Entertainment. This information provides a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Gaining insights, analysts provide qualitative assessments, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings reflect expectations for the relative performance of PENN Entertainment compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Understanding forecasts, analysts offer estimates for PENN Entertainment's future value. Examining the current and prior targets provides insight into analysts' changing expectations.</li>
</ul>
Considering these analyst evaluations in conjunction with other financial indicators can offer a comprehensive understanding of PENN Entertainment's market position. Stay informed and make well-informed decisions with our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PENN/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on PENN Entertainment analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>About PENN Entertainment</h2>
Penn Entertainment's origins date back to its 1972 racetrack opening in Pennsylvania. Today, Penn operates 43 properties across 20 states and 12 brands, including Hollywood Casino and Ameristar. Land-based casinos represented 89% of total sales in 2023; 11% was from the interactive segment, which includes sports, iGaming, and media revenue. The retail portfolio generates mid-30s EBITDAR margins and helps position the company to obtain licenses for the digital wagering markets. Additionally, Penn's media assets, theScore and ESPN (starting with its partnership launch in November 2023), provide access to sports betting/iGaming technology and clientele, helping it form a leading digital position.
<h3>Financial Insights: PENN Entertainment</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: Below industry benchmarks, the company's market capitalization reflects a smaller scale relative to peers. This could be attributed to factors such as growth expectations or operational capacity.
Decline in Revenue: Over the 3 months period, PENN Entertainment faced challenges, resulting in a decline of approximately -0.7% in revenue growth as of 30 June, 2024. This signifies a reduction in the company's top-line earnings. As compared to its peers, the revenue growth lags behind its industry peers. The company achieved a growth rate lower than the average among peers in Consumer Discretionary sector.
Net Margin: PENN Entertainment's net margin is below industry averages, indicating potential challenges in maintaining strong profitability. With a net margin of -1.63%, the company may face hurdles in effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): PENN Entertainment's ROE is below industry averages, indicating potential challenges in efficiently utilizing equity capital. With an ROE of -0.88%, the company may face hurdles in achieving optimal financial returns.
Return on Assets (ROA): PENN Entertainment's ROA lags behind industry averages, suggesting challenges in maximizing returns from its assets. With an ROA of -0.17%, the company may face hurdles in achieving optimal financial performance.
Debt Management: With a below-average debt-to-equity ratio of 3.73, PENN Entertainment adopts a prudent financial strategy, indicating a balanced approach to debt management.
<h2>How Are Analyst Ratings Determined?</h2>
Benzinga tracks 150 analyst firms and reports on their stock expectations. Analysts typically arrive at their conclusions by predicting how much money a company will make in the future, usually the upcoming five years, and how risky or predictable that company's revenue streams are.
Analysts attend company conference calls and meetings, research company financial statements, and communicate with insiders to publish their ratings on stocks. Analysts typically rate each stock once per quarter or whenever the company has a major update.
Some analysts publish their predictions for metrics such as growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide additional guidance with their ratings. When using analyst ratings, it is important to keep in mind that stock and sector analysts are also human and are only offering their opinions to investors.
If you want to keep track of which analysts are outperforming others, you can view updated analyst ratings along withanalyst success scores in <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Key Takeaways From PENN Entertainment Analyst Ratings

Morgan Stanley analyst Stephen Grambling maintains PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) with a Equal-Weight and lowers the price target from $21 to $20.

Morgan Stanley Maintains Equal-Weight on PENN Entertainment, Lowers Price Target to $20

Shares of PENN Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/penn#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) have moved down 28.5% year to date against the Zacks Gaming industry&#39;s 7.3% growth and the S&amp;P 500&#39;s rise of 19.6%.
The company also underperformed other industry players like DoubleDown Interactive Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ddi#NASDAQ">DDI</a>), PlayAGS, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ags#NYSE">AGS</a>) and Red Rock Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/rrr#NASDAQ">RRR</a>), which surged 98.1%, 34.3% and 9.3%, respectively, in the said period. The substantial decline in PENN&#39;s shares raises questions about whether it is the right time to buy at a lower price or if investors should hold off until the stock shows signs of stabilization.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/d8/76271.jpg?v=2061778725" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h2>PENN Stock Trades Below 50- &amp; 200-Day Moving Averages</h2>
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/a1/76270.jpg?v=1490772511" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
PENN is currently trading below the 50- and 200-day moving averages, indicating weaker performance compared to recent trends. Although the company is making notable progress through various positive initiatives &mdash; such as enhanced top-of-funnel growth, effective risk management and refined promotional strategies &mdash; the stock&#39;s position below these key moving averages raises concerns.
<h2>What&#39;s Hurting PENN&#39;s Performance?</h2>
In spite of reporting decent second-quarter 2024 results &mdash; with earnings and revenues exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 33.3% and 1%, respectively &mdash; the top and the bottom line declined year over year. The downtick was primarily due to disappointing performance in its South and Interactive segments.
The company is grappling with a dismal performance in its South segment due to increased competition and severe weather events affecting operations. PENN&#39;s Interactive segment is facing challenges with reduced food, beverage, hotel and other revenues despite a slight increase in gaming revenues. Increased marketing expenditures in the Interactive segment, along with higher labor and gaming costs, are a concern.
The company is facing significant challenges with its margin performance. During the second quarter, the adjusted EBITDAR declined 23% from the year-ago level to $367 million. The adjusted EBITDAR margin contracted to 22.1% from 28.5% a year earlier. The downtick highlights current operational challenges and cost pressures. PENN is apprehensive about an uncertain economic environment, which could continue to affect performance in the near term.
<h2>PENN&#39;s Growth Prospects</h2>
Robust Gaming Performance: PENN has demonstrated impressive performance in the gaming segment. The company&#39;s recent results highlight significant growth and resilience driven by increased consumer demand and successful operational strategies. In the second quarter, gaming revenues increased 3.1% year over year to $1.3 billion. This upside was primarily driven by increased gaming revenues in the Interactive segment and higher slot revenues in Northeast, Midwest and West segments. The Interactive segment benefited from top-of-funnel growth, better risk and trading execution, refined promotional strategies and a favorable sportsbook hold.
Emphasis on Sports Betting: The company is enhancing its iCasino product by adding new game titles from PENN Game Studios and expanding third-party content while strengthening its promotional offerings. By early 2025, it plans to launch its first standalone iCasino app, which will capitalize on the Hollywood brand and its extensive casino database.
ESPN BET (the Sportsbook) continues to drive significant growth in the digital database and active user base, setting a strong foundation for future expansion. During the second quarter, monthly active users increased more than 138% year over year. Improved risk and trading execution, along with a higher parlay mix, contributed to increased hold rates.
Key Properties Driving Market Share Growth: Its retail segment remains resilient, bolstered by stable consumer trends, a diverse product range and recent capital investments that mitigate the impact of increased market supply. During second-quarter 2024, PENN observed notable market share growth in Ohio, Maryland and Iowa. Flagship properties like Hollywood Casino at Greektown and M Resort in Las Vegas continued to show strong performance.
During the quarter, the company saw significant revenue and market share growth at its downtown Detroit property due to recent hotel room renovations and the launch of the first ESPN BET retail sportsbook. On April 25, 2024, the company opened the ESPN BET retail sportsbook, featuring a multi-day NFL event at Greektown, which included live draft coverage by ESPN personalities. Revenues from the property increased more than 6.5% year over year, and market share expanded 90 basis points from the previous year&#39;s tally.
The company&#39;s Ohio properties have shown strong year-over-year growth on the back of current investments, including updated casino floors, expanded high-limit areas, top-tier sportsbooks and new food and beverage options. The Columbus property stands out as a top performer, with notable developments such as the ongoing hotel project and the upcoming ESPN BET sportsbook rebranding.
<h2>Positive Estimate Revisions for the Stock</h2>
Analysts are showing confidence in the stock, as indicated by recent upward revisions in earnings estimates. In the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for loss per share has narrowed to $1.37 from $1.39 for 2024. Over the same time frame, analysts have increased their estimates for 2025 by 11.5% to 68 cents.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/7d/76272.jpg?v=508309822" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h2>Buy, Sell, or Hold &ndash; PENN</h2>
The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company faces several challenges despite making progress through positive initiatives. The company is encountering difficulties in the South and Interactive segments, with increased competition and operational issues impacting performance. Additionally, higher marketing expenditures and rising costs are affecting profitability.
However, PENN is making strides with enhanced top-of-funnel growth, effective risk management and refined promotional strategies. The retail segment remains resilient, supported by stable consumer trends and recent capital investments. Expansion efforts and improvements in technology are also notable. While current challenges persist, these efforts suggest that holding the stock is advisable for existing investors. New investors should monitor developments before making a decision.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2330553/penn-entertainment-stock-falls-29-ytd-buy-the-dip-or-wait?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|rank_focused-2330553">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Sports betting operator DraftKings Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DKNG#NASDAQ">DKNG</a>) looks strong compared to competitors for promotional activity, market share and more ahead of the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/nfl"> 2024 NFL season.</a>
The DraftKings Analyst: Needham analyst Bernie McTernan reiterated a Buy rating and $60 price target on DraftKings.
The Analyst Takeaways: The start of the NFL season is one of the most important times of year for sports betting companies, McTernan said in a new note.
The analyst looked at promotional activity, app rankings, market share and more metrics to see how DraftKings compares to market leader FanDuel, which is a unit of Flutter Entertainment (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FLUT#NYSE">FLUT</a>) and other sports betting operators.
"The promo environment is slightly more aggressive than last year, which is important given the key investor debate on the stocks is '25 estimates, specifically revenue growth and incremental margins," McTernan said of DraftKings.
DraftKings current new customer offer is $250 in free bets along with one month of NFL+ Premium. For comparison, FanDuel is also offering $250 in free bets along with a three-week free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket. The $250 is higher than $200 offered by both last year, the analyst noted.
Rival Fanatics is listed as the most generous to start the season with $1,000 in matching free bets over a 10-day period.
The FanDuel app beat out DraftKings in the last NFL season, with the ESPN Bet app from Penn Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) topping the category after it launched in November.
Ahead of the 2024 NFL season, FanDuel ranks ahead of DraftKings with Fanatics and BetMGM ranking third and fourth.
ESPN, which is owned by Walt Disney Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>) has the top sports media and fantasy sports apps heading into the season. The strong interest in ESPN could play out well for Penn Entertainment, which licenses the ESPN brand for its ESPN Bet sportsbook.
Read Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/08/40116073/draftkings-q2-earnings-highlights-sports-betting-company-launches-1-billion-buyback-misses-on-reven"> DraftKings Q2 Earnings Highlights: Sports Betting Company Launches $1-Billion Buyback, Misses On Revenue, Beats On Earnings</a>
The analyst highlighted an update for ESPN Bet ahead of the season that sees more parlays, trending bets, exclusives, early payouts and further integration with ESPN apps and sportscasts.
"Overall, these product updates highlight PENN is executing on its plan for what they can control."
A look at market share comparisons from the analyst for the shows DraftKings and FanDuel with a clear lead and duopoly.
FanDuel led the way with 37.8% market share in 20234 compared to 34.8% for DraftKings. FanDuel also led in the first and second quarters with 38.7% and 37.3% compared to 34.4% and 37.0%, respectively.
DraftKings got closer to FanDuel in the second quarter and the third quarter could be a key time for the two operators with NFL and NCAA Football back in full action.
ESPN Bet had 3.2% market share in 2024 and market share of 4.6% and 3.1%, respectively, in the first two quarters of 2024. The Penn product continues to see minimal market share despite the large audience ESPN commands.
Ranking third was BetMGM, a joint venture from Entain and MGM Resorts International (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MGM#NYSE">MGM</a>). BetMGM had a market share of 8.6% in 2023 and posted a market share of 7.9% in both the first and second quarters. While BetMGM ranks third, the brand has also seen its market share fall from 12.1% in 2022 as DraftKings and FanDuel continue to gain share against the competition.
While there have been several competitors launching against DraftKings and FanDuel over the years, the two leaders have been able to fend them off and grow.
"Within this market, we believe DKNG has a sustainable customer acquisition strategy that should continue to drive its first- or second-place position in all states."
DKNG Price Action: DraftKings stock trades at $34.51 versus a 52-week trading range of $25.74 to $49.57. DraftKings stock is up 2.7% year-to-date in 2024.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/24/08/40607642/jeff-bezos-could-have-competition-if-he-wants-the-nfls-seattle-seahawks-private-equity-investments">Jeff Bezos Could Have Competition If He Wants The NFL&#8217;s Seattle Seahawks: Private Equity Investments Get League Approval</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

DraftKings Stock Ahead Of 2024 NFL Season: Analyst Says Promos 'More Aggressive Than Last Year'

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the positions showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with PENN, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 8 options trades for PENN Entertainment.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 75% bullish and 25%, bearish.
Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $96,613, and 7, calls, for a total amount of $278,861.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $15.0 and $25.0 for PENN Entertainment, spanning the last three months.
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for PENN Entertainment options trades today is 1127.33 with a total volume of 5,391.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for PENN Entertainment's big money trades within a strike price range of $15.0 to $25.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>PENN Entertainment 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1725039277_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Largest Options Trades Observed:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>PENN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$7.0</td>
<td>$6.85</td>
<td>$6.85</td>
<td>$25.00</td>
<td>$96.6K</td>
<td>3.3K</td>
<td>29</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PENN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/11/24</td>
<td>$1.45</td>
<td>$1.45</td>
<td>$1.45</td>
<td>$18.50</td>
<td>$57.9K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PENN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$5.55</td>
<td>$5.45</td>
<td>$5.45</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$46.8K</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PENN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$2.67</td>
<td>$2.49</td>
<td>$2.5</td>
<td>$17.50</td>
<td>$40.7K</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
<td>163</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PENN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$2.86</td>
<td>$2.78</td>
<td>$2.86</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$37.7K</td>
<td>104</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About PENN Entertainment</h3>
Penn Entertainment's origins date back to its 1972 racetrack opening in Pennsylvania. Today, Penn operates 43 properties across 20 states and 12 brands, including Hollywood Casino and Ameristar. Land-based casinos represented 89% of total sales in 2023; 11% was from the interactive segment, which includes sports, iGaming, and media revenue. The retail portfolio generates mid-30s EBITDAR margins and helps position the company to obtain licenses for the digital wagering markets. Additionally, Penn's media assets, theScore and ESPN (starting with its partnership launch in November 2023), provide access to sports betting/iGaming technology and clientele, helping it form a leading digital position.
In light of the recent options history for PENN Entertainment, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Where Is PENN Entertainment Standing Right Now?</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 1,107,449, with PENN's price up by 0.32%, positioned at $18.61.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 62 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On PENN Entertainment</h3>
Over the past month, 5 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $24.2.
<ul>
<li>An analyst from Stifel persists with their Hold rating on PENN Entertainment, maintaining a target price of $20. </li>
<li>An analyst from Barclays persists with their Overweight rating on PENN Entertainment, maintaining a target price of $23. </li>
<li>An analyst from Needham has revised its rating downward to Buy, adjusting the price target to $26. </li>
<li>An analyst from Needham has revised its rating downward to Buy, adjusting the price target to $26. </li>
<li>Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Macquarie continues to hold a Outperform rating for PENN Entertainment, targeting a price of $26. </li>
</ul>
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest PENN Entertainment options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Options

PENN Entertainment Unusual Options Activity

PENN Entertainment's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NYSE">PENN</a>) short percent of float has fallen 8.03% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 22.23 million shares sold short, which is 16.49% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 6.26 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>PENN Entertainment Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1723492821_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for PENN Entertainment has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing PENN Entertainment's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, PENN Entertainment's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 3.82%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Peering Into PENN Entertainment's Recent Short Interest

Macquarie analyst Chad Beynon maintains PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) with a Outperform and maintains $26 price target.

Macquarie Maintains Outperform on PENN Entertainment, Maintains $26 Price Target

PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) has been analyzed by 13 analysts in the last three months, revealing a diverse range of perspectives from bullish to bearish.
The table below provides a snapshot of their recent ratings, showcasing how sentiments have evolved over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Indifferent</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">5</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Analysts' evaluations of 12-month price targets offer additional insights, showcasing an average target of $23.58, with a high estimate of $30.00 and a low estimate of $17.50. Marking an increase of 0.68%, the current average surpasses the previous average price target of $23.42. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1723237232_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Diving into Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Exploration</h2>
The perception of PENN Entertainment by financial experts is analyzed through recent analyst actions. The following summary presents key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Carlo Santarelli</td>
<td>Deutsche Bank</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$18.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brandt Montour</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$23.00</td>
<td>$22.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Steven Wieczynski</td>
<td>Stifel</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$19.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bernie McTernan</td>
<td>Needham</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bernie McTernan</td>
<td>Needham</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dara Mohsenian</td>
<td>Morgan Stanley</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$21.00</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Joseph Moore</td>
<td>Susquehanna</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Positive</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ryan Sigdahl</td>
<td>Craig-Hallum</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$30.00</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Barry Jonas</td>
<td>Truist Securities</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$25.00</td>
<td>$23.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Joseph Moore</td>
<td>Susquehanna</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Positive</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
<td>$27.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RJ Milligan</td>
<td>Raymond James</td>
<td>Announces</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bernie McTernan</td>
<td>Needham</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shaun Kelley</td>
<td>B of A Securities</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$17.50</td>
<td>$28.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Analysts frequently update their recommendations based on evolving market conditions and company performance. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their reaction to recent developments related to PENN Entertainment. This information provides a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Delving into assessments, analysts assign qualitative values, from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings communicate expectations for the relative performance of PENN Entertainment compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts explore the dynamics of price targets, providing estimates for the future value of PENN Entertainment's stock. This examination reveals shifts in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
For valuable insights into PENN Entertainment's market performance, consider these analyst evaluations alongside crucial financial indicators. Stay well-informed and make prudent decisions using our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PENN/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on PENN Entertainment analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Delving into PENN Entertainment's Background</h2>
Penn Entertainment's origins date back to its 1972 racetrack opening in Pennsylvania. Today, Penn operates 43 properties across 20 states and 12 brands, including Hollywood Casino and Ameristar. Land-based casinos represented 89% of total sales in 2023; 11% was from the interactive segment, which includes sports, iGaming, and media revenue. The retail portfolio generates mid-30s EBITDAR margins and helps position the company to obtain licenses for the digital wagering markets. Additionally, Penn's media assets, theScore and ESPN (starting with its partnership launch in November 2023), provide access to sports betting/iGaming technology and clientele, helping it form a leading digital position.
<h3>Breaking Down PENN Entertainment's Financial Performance</h3>
Market Capitalization Perspectives: The company's market capitalization falls below industry averages, signaling a relatively smaller size compared to peers. This positioning may be influenced by factors such as perceived growth potential or operational scale.
Revenue Growth: PENN Entertainment's revenue growth over a period of 3 months has faced challenges. As of 31 March, 2024, the company experienced a revenue decline of approximately -3.97%. This indicates a decrease in the company's top-line earnings. As compared to competitors, the company encountered difficulties, with a growth rate lower than the average among peers in the Consumer Discretionary sector.
Net Margin: PENN Entertainment's net margin is below industry standards, pointing towards difficulties in achieving strong profitability. With a net margin of -7.15%, the company may encounter challenges in effective cost control.
Return on Equity (ROE): PENN Entertainment's ROE falls below industry averages, indicating challenges in efficiently using equity capital. With an ROE of -3.66%, the company may face hurdles in generating optimal returns for shareholders.
Return on Assets (ROA): PENN Entertainment's ROA falls below industry averages, indicating challenges in efficiently utilizing assets. With an ROA of -0.73%, the company may face hurdles in generating optimal returns from its assets.
Debt Management: With a below-average debt-to-equity ratio of 3.72, PENN Entertainment adopts a prudent financial strategy, indicating a balanced approach to debt management.
<h2>Analyst Ratings: Simplified</h2>
Within the domain of banking and financial systems, analysts specialize in reporting for specific stocks or defined sectors. Their work involves attending company conference calls and meetings, researching company financial statements, and communicating with insiders to publish "analyst ratings" for stocks. Analysts typically assess and rate each stock once per quarter.
Some analysts publish their predictions for metrics such as growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide additional guidance with their ratings. When using analyst ratings, it is important to keep in mind that stock and sector analysts are also human and are only offering their opinions to investors.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

A Closer Look at 13 Analyst Recommendations For PENN Entertainment

Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli maintains PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) with a Hold and raises the price target from $18 to $20.

Deutsche Bank Maintains Hold on PENN Entertainment, Raises Price Target to $20

Penn Entertainment Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/08/40256587/penn-entertainment-stock-climbs-on-q2-eps-beat-details">beat earnings consensus estimates</a> in its second quarter. However, analysts are still divided on whether the company can <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports-betting/24/06/39164610/the-flutter-entertainment-bull-case-are-fanduel-and-draftkings-a-sports-betting-duopoly">compete with competitors</a>.
The Penn Analysts: The following analysts published PENN notes on Thursday.
<ul>
<li>Benchmark analyst Mike Hickey issued a Hold rating.</li>
<li>Truist analyst Barry Jonas issued a Buy rating with a price target of $25.</li>
</ul>
Main Takeaways: Hickey is bullish on the sports betting industry but not sold on Penn.
&#8220;If ESPN Bet does not reach competitiveness by the NFL season&#8217;s start, we are concerned that PENN may engage in aggressive promotional activities to boost engagement with new but potentially subpar features,&#8221; the analyst said. &#8220;This strategy would echo last year&#8217;s approach, potentially leading to excessive spending on a product that may ultimately underperform in engagement, retention, and monetization.&#8221;
Truist is not confident that the company will be competitive with in-game betting, arguing that competitors have out-innovated Penn.
&#8220;We are not convinced that ESPN Bet&#8217;s innovations will successfully drive meaningful market share increases, as these new features may not be competitive with those of the current market leaders and player trends,&#8221; Hichkey added.
Jonas is long on Penn given its progress outside of ESPN Bet.
&#8220;Following our recent upgrade, we reiterate that better days seem to be ahead for PENN given its vision for Interactive is approaching reality with real unrecognized value outside of ESPN Bet,&#8221; his note reads.
The analyst also commented on management&#8217;s denial to comment on potential mergers and acquisitions.
&#8220;With regards to recent M&amp;A speculation, mgmt reiterated it has always evaluated opportunities to enhance value with the shareholders&#8217; best interests in mind though expressed confidence in its strategy and ability to drive shareholder value going forward. We take mgmt&#8217;s limited commentary to minimally highlight the strong positioning of its landlord GLPI [Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc].&#8221;
Price Action: Penn shares rose nearly 10% on Thursday but shed a small portion of its gains on Friday. The stock is trading at $18.61, down 0.59% at the time of writing.
Also Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/08/40278776/as-nvidia-leads-magnificent-7-volatility-analyst-says-these-mega-caps-are-poised-to-outperform-s">As Nvidia Leads Magnificent 7 Volatility, Analyst Says These Mega-Caps Are Poised To Outperform Small-Caps — But There&#8217;s A Catch</a></li>
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Equities

Analysts Applaud Penn Entertainment's Strong Earnings But Are Divided On Future Prospects

Barclays analyst Brandt Montour maintains PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $22 to $23.

Barclays Maintains Overweight on PENN Entertainment, Raises Price Target to $23

Stifel analyst Steven Wieczynski maintains PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) with a Hold and raises the price target from $19 to $20.

Stifel Maintains Hold on PENN Entertainment, Raises Price Target to $20

Needham analyst Bernie McTernan reiterates PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) with a Buy and maintains $26 price target.

Needham Reiterates Buy on PENN Entertainment, Maintains $26 Price Target

Investor risk sentiment is showing greater conviction on Thursday, with all indices and major stock sectors in the green, after Wall Street failed to hold onto opening gains and closed in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/08/40237781/wall-street-ends-wednesday-in-the-red-as-risk-sentiment-remains-fragile-s-p-500-movers-at-the-cl">red the previous day.</a>
Weekly jobless claims numbers, which came in at 233,000 last week — a significant drop from the previous 250,000 and below the expected 240,000 — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/24/08/40251833/weekly-unemployment-claims-decline-more-than-expected-cool-recession-concerns-stocks-r">helped ease recession fears. </a>
Additionally, the notable decline in weekly claims in Texas suggests that a one-off event like Hurricane Beryl might have contributed to the increase in claims and the July unemployment rate, thus alleviating fears of a more structural trend.
Technology stocks are leading the charge, with the Nasdaq 100 showcasing a 2.2% rally. Among tech stocks, semiconductors are shining, with AI-linked trade back on track after significant <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/08/40259139/tech-stocks-rally-after-5-day-slump-as-recession-panic-eases-nasdaq-100-movers-to-watch-thursday">sell-offs in recent days.</a>
The iShares Semiconductor ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXX#NYSE">SOXX</a>) rallied 5.7%, returning above its 200-day moving average after falling below it last Friday. Industrial, consumer discretionary and energy stocks are also posting significant gains.
The dollar continues its recovery against the Japanese yen after being hit by the unwinding of the carry trade until Monday. The dollar-yen exchange rate is looking at its third consecutive day of gains, continuing to reflect the dovish remarks made by the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/08/40223986/traders-resume-yen-dollar-carry-trade-as-bank-of-japan-pledges-no-rate-hikes-during-market-volatilit">Bank of Japan on Wednesday.</a>
Bonds, which alongside the yen were favored during past sessions marked by recession fears, are now retracing as yields rise across the Treasury curve. The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TLT#NASDAQ">TLT</a>) tumbled by 0.8% on Thursday, eyeing its third straight session of declines. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note surged by 5 basis points to 4%.
Commodities are showing solid gains, with gold and silver up by 1.5% and 3.5%, respectively. Oil is up 0.8%, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) light crude returning above the $75 per barrel level.
Cryptocurrencies are soaring, with Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) posting a 7.9% daily gain, on track for its best session in about three months.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Performance In Major U.S. Indices, ETFs</h1>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>1-day %chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>18,267.70</td>
<td>2.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>5,285.21</td>
<td>1.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,063.97</td>
<td>1.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>39,231.86</td>
<td>1.2%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 12:44 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">According to <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent080824&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a> data:</h1>
<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>)&nbsp;rose 1.7% to $527.46.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>)&nbsp;increased by 1.2% to $392.63.</li>
<li>The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust Series (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) soared 2.4% to $445.17.</li>
<li>The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) gained 1.7% to $205.38.</li>
<li>All the sectors of the S&amp;P 500 saw gains, with the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLK#NYSE">XLK</a>) leading the way, up by 2.8%. The more defensive Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLU#NYSE">XLU</a>) witnessed the lowest surge, up by 0.4%.</li>
</ul>
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h1>
Technology stocks rallying on improved risk sentiment are: 
<ul>
<li>Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>) up 7.8%,</li>
<li>ON Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ON#NASDAQ">ON</a>) up 7.1%,</li>
<li>Microchip Technology Incorporated (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCHP#NASDAQ">MCHP</a>) up 6.2%,</li>
<li>Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRVL#NASDAQ">MRVL</a>) up 6.1%,</li>
<li>KLA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KLAC#NASDAQ">KLAC</a>) up 6%, </li>
<li>Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) up 5.9%</li>
</ul>
Stocks moving on earnings reports are: 
<ul>
<li>AppLovin Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>) up 9.9%</li>
<li>Blink Charging Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLNK#NASDAQ">BLNK</a>) down 17%</li>
<li>Bumble Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BMBL#NASDAQ">BMBL</a>) down 31%</li>
<li>Cars.com Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARS#NYSE">CARS</a>) down 6%</li>
<li>CyberArk Software Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CYBR#NASDAQ">CYBR</a>) up 7.2%</li>
<li>Fastly, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FSLY#NYSE">FSLY</a>) down over 17%</li>
<li>Forward Air Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FWRD#NASDAQ">FWRD</a>) up nearly 22%</li>
<li>Hanesbrands Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HBI#NYSE">HBI</a>), up 15%</li>
<li>HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUBS#NYSE">HUBS</a>) up 2.8%</li>
<li>Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DNUT#NASDAQ">DNUT</a>) up 14,</li>
<li>Marathon Oil Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRO#NYSE">MRO</a>) up 1.2%</li>
<li>Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MNST#NASDAQ">MNST</a>) down 11%</li>
<li>Papa John&#8217;s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PZZA#NASDAQ">PZZA</a>) up 2.5%</li>
<li>PENN Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) up 7%</li>
<li>Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLUG#NASDAQ">PLUG</a>) down 0.5%</li>
<li>Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QSR#NYSE">QSR</a>) up 2.3%</li>
<li>Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>) up 2.22%</li>
<li>Under Armor, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UA#NYSE">UA</a>) up 18%</li>
<li>Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VSAT#NASDAQ">VSAT</a>) up nearly 37%</li>
<li>Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WBD#NASDAQ">WBD</a>) down nearly 9%</li>
<li>Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/Z#NASDAQ">Z</a>) up nearly 19%. </li>
</ul>
Those reporting after the close are Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>), CarGurus, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARG#NASDAQ">CARG</a>), Dropbox, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DBX#NASDAQ">DBX</a>), elf Beauty, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ELF#NYSE">ELF</a>), Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EXPE#NASDAQ">EXPE</a>), Five9, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIVN#NASDAQ">FIVN</a>), Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GILD#NASDAQ">GILD</a>), Insulet Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PODD#NASDAQ">PODD</a>), Paramount Global (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PARA#NASDAQ">PARA</a>), Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TTWO#NASDAQ">TTWO</a>), Trade Desk, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TTD#NASDAQ">TTD</a>), Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/U#NYSE">U</a>), and Yelp Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/YELP#NYSE">YELP</a>).
Read Now:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/08/40257259/robinhood-is-doing-everything-right-analysts-focus-on-new-products-traders-taking-m">Robinhood Is Doing &#8216;Everything Right&#8217;: Analysts Focus On New Products, Traders Taking Market Share From Competitors</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Macro Economic Events

Bonds

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Commodities

Treasuries

Econ #s

Economics

Federal Reserve

Tech

ETFs

$BTC

AKAM

BLNK

BMBL

CARG

CARS

CYBR

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust

DNUT

EXPE

FIVN

FSLY

FWRD

GILD

HOOD

HUBS

KLAC

MCHP

MNST

MRVL

PARA

PLUG

PODD

PZZA

SMCI

iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector Index Fund

SOXX

iShares Trust Barclays 20+ Year Treasury Bond Fund

TTWO

VSAT

YELP

Wall Street Rallies As Economic Concerns Recede, Tech Flexes Its Muscles, Semiconductors Soar: What's Driving Markets Thursday?

PENN Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) shares are trading higher Thursday after the company reported its second-quarter financial results before the opening bell. Here's a look at the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/08/b40247190/penn-entertainment-reports-second-quarter-results">details from the report.&nbsp;</a>
The Details:
Penn Entertainment reported quarterly losses of 18 cents per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate by 28%.&nbsp; Quarterly sales of $1.4 billion missed the consensus estimate by 15.46% and is a 16.42% decrease in revenue from the same period last year.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/08/40205648/toast-shares-get-burned-after-q2-results">Toast Shares Get Burned After Q2 Results</a>
The company highlighted record quarterly gaming revenue in its Interactive segment driven by enhanced risk and trading processes and deliberate reinvestment strategies. Penn Entertainment also reported retail business property level revenues of $1.4 billion for the quarter.&nbsp;
&#8220;Our retail properties delivered solid results this quarter as our best-in-class team of operators continues to execute across our diverse portfolio of market leading assets. In our Interactive segment, top-of-funnel growth, improved risk and trading execution, and refined promotional strategies contributed to better-than-expected revenue and Adjusted EBITDA results," said Jay Snowden, CEO of Penn Entertainment.&nbsp;
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Is PENN A Good Stock To Buy?</h2>
An investor can make a few decisions when deciding whether a stock is a good buy. In addition to valuation metrics and price action which you can find on Benzinga's quote pages &#8211; like <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PENN">PENN Entertainment</a>&#8216;s page for example &#8211; there are factors like whether or not a company pays a dividend or buys a large portion of its stock each quarter.
These are known as capital allocation programs. PENN Entertainment does not pay a dividend, but obviously has a few ways it can return value to shareholders. Feel free to search Benzinga's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/dividends">dividend calendar</a> for the next company that is due to pay a dividend and determine what kind of yield you can earn for holding a share of the company.
Buyback programs are obviously different and highly variable. A company can approve a buyback program and purchase shares as it sees fit over the course of time in which the buyback was authorized. Looking through the latest news on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PENN">PENN Entertainment</a> will often yield whether or not the company has approved a buyback program recently. Buyback programs usually serve as a support for share prices, serving as a backstop for demand.
PENN Price Action: According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>, Penn Entertainment shares are up 3.22% at $17.82 at the time of publication Thursday.
Read Also:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/08/40234938/hubspot-shares-climb-on-strong-q2-results-forward-guidance">HubSpot Shares Climb On Strong Q2 Results, Forward Guidance</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;Image: Shutterstock

Movers

Penn Entertainment Stock Climbs On Q2 EPS Beat: Details

U.S. stocks are set for a mixed start on Thursday as concerns regarding the economy and incremental yen carry trade unwinding remain an undercurrent. Traders may be keen to receive the jobless claims report, given the recent sell-off kickstarted last Thursday, partly due to a spike in the data. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/08/40247012/bumble-shares-are-down-almost-40-in-premarket-and-gen-z-millennials-are-to-blame-for-their-chang">Reactions to earnings news have been mixed.</a> The CBOE Volatility Index, aka VIX, has resumed its climb above the 28 level.
With the uncertainty around the economy and rate trajectory abounding, in the absence of any major polarizing catalysts, the market could see back-and-forth movement in the near term.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Futures</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>+0.08%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>-0.02%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow</td>
<td>-0.18%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>R2K</td>
<td>-0.32%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">In premarket trading on Thursday,&nbsp;the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) rose 0.05% to $518.90, and the&nbsp;Invesco QQQ ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rose 0.10% to $435.22, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro data</a>.</figcaption></figure>
Cues From Last Session:
The sell-off resumed Wednesday as early optimism regarding the worst being behind gave way to fears, taking the averages on a steady decline throughout the session. The positive start came after the Bank of Japan reassured that rate hikes are not imminent but techs dragged the market lower, as Super Micro Computer, Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) earnings miss weighed down on AI-levered stocks.
Reacting to Super Micros&#8217; results, fund manager Louis Navellier said, &#8220;This has brought concerns regarding the profitability of building&nbsp;out AI networks despite the massive spending by the Mega Tech companies.&#8221;
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite suffered the most as it pulled back to a three-month low, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&amp;P 500 Index held above Monday&#8217;s closing level. 
Small-caps also experienced a strong sell-off, with the Russell 2,000 settling at a one-month low.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Index</td>
<td>Performance (+/)</td>
<td>Value</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq Composite</td>
<td>-1.05%</td>
<td>16,195.81</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500 Index</td>
<td>-0.77%</td>
<td>5,199.50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Industrials</td>
<td>-0.60%</td>
<td>38,763.45</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>-1.41%</td>
<td>2,035.11</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> Insights From Analysts: </figcaption></figure>
Mike Wilson, Morgan Stanley's CIO and Chief US Equity, said in a podcast on Monday that he expects the markets to remain vulnerable in the near term until &#8220;we get better growth data or more comfort from Fed on policy support.&#8221; The strategist, however, does neither of these would be forthcoming soon.
He expects support to come from cheap valuations, although he doesn&#8217;t believe stocks have become so cheap to set in motion a buying spree. The S&amp;P 500 still traded at 20 times the forward 12-month earnings estimate, he said, adding that &#8220;things aren't actually cheap until we reach 17-18x, which is more than 10 percent away from where we are trading.&#8221;
Upcoming Economic Data:
<ul>
<li>The Labor Department&#8217;s jobless claims report due at 8:30 a.m. EDT is expected to show that the number of individuals claiming unemployment benefits may have come in at 240,000 for the week ended Aug. 3, down from 249,000 in the previous week.</li>
<li>The Commerce Department will release its wholesale inventories report for June at 10 a.m. EDT. Economists, on average, expect whole inventories to have increased by 0.2% month-over-month, slower than the 0.6% growth in May.</li>
<li>The Treasury will auction four- and eight-week notes at 11:30 a.m. EDT and 30-year bonds at 1 p.m. EDT.</li>
<li>Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin&nbsp;is scheduled to speak at 3 p.m. EDT.</li>
</ul>
See Also: How To Trade Futures
Stocks In Focus:
<ul>
<li> Bumble Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BMBL#NASDAQ">BMBL</a>) plunged about 40% <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket">in premarket trading</a> following the online dating company&#8217;s quarterly results.</li>
<li>Other stocks reacting to earnings are Blink Charging Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLNK#NASDAQ">BLNK</a>) (down over 9.50%), Fastly, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FSLY#NYSE">FSLY</a>) (down over 22%), Forward Air Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FWRD#NASDAQ">FWRD</a>) (up nearly 18%), HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUBS#NYSE">HUBS</a>) (up over 8%), Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MNST#NASDAQ">MNST</a>) (down over 8%), Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VSAT#NASDAQ">VSAT</a>) (up nearly 7%), Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/Z#NASDAQ">Z</a>) (up nearly 12%) and Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WBD#NASDAQ">WBD</a>) (down over 12%).</li>
<li>Cars.com Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARS#NYSE">CARS</a>), CyberArk Software Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CYBR#NASDAQ">CYBR</a>), Hanesbrands Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HBI#NYSE">HBI</a>), Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DNUT#NASDAQ">DNUT</a>), Murphy Oil Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MUR#NYSE">MUR</a>), Papa John&#8217;s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PZZA#NASDAQ">PZZA</a>), PENN Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>), Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLUG#NASDAQ">PLUG</a>), Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QSR#NYSE">QSR</a>) and Under Armor, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UA#NYSE">UA</a>) are among the key companies due to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings">release their earnings reports ahead of the market opening</a>.</li>
<li>Those reporting after the close are Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>), CarGurus, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARG#NASDAQ">CARG</a>), Dropbox, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DBX#NASDAQ">DBX</a>), e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ELF#NYSE">ELF</a>), Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EXPE#NASDAQ">EXPE</a>), Five9, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIVN#NASDAQ">FIVN</a>), Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GILD#NASDAQ">GILD</a>), Insulet Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PODD#NASDAQ">PODD</a>), Paramount Global (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PARA#NASDAQ">PARA</a>), Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TTWO#NASDAQ">TTWO</a>), Trade Desk, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TTD#NASDAQ">TTD</a>), Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/U#NYSE">U</a>), and Yelp Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/YELP#NYSE">YELP</a>).</li>
</ul>
Commodities, Bonds And Global Equity Markets:
Crude oil futures were little changed after the advances in the previous two sessions, with a barrel of WTI-grade crude oil trading at the $75+ level. Gold futures were modestly higher. The 10-year Treasury note yield rose 5.4 points to 3.914%. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) was little changed above the $57K level.
Most Asian markets fell on Thursday, as stocks in the region tracked the negative performance of Wall Street overnight. Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225 average led the declines, although the Chinese and Hong Kong markets ended little changed.
European stocks are declining in early trading.
Read Next:
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