s financial results for the first quarter of 2024 reveal a challenging period for the company. The operator reported a total revenue of $1.61 billion and an adjusted EBITDAR of $256.2 million, marking a decline of 3.9 percent and 46.4 percent year-on-year respectively. This downturn was not limited to these metrics alone; net income also took a hit, plummeting from $514.4 million in Q1 2023 to a loss of $114.9 million in Q1 2024.
Operating income followed a similar trend, dropping from $199.1 million to a loss of $21.4 million. Total operating expenses, on the other hand, grew by 10.5 percent to $1.63 billion. A significant portion of these increased expenses can be attributed to ESPN Bet, which was launched in August last year following the reselling of Barstool to its Founder, Dave Portnoy, for $1 –o acquire it in February 2023.
Mixed results across segments
At a property level, Penn generated $1.4 billion in revenue, with an adjusted EBITDAR of $479 million. However, Penn Interactive/ESPN Bet reported an adjusted EBITDA loss of $196 million among other factors, resulting in a total adjusted EBITDAR of $256.2 million.
The northeast segment, which includes properties such as Ameristar East Chicago, Hollywood Casino at Greektown, and Plainridge Park Casino, made $684.7 million in revenue and $202.6 million in adjusted EBITDAR, down 2.3 percent and 4.8 percent year-on-year respectively.
The south segment, with properties including Boomtown Biloxi, Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast, and Margaritaville Resort Casino, generated $298.5 million, down $16.3 million from last year, while adjusted EBITDAR fell by $10.1 million to $113.5 million. The mid-west segment came slightly behind the south segment at $291.2 million, down 1.4 percent year-on-year. Adjusted EBITDAR was also down, falling 6.8 percent annually.
Lastly, the west segment, with properties including Ameristar Black Hawk, M Resort, and Zia Park Casino, saw a marginal revenue decline, down $0.9 million to $128.8 million, while adjusted EBITDAR fell 6.5 percent to $45.9 million. The other segment, which includes stand-alone racing operations and overhead costs, made $6 million in revenue – the only segment to see any annual growth, up $0.2 million.
Penn Interactive: ESPN Bet Losses weigh heavy
Penn Interactive, which includes all online and retail sports betting (ESPN Bet), online casino, and social gaming operations, reported a revenue of $207.7 million, down 11 percent year-on-year. Adjusted EBITDAR went from a loss of $5.7 million to a loss of $196 million – a significant increase.
ESPN Bet was expected to result in a loss in its early days, especially considering that operators such as DraftKings have yet to report an overall profit from operations, having made an overall loss from operations of $43.8 million in Q4 2023. However, with revenue down across the board and the operator still recovering from the financial loss accrued from acquiring Barstool, the operator may struggle to compete if investments on ESPN Bet do not begin turning around soon.
Despite this, ESPN Bet has remained active. In March, the sportsbook was added to North Carolina’s online sports betting market following its legalisation, while in April, the sportsbook opened its first retail location in Detroit at Hollywood Casino in Greektown.
Penn Entertainment’s Q1 2024 results reveal a challenging period for the company, with declines in revenue and adjusted EBITDAR, and significant losses from ESPN Bet. The company will need to navigate these challenges carefully to ensure future growth and profitability.
Looking ahead to Q2 2024
Penn Entertainment’s future seems to be a blend of potential hurdles and opportunities, according to various market analyst projections and predictions.
Projections for financial growth: Market analysts predict that Penn Entertainment’s earnings and revenue will see an annual growth of 61.9 percent and 6.1 percent respectively. The Earnings Per Share (EPS) is projected to see an annual growth of 63.3 percent. The return on equity is expected to be 8.4 percent in the next three years.
Forecast for stock price: The average price target set by analysts for Penn Entertainment Inc (PENN) stock for the upcoming 30 days is $27.58, indicating a potential increase of +59.60 percent from the current price of $17.28. The highest price target set by analysts is $28.93, and the lowest is $26.23.
Long-term outlook: Based on financial reports and historical earnings data, Penn Entertainment Inc (PENN) stock could potentially reach $35.50 by 2030, $56.34 by 2040, and $90.13 by 2050.
Expectations for earnings: Earnings for Penn Entertainment are anticipated to grow in the coming year, moving from ($0.90) to $0.80 per share. Penn Entertainment has confirmed that its next quarterly earnings report will be released by the end of this week. It’s crucial to remember that these are merely forecasts and the actual results may differ. The company’s performance could be affected by a range of factors, including market conditions, regulatory changes, and the overall economic climate. Therefore, investors should consider these forecasts as part of a wider set of information when making investment decisions.
Temporary restrictions on the online gambling market were introduced in Sweden on July 2nd this year in response to the alleged surge in problem gaming during the spring. 
When the government of Sweden announced the memorandum, the initiative received scepticism from key players in the industry. The Swedish Gaming Authority (Spelinspektionen) had noted that an overregulated industry could create an unsuitable gaming experience for operators and cause players to shift to unregulated operators; leaving the customer unprotected. 
