PENN Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:PENN) Given Average Rating of “Hold” by Brokerages

PENN Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:PENN) has received a consensus rating of “Hold” from the seventeen ratings firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have issued a hold recommendation and nine have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $19.6667.

PENN has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus upgraded PENN Entertainment from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $19.00 to $21.00 in a report on Friday, November 7th. Mizuho set a $19.00 target price on PENN Entertainment in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of PENN Entertainment in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued an “underweight” rating and a $15.00 price target on the stock. Citizens Jmp decreased their price objective on shares of PENN Entertainment from $25.00 to $24.00 and set a “market outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 7th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of PENN Entertainment in a report on Friday, November 7th.

Key Headlines Impacting PENN Entertainment

Here are the key news stories impacting PENN Entertainment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Settlement ends long-running proxy fight and adds three independent directors, reducing near-term governance uncertainty and activist-driven volatility; this can make the stock more attractive to value-oriented investors. PENN Entertainment Appoints Three New Independent Directors to Board
• Positive Sentiment: PENN signed a cooperation agreement with HG Vora Capital, suggesting a negotiated path forward between management and the activist rather than a drawn-out proxy fight; that lowers execution risk and the chance of disruptive escalation. PENN Entertainment signs cooperation agreement with HG Vora Capital
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst previews expect Q4 revenue growth (~+5%) driven by stronger retail trends, iCasino momentum and margin improvement from exiting the ESPN Bet JV — these are supportive but depend on execution and regional results; watch same-store retail, iCasino metrics and adjusted EBITDA margins at release. PENN Entertainment (PENN) Q4 Earnings Preview
• Neutral Sentiment: Deeper previews urge looking beyond headline EPS/revenue — analysts are focused on iGaming trends and cost/margin trends post-ESPN Bet exit; results that beat on margin or show sustained iCasino growth could extend the rally, while mixed metrics could produce volatility. Here’s What You Must Know Ahead of PENN Entertainment’s Q4 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the settlement, structural risks remain — notably high leverage and sub-1.0 liquidity ratios; if Q4 results or guidance disappoint, leverage and limited liquidity could amplify downside pressure. (Monitor debt-related commentary in the quarter release and conference call.)

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Hill Path Capital LP acquired a new position in PENN Entertainment in the second quarter valued at about $62,595,000. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of PENN Entertainment by 824.3% in the 4th quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,499,700 shares of the company’s stock valued at $51,341,000 after purchasing an additional 3,121,051 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership bought a new stake in PENN Entertainment during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $40,214,000. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in PENN Entertainment during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $39,737,000. Finally, Hennessy Advisors Inc. bought a new position in PENN Entertainment in the third quarter valued at approximately $40,537,000. 91.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

PENN Entertainment Price Performance

Shares of PENN stock opened at $12.72 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $13.80 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $15.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.65, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a current ratio of 0.75. PENN Entertainment has a 52-week low of $11.65 and a 52-week high of $22.13. The stock has a market cap of $1.69 billion, a PE ratio of -2.00, a PEG ratio of 0.37 and a beta of 1.39.

PENN Entertainment Company Profile

PENN Entertainment, Inc (NASDAQ: PENN) is a leading operator of gaming and racing facilities in the United States. The company’s business activities encompass land-based casinos, pari-mutuel racetracks, off-track wagering, and ancillary amenities such as hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues. In August 2022, the company rebranded from Penn National Gaming to PENN Entertainment to reflect its expanding footprint across digital and traditional segments of the gaming industry.

The company’s portfolio includes well-known properties under the Hollywood Casino and Ameristar Casino brands, located across multiple states including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri and West Virginia.