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Churchill Downs Incorporated

CHDN · NASDAQ

Market closed$83.95$-2.34 (-2.71%)After hours $83.50 · -0.54%

Key statistics

Previous close$86.29
Open$85.94
Day high$86.52
Day low$83.81
52-week high$118.46
52-week low$80.24
Market cap5.85B
Volume535.95K
Average volume1.01M
P/E ratio13.18
Forward P/E—
EPS6.37
Dividend yield+0.52%

Market context

Why it moved

CHDN shares declined as a Reuters report highlighted scarce growth across the casino and gaming sector, with analysts noting that deal speculation rather than earnings strength is needed to drive valuations, dampening investor sentiment for Churchill Downs and its peers.

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What is happening

Recent company-specific developments and publisher coverage.

July 18, 2026Churchill Downs fell nearly 3% on the day, extending recent weakness as broader risk-off sentiment — driven by escalating U.S.-Iran military strikes, a tech-led market selloff, and Netflix's disappointing guidance — weighed on consumer cyclical names. Notably, the decline comes amid active M&A chatter in the casino sector: Jefferies analyst David Katz flagged Churchill Downs as a potential M&A participant following Tilman Fertitta's ~$18 billion offer for Caesars, while Citizens Equity Research reiterated Churchill Downs as a preferred regional casino pick and floated the possibility of the company selling its regional gaming unit. Despite a consensus "Moderate Buy" from analysts with a $139.75 average price target — well above current levels — the stock continues to trade near 52-week lows amid macro headwinds and soft consumer discretionary sentiment.

-2.7118

July 17, 2026Churchill Downs shares rose nearly 2%, outperforming the broader consumer discretionary sector, as J.P. Morgan analyst Daniel Politzer named the company among his top regional casino picks, citing potential asset sales as a catalyst, while Citizens Equity Research also listed it as a preferred idea in the space. The positive analyst attention comes amid a broader regional gaming backdrop of healthy consumer spending trends and a Q1 earnings beat ($1.21 EPS vs. $1.06 expected), with the consensus price target of $139.75 implying significant upside from current levels.

1.9253

July 16, 2026Churchill Downs closed modestly higher, outperforming some casino peers as broader markets rallied on a softer-than-expected June CPI report that eased Fed rate hike concerns. The stock trades at a notable discount to its consensus analyst price target of $139.75, with 10 Buy ratings supporting a constructive outlook despite shares sitting well below their 52-week high of $118.46. Institutional accumulation remains a tailwind, with 82.59% of shares held by institutions and multiple funds reporting increased positions in Q1. The broader casino sector saw mixed Q1 results, though casino stocks as a group are up 14% on average since reporting.

1.3892

July 14, 2026Churchill Downs closed essentially flat, slipping modestly as broader consumer cyclical sentiment remained cautious amid Iran-driven macro headwinds and a mixed market backdrop. Key investor focus centers on the stock's significant discount to its consensus analyst price target of $139.75 — roughly 67% above current levels — alongside a Q1 earnings beat ($1.21 EPS vs. $1.06 expected) and Wells Fargo's recent price target cut from $132 to $120, maintaining Overweight. Sector peers face M&A activity, with MGM's take-private bid drawing attention to gaming valuations.

-0.2985

July 14, 2026Churchill Downs closed down over 2% as broader risk-off sentiment swept through consumer cyclicals and gaming stocks, with U.S.-Iran tensions sending oil prices sharply higher and pressuring equity markets at the start of a pivotal earnings week. The gaming sector faced additional headwinds from deal-driven volatility among peers — MGM Resorts remains in active takeover talks with Barry Diller's People Inc. at an $18B offer — while Barron's noted that traditional casino operators like MGM, Wynn, and Las Vegas Sands face structural pressure from online gambling growth and slowing Las Vegas consumer trends, a backdrop that also clouds sentiment for Churchill Downs ahead of Q2 earnings season.

-2.0697

July 10, 2026Churchill Downs shares edged lower, closing down 0.71% as the broader gaming sector faces headwinds from macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical risk tied to the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict. The stock remains under pressure year-to-date, down roughly 24%, with GurufFocus flagging shares as significantly undervalued relative to intrinsic estimates. Meanwhile, the gaming industry is absorbing M&A noise from Caesars Entertainment's contested takeover saga — with Fertitta Entertainment's $17.6B bid and Carl Icahn's rival pursuit — while consumer cyclical sentiment remains cautious amid softening discretionary spending signals.

-0.7082

July 9, 2026Churchill Downs closed modestly higher on the regular session but slipped in after-hours trading, as the gaming sector navigated a challenging macro backdrop. Geopolitical tensions from renewed U.S.-Iran strikes are keeping oil prices elevated and inflation fears alive, pressuring consumer discretionary names broadly. Within the casino and gaming peer group, Red Rock Resorts fell over 4% after missing EPS estimates, while Caesars carries a Zacks 'Strong Sell' rating amid heavy debt burdens — underscoring investor selectivity in the space. GurufFocus recently flagged Churchill Downs as significantly undervalued at a 44.8% discount to its GF Value estimate of $156.35, while the company's diversified model across live racing, regional casinos, and online wagering continues to underpin its long-term growth narrative despite a 24% year-to-date decline.

0.973

July 8, 2026Churchill Downs shares closed modestly lower amid a broad market risk-off session, as President Trump declared the Iran peace deal 'over,' sending oil prices surging over 5% and weighing on consumer discretionary and travel-adjacent stocks. The company, already down ~24% year-to-date, faces headwinds from rising inflation fears, elevated interest rate expectations, and sector-wide pressure on gambling and leisure names, while investors continue to monitor its long-term diversification strategy across racetracks, digital wagering, and regional casinos.

-1.0785

Simply Wall Street · July 1, 2026Did NBC’s Extended Derby Deal and HRM Expansion Just Shift Churchill Downs' (CHDN) Investment Narrative?Stock Titan · June 18, 2026Churchill Downs sets July 30 call for second-quarter resultsSeeking Alpha · May 1, 2026Kentucky Derby: An investor's guide to potential winners and losers (CHDN:NASDAQ)TradingView · April 23, 2026Why Is Churchill Downs (CHDN) Stock Rocketing Higher TodayQuiver Quantitative · January 7, 2026Churchill Downs Incorporated to Release Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results on February 25, 2026Churchill Downs Incorporated · November 24, 2025Churchill Downs Incorporated Announces New Victory Run Capital Investment at Churchill Downs Racetrack
Benzinga · July 14, 2026Wells Fargo Maintains Overweight on Churchill Downs, Lowers Price Target to $120
Mt Newswire · June 18, 2026Churchill Downs Notified About State of Maryland's Decision to Acquire Preakness IP Rights
Benzinga · May 27, 20264 Betting Stocks to Avoid as Prediction Markets Take Over
Mt Newswire · May 20, 2026Macquarie Cuts Price Target on Churchill Downs to $145 From $150, Keeps Outperform Rating
Benzinga · May 19, 2026Macquarie Maintains Outperform on Churchill Downs, Lowers Price Target to $145
Benzinga · May 1, 2026Is The Kentucky Derby Prediction Market Proof?
Benzinga · April 24, 2026These Analysts Increase Their Forecasts On Churchill Downs After Upbeat Q1 Results
Benzinga · April 24, 2026Mizuho Maintains Outperform on Churchill Downs, Raises Price Target to $155

Peers

S&P 500SPX · $7,457.69-1.01%Flutter Entertainment plcFLTR.L · 7,714.00-4.62%DraftKings Inc.DKNG · $24.94+0.40%MGM Resorts InternationalMGM · $46.13-1.64%Boyd Gaming CorporationBYD · $87.72-2.28%Wynn Resorts, LimitedWYNN · $96.64-1.50%Caesars Entertainment, Inc.CZR · $29.86-0.17%PENN Entertainment, Inc.PENN · $20.57-3.29%Rush Street Interactive, Inc.RSI · $32.50-0.91%Accel Entertainment, Inc.ACEL · $12.15-2.41%Canterbury Park Holding CorporationCPHC · $15.89+0.57%Inspired Entertainment, Inc.INSE · $6.52-3.12%