Wynn Resorts Could Test 1st Quarter Low

Casino and resort operator Wynn Resorts Inc. (WYNN) fell to a 7-week low on Monday morning, with sector sentiment deteriorating at a rapid pace following months of weak visitation numbers in Macao and Las Vegas. A potential money laundering scandal at rival Las Vegas Sands Inc. (LVS) is adding to selling pressure, warning WYNN shareholders the stock could eventually test the first quarter’s multiyear low in the mid-30s.

Industry Slump Undermining Wynn Resorts Revenue

The Macao Gaming Commission and Coordination Bureau recently reported that August gross revenue fell an astounding 94.5% year-over-year while the Nevada Gaming Board’s latest release noted the July Las Vegas Strip gaming win rate dropped 39.9 % year-over-year. Domestic and international travel restrictions and COVID fears are driving the bearish metrics, ahead of a winter that could ignite a second pandemic wave.

Goldman Sachs analyst Stephen Grambling downgraded Wynn Resorts from ‘Buy’ to ‘Neutral’ earlier this month, removing the stock from their ‘Conviction List’ and dropping the price target to $95. Grambling justified the bearish call with troubling statistics about Macao operations, stating “Wynn holds outsized exposure to Wynn Macao and, after revising our forecasts to embed softer VIP in 2021, we find limited upside, given the stock’s recent run.”

Wall Street And Technical Outlook

Wall Street consensus now stands at a ‘Moderate Buy’ rating based upon 9 ‘Buy’ and 5 ‘Hold’ recommendations. No analysts are recommending that shareholders sell their positions and move to the sidelines at this time. Price targets currently range from a low of $72 to a street-high $120 while the stock is now trading on top of the low target. These predictions look way too high but the humble placement may limit downside, at least in the short-term.

Technically speaking, Wynn Resorts has been stuck in a downtrend since posting an all-time high near 250 in 2014.  The stock has lost substantial value since a recovery rally topped out near 200 in 2018, with the downside accelerating to an 8-year low in the first quarter of 2020. The bounce since that time has failed to remount the broken 200-month moving average, raising odds the decline will eventually test and possibly break the March low in the mid-30s.

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