PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ: PENN) saw its stock price plummet 5.47% in pre-market trading on Thursday following the announcement of the early termination of its sports betting partnership with ESPN and disappointing third-quarter results.
The casino and sports betting company revealed that it had mutually agreed with ESPN to end their U.S. online sports betting agreement, which was originally set to last for 10 years. The partnership will now conclude on December 1, 2025, with cash payments to ESPN ceasing at the end of the fourth quarter. As part of the wind-down, PENN Entertainment plans to rebrand its U.S. online sports betting offering to "theScore Bet" by December 2025.
Adding to investor concerns, PENN reported a wider-than-expected third-quarter loss. The company posted a loss of $865.1 million, or $6.03 per share, compared to a loss of $37.5 million, or $0.24 per share, in the same period last year. Adjusted losses of $0.22 per share missed analyst estimates of a $0.04 per share loss. While revenue rose to $1.72 billion from $1.64 billion year-over-year, it still fell short of Wall Street expectations. In response to these challenges, PENN announced a realignment of its digital focus, emphasizing its iCasino business and leveraging its U.S. iCasino and Canadian operations. The company's board also authorized a new $750 million share repurchase program starting January 1, 2026.