Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc. (MCRI) Hit a 52 Week High, Can the Run Continue?

Company Performance - Monarch Casino (MCRI) shares have increased by 24.5% over the past month and reached a new 52-week high of $113.88 [1] - The stock has gained 32.9% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector's 11.9% and the Zacks Gaming industry's 18.9% [1] Earnings and Revenue - Monarch Casino has consistently exceeded earnings expectations, reporting an EPS of $1.44 against a consensus estimate of $1.22 in its last earnings report [2] - For the current fiscal year, the company is projected to achieve earnings of $5.27 per share on revenues of $537.3 million, reflecting a 6.25% increase in EPS and a 2.89% increase in revenues [3] - The next fiscal year is expected to see earnings of $5.47 per share on revenues of $549.6 million, indicating a year-over-year change of 3.73% in EPS and 2.29% in revenues [3] Valuation Metrics - The stock trades at 19.9 times the current fiscal year EPS estimates, below the peer industry average of 23.9 times [7] - On a trailing cash flow basis, the stock trades at 13.3 times compared to the peer group's average of 11.2 times [7] Zacks Rank and Style Scores - Monarch Casino holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) due to favorable earnings estimate revisions [8] - The company has a Value Score of B, and both Growth and Momentum Scores are A, resulting in a combined VGM Score of A [6][9] Industry Comparison - Accel Entertainment, Inc. (ACEL) is a notable peer with a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and strong style scores [10] - ACEL is expected to post earnings of $0.86 per share on revenues of $1.33 billion for the current fiscal year, having beaten consensus estimates by 33.33% last quarter [11] - The Gaming industry is positioned in the top 38% of all industries, suggesting favorable conditions for both MCRI and ACEL [12]