Core Insights - Monarch Casino & Resort (NASDAQ: MCRI) saw a stock surge of 20% on July 17, 2025, reaching a new 52-week peak, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [2] - The company reported record Q2 2025 adjusted EBITDA of $51.3 million, a 16.8% year-over-year increase, exceeding consensus estimates by $12.8 million [3] - Despite the stock rally, Monarch remains reasonably valued compared to the S&P 500, with a price-to-sales ratio of 3.0 and a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.6 [4] Financial Performance - Casino revenue grew by 12.1% due to strong demand and efficiency improvements from a $100 million renovation at Atlantis, while hotel revenue decreased by 3.1% [3] - Q2 net income increased by 19.1% to $27 million, with earnings per share (EPS) growing by 21% to $1.44 [3] - The company returned capital to shareholders through a $0.30 dividend and $19.8 million in stock buybacks [3] Valuation Metrics - Monarch's three-year revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is 7.1%, surpassing the S&P 500's 5.5% [4] - The company has an operating margin of 17.9% and a net income margin of 14.1%, indicating strong profitability [4] - Monarch's debt-to-equity ratio is only 0.9%, significantly lower than the S&P 500 average of 19.4% [5] Market Sensitivity - Monarch stock has shown significant volatility during economic downturns, with notable declines of 41.8% during the 2022 inflation shock and 75.1% during the 2020 COVID crash [6][7] - Despite historical volatility, the company's fundamentals support a long-term investment outlook [7]
Monarch Casino Soars 20%, Still A Buy?