Citi is Neutral on Caesars (CZR) Due to Concerns Over Aggressive Promotions Replacing High-Margin Strategy

Core Insights - Caesars Entertainment Inc. is viewed as a promising stock with significant upside potential, but concerns exist regarding its shift from a high-margin strategy to more aggressive promotions, leading Citi to initiate coverage with a Neutral rating and a $23 price target [1][3]. Financial Performance - In Q3 2025, Caesars reported consolidated net revenues of $2.87 billion, reflecting a slight year-over-year decline of 0.17% and falling short of guidance by $25.34 million [2]. - The Regional Segment experienced a net revenue growth of 6% year-over-year, attributed to strong performance in Danville and New Orleans, along with same-store growth from investments in the Caesars Rewards customer database [3]. - The Digital Segment generated net revenue of $311 million, driven by robust core volume growth in both sports betting and iCasino, with iCasino net revenue increasing by 29% due to higher volume and average monthly active users [3]. Company Overview - Caesars Entertainment operates as a gaming and hospitality company, managing properties across 18 states that include slot machines, video lottery terminals, e-tables, hotel rooms, and table games such as poker [4].