Monarch Casino: Hotels Are Carrying The Crown (Rating Upgrade)
Monarch Casino delivered a 6% EPS beat, with hotel segment growth and robust cash generation, despite a 5% stock pullback post-earnings. MCRI's hotel revenue rose 13% YoY, now over 15% of total revenue, driven by regional visitation trends and recent property renovations. Adjusted EBITDA margin dipped 30 bps to ~37%, mainly due to higher F&B costs and wage inflation, but SG&A remains well-controlled.