Vegas-Based Casino Stocks Weaken On Macau Regulatory News

Big U.S. casino stocks this week tanked on news that Chinese officials would increase regulatory scrutiny in Macau. The companies with the largest operations there — Las Vegas Sands LVS and WYNN — took it the hardest with both down more than 10% in the last 4 days.

Those resort equities with little or no exposure in Macau also got hit but with much less selling. Caesars and the Boyd Group managed positive days Wednesday. MGM had another day of unloading by investors but not to the extent seen by Las Vegas Sands and Wynn.

The Dow Jones Gambling Index, which follows the price action of a wide group within the sector, managed to stay above its July and August lows:

You can see the impact from March forward of coronavirus fears that may be preventing tourists from booking weekends or vacations at resorts. The major casino corporations have on-line operations where it’s legal but it’s not at the level where it makes up for actual overnight stays and restaurant visits.

WYNN’s daily price chart looks like this:

The company with one of the biggest property exposure in Macau is the one with the big red volume bars indicating huge selling (below the price chart). Tuesday was the worst day with another gap down on Wednesday. WYNN seemed to find support near 84 by the end of the week.

The daily chart for Las Vegas Sands is here:

This is the other big Sin City-based casino business with major operations in Macau. Similar to WYNN, the stock suffered a huge gap down with massive selling volume on Tuesday. After touching 36 Wednesday, Las Vegas Sands has bounced and managed a weekly close at just above 38.

Caesars daily price chart looks like this:

With no major operations in Macau, Caesars basically had a good week. It dropped on Tuesday as selling hit the entire sector but managed to find enough buyers to close higher on Friday. Some money may have moved within the sector from WYNN and Las Vegas Sands to companies like Caesars where the Asian gambling mecca is not a concern.

Here’s the MGM Resorts International daily price chart:

The stock got hit hard on Tuesday with big unloading-style volume when the news broke and then continued to sell off on Wednesday. Unlike Las Vegas Sands and WYNN, however, MGM Resorts International found enough buyers Thursday and Friday to end the week on a definite up note.

There’s a lot going on in Asian regions these days: the new U.S. agreement to provide nuclear submarines to Australia, the collapse of Chinese conglomerate Evergrande and this regulatory crackdown coming to Macau. The investment picture is changing quickly and in uncertain ways.

Not investment advice. Do your own research and always consult with a registered investment advisor before making any decisions.