What Happened?
Shares of fantasy sports and betting company DraftKings (NASDAQ:DKNG) jumped 3% in the afternoon session after reports revealed record-breaking online sports betting revenue in New York and a new partnership with ESPN, coupled with positive analyst commentary. State regulators in New York reported all-time-high revenue figures for November, with DraftKings posting its strongest month to date at $89.1 million. Adding to the positive news, the company began a multi-year partnership that designated it as the official sportsbook and odds provider for ESPN. The positive developments were supported by favorable analyst views. Citizens reiterated its "Market Outperform" rating, stating that betting exchanges did not pose a competitive threat. In a recent move, BTIG also maintained a 'Buy' rating and raised its price target on the stock.
After the initial pop the shares cooled down to $34.98, up 3% from previous close.
Is now the time to buy DraftKings? Access our full analysis report here.
What Is The Market Telling Us
DraftKings’s shares are very volatile and have had 22 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The previous big move we wrote about was 5 days ago when the stock gained 3.2% on the news that Benchmark initiated coverage on the stock with a 'Buy' rating and a $37 price target. The investment firm cited the company's strong performance in New York as a key reason for its positive outlook. Benchmark also pointed to potential growth from a possible expansion into Missouri as another factor supporting its rating. This action contributed to a broadly favorable view of the company among Wall Street analysts.
DraftKings is down 3.6% since the beginning of the year, and at $34.98 per share, it is trading 34.6% below its 52-week high of $53.49 from February 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of DraftKings’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $687.96.
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