Markets

Insider Trading

Hedge Funds

Retirement

Opinion

The Surprising Risks of DraftKings (DKNG), Why The House Doesn’t Always Win

DraftKings Inc.’s Q3 results reveal significant growth in customer acquisition, achieving a 39% YoY growth in revenue to $1,095 million. Despite this growth, the company missed analyst expectations. The adjusted EBITDA targets for 2024 were also lowered to $260 million from the prior $380 million. With regulatory uncertainty surrounding the stock, it seems to have too many issues for the average investor’s liking.

DraftKings Inc. is an online gaming company based in the United States with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. The firm specializes in online sports betting and daily fantasy sports. Founded in 2012, DraftKings is one of the innovative industry tools that seem to bring fantasy sports together with conventional sports betting through cutting-edge technology.

The core products for DraftKings include daily fantasy sports contests, a full-service sportsbook for placing bets on any type of sporting event and iGaming service in the form of casino-style games. Revenue is primarily generated through entry fees for fantasy contests, betting activity on its sportsbook, and online casino gaming. It has also expanded its product base through partnerships and acquisitions, such as the acquisition of Jackpocket, a national premier digital lottery app.

The betting juggernaut serves a diverse customer base, covering individual sports fans participating in fantasy contests and betting. The end market encompasses customers with an interest in sports wagering and also online gaming, with a strong presence in the United States as the company operates in multiple states due to an increasing legalization of sports betting. It targets millennials and Gen Z customers who are seeking engagement-driven, immersive experiences in gaming.

On Friday, the company reported its latest financials and slashed revenue projections following a challenging early fourth quarter period, driven by ‘customer friendly’ sports results. While the company has plans to enter emerging markets like Missouri and Puerto Rico, the success solely hinges on gaining market access and securing regulatory licenses.

The slow kickoff to the fourth quarter is quite notable, with analysts referring to it as “the worst stretch” of NFL results DraftKings has ever seen. Consequently, the full-year 2024 revenue guidance was lowered to a range between $4.85 billion and $4.95 billion from $5.05 billion to $5.25 billion. Although the management has a bold forecast for 2025, projecting revenue between $6.2 billion and $6.6 billion, achieving this target seems to be a long shot.

The risks pertaining to achieving next year’s targets form the foundation for our bearish outlook. Since the nature of the company is such that it heavily depends on external influences, particularly the regulatory landscape, certain elements remain beyond the management’s control. For instance, Illinois’ recent decision to raise taxes on gambling activities shows the company’s vulnerability to political transitions.

DraftKings has blamed “unfavorable sports outcomes”, particularly in the NFL, for multiple quarters of EBITDA misses. But if the house always wins in the long run, why does it keep citing these results as a reason for weak profitability?

DraftKings Inc. isn’t on our latest list of the 31 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 56 hedge fund portfolios held  DKNG at the end of the second quarter which was 64 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of DKNG as a leading investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as DKNG but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: $30 Trillion Opportunity: 15 Best Humanoid Robot Stocks to Buy According to Morgan Stanley and Jim Cramer Says NVIDIA ‘Has Become A Wasteland’.

Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.

The $250 Trillion AI Hype is Real. A few years from now, you’ll probably wish you’d bought this stock.

When Jeff Bezos said that one breakthrough technology would shape Amazon’s destiny, even Wall Street’s biggest analysts were caught off guard.

Fast forward a year and Amazon’s new CEO Andy Jassy described generative AI as a “once-in-a-lifetime” technology that is already being used across Amazon to reinvent customer experiences.

At the 8th Future Investment Initiative conference, Elon Musk predicted that by 2040 there would be at least 10 billion humanoid robots, with each priced between $20,000 and $25,000.

Do the math. According to Musk, this technology could be worth $250 trillion by 2040.

Put another way, that’s roughly equal to:

  • 175 Teslas
  • 107 Amazons
  • 140 Metas
  • 84 Googles
  • 65 Microsofts
  • And 55 Nvidias

And here’s the wild part — this $250 trillion wave isn’t tied to one company, but to an entire ecosystem of AI innovators set to reshape the global economy.

It’s a leap so massive, it could reshape how businesses, governments, and consumers operate worldwide.

Even if that $250 trillion figure sounds ambitious, major firms like PwC and McKinsey still see AI unlocking multi-trillion-dollar potential.

How could anything be worth that much?

The answer lies in a breakthrough so powerful it’s redefining how humanity works, learns, and creates.

And this breakthrough has already set off a frenzy among hedge funds and Wall Street’s top investors.

What most investors don’t realize is that one under-owned company holds the key to this $250 trillion revolution.

In fact, Verge argues this company’s supercheap AI technology should concern rivals.

Before I reveal the details, let’s talk about how some of the richest people on the planet are positioning themselves.

  • Bill Gates sees artificial intelligence as the “biggest technological advance in my lifetime,” more transformative than the internet or personal computer, capable of improving healthcare, education, and addressing climate change.
  • Larry Ellison — through Oracle, is spending billions on Nvidia chips and partnering with Cohere to embed generative AI across Oracle’s cloud and apps.
  • Warren Buffett — not known for tech hype — says this breakthrough could have a ‘hugely beneficial social impact.

When billionaires from Silicon Valley to Wall Street line up behind the same idea — you know it’s worth paying attention to.

Even as we admire what Tesla, Nvidia, Alphabet, and Microsoft have built, we believe an even greater opportunity lies elsewhere…

But the real story isn’t Nvidia — it’s a much smaller company quietly improving the critical technology that makes this entire revolution possible.

And judging by what I’m hearing from both Silicon Valley insiders and Wall Street veterans…

This prediction might not be bold at all:

A few years from now, you’ll wish you’d owned this stock.

The best part? You can discover everything about this company and its groundbreaking technology right now.

I’ve compiled everything you need to know about this groundbreaking company in a detailed, members-only report.

Trust me — you’ll want to read this report before putting another dollar into any tech stock.

For a ridiculously low price of just $9.99 a month, you can unlock a year’s worth of in-depth investment research and exclusive insights – that’s less than a single fast food meal!

Here’s why this is a deal you can’t afford to pass up:

• Access to our Detailed Report on this Game-Changing AI Stock: Our in-depth report dives deep into our #1 AI stock’s groundbreaking technology and massive growth potential.

• 11 New Issues of Our Premium Readership Newsletter: You will also receive 11 new issues and at least one new stock pick per month from our monthly newsletter’s portfolio over the next 12 months. These stocks are handpicked by our research director, Dr. Inan Dogan.

• One free upcoming issue of our 70+ page Quarterly Newsletter: A value of $149

• Bonus Reports: Premium access to members-only fund manager video interviews

• Ad-Free Browsing: Enjoy a year of investment research free from distracting banner and pop-up ads, allowing you to focus on uncovering the next big opportunity.

• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee:  If you’re not absolutely satisfied with our service, we’ll provide a full refund within 30 days, no questions asked.

If you’re thinking about getting in, don’t wait – because once Wall Street catches wind of this story, the easy money will be gone.

Space is Limited! Only 1000 spots are available for this exclusive offer. Don’t let this chance slip away – subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter today and unlock the potential for a life-changing investment.

Here’s what to do next:

1. Head over to our website and subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter for just $9.99 a month.

2. Enjoy a year of ad-free browsing, exclusive access to our in-depth report on the revolutionary AI company, and the upcoming issues of our Premium Readership Newsletter over the next 12 months.

3. Sit back, relax, and know that you’re backed by our ironclad 30-day money-back guarantee.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Subscribe now and take control of your AI investment future!

No worries about auto-renewals! Our 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee applies whether you’re joining us for the first time or renewing your subscription a month later!