BofA Analyst: Online Sports Betting Remains Focus in 2026
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 22 2026
0mins
Source: Benzinga
- Gaming Sector Outlook: BofA analyst Shaun C. Kelley noted that despite softer trends in Las Vegas, regional casinos, and Asia, online sports betting remains the focal point for investors in 2026, indicating market uncertainty.
- Earnings Forecast Update: Kelley updated forecasts for Las Vegas, regional casinos, and Macau, highlighting that gaming stocks fell about 9% in Q4, with U.S. operators down roughly 4%, Macau stocks off 13%, and digital gaming stocks plummeting 23%.
- Diverging Performance in Las Vegas: Although Kelley’s Q4 estimates are modestly below market expectations, Las Vegas locals are performing well, with BofA's estimates exceeding consensus, indicating potential resilience in the regional market.
- Regional Market Trends: In Macau, Kelley expects Q4 EBITDA to align with market expectations, driven by strong performance from MGM China, while Singapore's Marina Bay Sands may modestly outperform due to the F1 event, showcasing diverging trends in regional markets.
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Analyst Views on BYD
Wall Street analysts forecast BYD stock price to rise
11 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 85.060
Low
84.00
Averages
93.70
High
110.00
Current: 85.060
Low
84.00
Averages
93.70
High
110.00
About BYD
Boyd Gaming Corporation is a gaming company. It operates over 28 gaming entertainment properties in 10 states, manager of a tribal casino in northern California, and owner and operator of Boyd Interactive, a B2B and B2C online casino gaming business. Its segments include Las Vegas Locals, Downtown Las Vegas, Midwest & South, and Online. The Las Vegas Locals segment consists of eight casinos in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Downtown Las Vegas segment consists of three properties: California Hotel and Casino, Fremont Hotel & Casino, and Main Street Station Hotel and Casino. Its Midwest & South properties consist of five land-based casinos, five dockside riverboat casinos, three racinos and four barge-based casinos that operate in nine states, predominantly in the Midwest and southern United States. The Online segment includes its online gaming operations through collaborative arrangements with third parties throughout the United States and the operations of Boyd Interactive.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Quarterly Dividend Increase: Boyd Gaming has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per share, marking an 11.1% increase from the previous $0.18, reflecting the company's commitment to shareholder returns amid strengthening profitability.
- Dividend Yield: The forward yield stands at 0.94%, providing a stable cash return in the current market environment, which is likely to attract income-seeking investors and enhance the company's market appeal.
- Payment Schedule: The dividend will be payable on April 15, with a record date of March 16 and an ex-dividend date also on March 16, ensuring shareholders receive timely returns and reinforcing the relationship between the company and its investors.
- Capital Expenditure Outlook: Boyd Gaming outlines a capital plan of $650 million to $700 million for 2026, aimed at supporting continued core customer growth and significant property investments, demonstrating the company's confidence in future growth and strategic positioning.
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Boyd Gaming Increases Quarterly Dividend to $0.20 per Share
- Dividend Increase: Boyd Gaming Corporation raised its quarterly dividend from $0.18 to $0.20 per share, reflecting the company's ongoing profitability and commitment to shareholder returns, which is expected to boost investor confidence and attract more capital inflows.
- Payment Schedule: The new dividend will be payable on April 15, 2026, with a record date of March 16, 2026, ensuring shareholders receive timely returns, thereby strengthening the relationship between the company and its investors.
- Company Background: Founded in 1975, Boyd Gaming operates 27 gaming entertainment properties across 11 states, showcasing its industry position and market diversification capabilities, which enhance its resilience in a competitive market.
- Brand Recognition: Boyd Gaming's loyalty program was voted the nation's favorite casino loyalty program by USA Today readers, demonstrating the company's success in customer service and brand building, further enhancing its competitive edge in the market.
See More
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- Payment Schedule: The new dividend will be payable on April 15, 2026, to shareholders of record as of March 16, 2026, ensuring that shareholders receive timely returns and further solidifying the company's relationship with its investors.
- Company Background: Founded in 1975, Boyd Gaming operates 27 gaming properties across 11 states, showcasing its strong market position and diversified operational strategy in the U.S. gaming industry, enhancing its resilience in a competitive market.
- Loyalty Program Advantage: Boyd Gaming's loyalty program, Boyd Rewards, has been recognized as the nation's favorite casino loyalty program by USA Today readers, further enhancing customer retention and brand loyalty, laying a solid foundation for the company's future growth.
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- Steady AFFO Increase: The Adjusted Funds from Operations (AFFO) for Q4 2025 was $290 million, up 7.5% year-over-year, reflecting ongoing improvements in lease stability and operational efficiency, enhancing potential shareholder returns.
- Expanded Capital Deployment: Despite challenges in the financing environment, GLPI executed approximately $876 million in new transactions in 2025, with a blended cap rate exceeding 9%, laying the groundwork for future investment opportunities.
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See More
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- Quarterly Dividend Increase: Boyd Gaming has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per share, marking an 11.1% increase from the previous $0.18, reflecting the company's commitment to shareholder returns amid strengthening profitability.
- Dividend Yield: The forward yield stands at 0.94%, providing a stable cash return in the current market environment, which is likely to attract income-seeking investors and enhance the company's market appeal.
- Payment Schedule: The dividend will be payable on April 15, with a record date of March 16 and an ex-dividend date also on March 16, ensuring shareholders receive timely returns and reinforcing the relationship between the company and its investors.
- Capital Expenditure Outlook: Boyd Gaming outlines a capital plan of $650 million to $700 million for 2026, aimed at supporting continued core customer growth and significant property investments, demonstrating the company's confidence in future growth and strategic positioning.
See More
Boyd Gaming Increases Quarterly Dividend to $0.20 per Share
- Dividend Increase: Boyd Gaming Corporation raised its quarterly dividend from $0.18 to $0.20 per share, reflecting the company's ongoing profitability and commitment to shareholder returns, which is expected to boost investor confidence and attract more capital inflows.
- Payment Schedule: The new dividend will be payable on April 15, 2026, with a record date of March 16, 2026, ensuring shareholders receive timely returns, thereby strengthening the relationship between the company and its investors.
- Company Background: Founded in 1975, Boyd Gaming operates 27 gaming entertainment properties across 11 states, showcasing its industry position and market diversification capabilities, which enhance its resilience in a competitive market.
- Brand Recognition: Boyd Gaming's loyalty program was voted the nation's favorite casino loyalty program by USA Today readers, demonstrating the company's success in customer service and brand building, further enhancing its competitive edge in the market.
See More
Boyd Gaming Increases Quarterly Dividend to $0.20
- Dividend Increase: Boyd Gaming Corporation has raised its quarterly dividend from $0.18 to $0.20 per share, reflecting ongoing improvements in profitability and cash flow management, which is expected to boost investor confidence and attract more shareholders to hold the stock.
- Payment Schedule: The new dividend will be payable on April 15, 2026, to shareholders of record as of March 16, 2026, ensuring that shareholders receive timely returns and further solidifying the company's relationship with its investors.
- Company Background: Founded in 1975, Boyd Gaming operates 27 gaming properties across 11 states, showcasing its strong market position and diversified operational strategy in the U.S. gaming industry, enhancing its resilience in a competitive market.
- Loyalty Program Advantage: Boyd Gaming's loyalty program, Boyd Rewards, has been recognized as the nation's favorite casino loyalty program by USA Today readers, further enhancing customer retention and brand loyalty, laying a solid foundation for the company's future growth.
See More
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- Significant Revenue Growth: GLPI reported total revenue of $407 million for Q4 2025, a 4.5% year-over-year increase, with annual revenue reaching $1.594 billion, showcasing strong performance in the regional gaming market and expected to drive future growth.
- Steady AFFO Increase: The Adjusted Funds from Operations (AFFO) for Q4 2025 was $290 million, up 7.5% year-over-year, reflecting ongoing improvements in lease stability and operational efficiency, enhancing potential shareholder returns.
- Expanded Capital Deployment: Despite challenges in the financing environment, GLPI executed approximately $876 million in new transactions in 2025, with a blended cap rate exceeding 9%, laying the groundwork for future investment opportunities.
- Strong Financial Leverage: As of year-end 2025, the company's net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio stood at 4.6, below the lower end of its target range, indicating the company's capacity to meet financial commitments while enabling further expansion.
See More
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- Electrical Architecture Innovation: Ford's adoption of a 48-volt electrical architecture is expected to enhance production efficiency for its electric pickup by reducing parts by 20% and workstations by 40%, significantly lowering production costs and improving market competitiveness.
- Market Competition Strategy: Ford plans to launch a small electric pickup starting at $30,000 in 2027, aiming to compete against Tesla and rapidly expanding Chinese brands, thereby promoting broader EV adoption.
- Production Efficiency Improvement: The new electric pickup's wiring harness will be over 4,000 feet shorter and 22 pounds lighter than that of the first-generation electric SUV, and combined with new technologies, assembly time will be reduced by 15%, enhancing overall production efficiency.
- Future Development Vision: CEO Jim Farley describes this transformation as a
See More
Canada Eases Import Restrictions on Chinese EVs
- Policy Shift: The Canadian government has decided to allow the import of 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles, reducing tariffs from 106% to 6.1%, which will enable these vehicles to represent about 3% of Canada's new car market and approximately 20% of its battery EV and plug-in hybrid market, aiming to reduce reliance on the U.S. and revitalize domestic manufacturing.
- China-Canada Cooperation: In exchange for tariff reductions, China has agreed to lower tariffs on Canadian canola oil, a move that not only enhances Canadian agricultural exports but may also foster joint investments and collaborations in the EV sector, driving manufacturing revival.
- Market Outlook: With expectations for significant growth in the Canadian EV market by 2030, the relatively small import volume of 49,000 vehicles could have a substantial impact if these are primarily affordable models, potentially increasing consumer acceptance of electric vehicles.
- Manufacturing Challenges: Despite having resource advantages, Canada faces challenges in attracting manufacturing investments compared to Mexico and the U.S., where lower manufacturing costs and larger markets prevail, and without further action, Canadian assembly plants may continue to decline.
See More
