DraftKings Sags as Morgan Stanley Trims Price Target, Questions Stock-Based Compensation

DraftKings (NASDAQ:DKNG) stock is trading let down Wednesday after Morgan Sir Henry Morton Stanley cutting off its price mark on the sportsbook operator. The investiture fast(a) expressed worry over the company’s equity-based compensation practices.

In midday trading, the shares are cancelled near 2 percent, extending a decline that’s seen the formerly scintillating gaming equity shed almost 35 percent from its March high. In a take down to clients today, Thomas Hunt Morgan Sir Henry Morton Stanley psychoanalyst Thomas the doubting Apostle Allen reiterates an “overweight” rating on DraftKings, but pares his cost butt on the figure to $58 from $63. The young calculate implies upside of 22.6 percent from the June 1 close.

That simplification is prompted inwards component part by DraftKings’ rising shares spectacular chalk up at the custody compensation tied to the equity.

In addition, DKNG has recorded $483 1000000 of stock-based comp o'er the past tense year, and thither is $1.1 one million million inward stock-based comp that DKNG expects to disbursement over the next 2.1 years,” said Allen.

The psychoanalyst says the gaming company’s shares owing(p) number is up to 430 jillion from 350 million, with simply 37 zillion shares of that attributable to primary issuance. Although it latterly hiked its 2021 revenue guidance, DraftKings isn’t yet profitable. Thomas More shares floating around the marketplace tin can drag on earnings per share.

Surprising Increase in Amount of DraftKings Stock

Morgan Stanley’s Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen indicates the important uptick inward DraftKings’ shares outstanding by path of stock-based compensation is somewhat surprising, and it appears the identification number could grind higher o'er the next several years.

“When we initiated on DKNG inwards Apr 2020, we put on a long-term share enumeration of 350 gazillion diluted shares, based on fellowship disclosures,” said the analyst. “Prior to this analysis, we had forecast 447 trillion shares inwards 2025 (28 percent higher). We now posture a 465 billion 2025 percentage count, adding inwards another (net settled) vested LTIP computer programme and higher on-going equity comp.”

This isn’t the number 1 time DraftKings gunstock encountered headwinds related to to deal supply. In just now o'er a yr as a standalone in public traded entity, the society endured multiple lockup stop expirations inward which early investors drop monumental amounts of equity.

Add to that, the gaming manipulator sold 20.8 meg shares of inventory in a secondary offering cobbler's last October, bringing more new equity provide to market.

Not All Bad News

Stock compensation is usual among US companies, and the pattern is ofttimes deployed by rising maturation companies, of which DraftKings is one.

It’s advantageous for employers because it limits traditional salary expenses piece serving as a marketing head to pull and keep talent.

As for DraftKings, at that place are ease some positives for investors to ponder. As Allen, the John Pierpont Morgan Sir Henry Morton Stanley analyst points out, the compelling carry remains an attractive long-term ontogeny story, with enviable customer acquisition advantages congener to competitors.